Activities
There are four main strands to the work of the Foundation – in the UK; in Uganda; the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child; and the work supported by Bryce’s fund.
In the UK
The Oasis Foundation has offered training and consultancy for both the volunteer base and paid staff in charities and third sector organisations.
We have supported human relations by delivering some programmes free of charge from our base in Boston Spa.
In addition we have supported a number of initiatives in the UK including:
- Advantage
- Speedwell
- YUMI
- Transformative Living
- Music and Change
- The Helplines Association.
In Uganda
Our work in Uganda involves giving support to establish sustainable development projects, particularly focusing on education and women’s co-operative groups.
The project that initiated the Oasis Development Education Foundation (ODEF) was a partnership with a community-based organisation in Bunyaruguru, Uganda – Bunyaruguru Orphans and Disabled Children’s Organisation (BODCO). All other initiatives in Uganda have come out of that initial warm and enriching connection.
From the beginning we wanted to create partnership relationships and sustainable development rather than dependence on handouts. The foundation provided support to BODCO in setting up a maize mill to run as a business, using the profits to fund core staff salaries.
A goat-rearing project has provided a sustainable source of income for the education of orphans and children who are members of BODCO.
The foundation has also given grants and loans to women’s groups including Ndekye Women’s Support Group and Bakyaara Twekambe Women Group, to establish a pig-rearing project and a co-operative shop.
Other schemes have included supporting education through the JP Bernacca Teacher Training Fund by sponsoring children’s school fees, helping teachers through training and match-funding school refurbishment projects.
Oasis has supported the building of a community computer classroom and internet cafe through the foundation.
Students from Nunthorpe School in Middlesbrough, which has forged a partnership with Ndekye School with the support of the foundation, also raised funds for the building.
The cafe supports the internet connection for the school, and the community can use the building for computer classes.
The partnership between Ndekye and Nunthorpe led to a successful visit by six students in October 2010. There are likely to be more school trips and there is potential for a cluster of links between schools in the UK and in Uganda.
The Oasis Foundation also has links with AOET – Action for Empowerment – which was started in Uganda and now has branches in Botswana, Rwanda, Zambia and Kenya.
World’s Children’s Prize, Stockholm
We provide administrative support to, and actively promote, The World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child; an inspiring initiative that promotes global citizenship using democratic principles, run by and for children.