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FUNDRAISING Ashland woman helps Ugandan village help itself Fundraiser planned Nov. 14 to benefit school and clinic Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Oct. 19, 2015 at 6:20 PM Updated Oct 19, 2015 at 6:21 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Oct. 19, 2015 at 6:20 PM Updated Oct 19, 2015 at 6:21 PM » Social News After living in a Ugandan village for the last year and a half, helping train teachers, operating a clinic, and planting papaya trees, Nicole Van Seters is back in Ashland with visions of marketing a colorful line of African-themed clothing, with the women in the village training as the seamstresses and getting a revenue stream from it. Made of kitenge, a durable African wax print cotton, the clothing, she says, as she displayed it on her kids, will be promoted as “authentic, original, playful and inspired.” Van Seters and her then-husband, Michael Mugerwa, a native of the village of Banda Kyandaaza, worked over the past decade to overcome its poverty and lack of schooling and health care. He remains in the village, helping with projects they started, including an “eco-campsite” for tourists and locals from Kampala who may volunteer on projects and gain understanding of the regional environment. Villagers also grow coffee and teas for market. In the past year and a half, notes Van Seters, “We planted 400 papaya trees and harvested coffee and tea as part of our local program for sustainability. We also implemented a vocational training program and added a laboratory to the clinic." Van Seters has screened local community college students as teachers, sorting them into methods based on their visual, auditory or tactile senses — and teaching them to convey knowledge with song and play, a new concept, which, she says, greatly accelerated learning. She also pushed computers and the Internet into the classroom, introducing such new programs as Pinterest, which “was an eye-opener to them.” Jobs in the local economy are virtually non-existent, so, says Van Seters, she started turning single moms (of whom there are many) onto being tailors, getting on sewing machines and making curtains, bed covers, children clothing, cloth diapers and women’s clothing. “These are women in my artisan circle, mostly single moms,” she says. “They get a small income from it” and, she adds, it all helps add economic stability to the school, clinic and village itself. Van Seters plans to market the clothing here at the Lithia Artisans Market weekends on Calle Guanajuato and in Ashland and Jacksonville shops. She recognizes the need to expand her knowledge of marketing and business and is seeking mentoring in that area. In recent months, Van Seters has started a vocational training program for third through sixth grades, moving papaya, tea, coffee and jam to market. Some of the produce, as well as the clothing, is now being marketed in Iceland, after a group from that country visited the village. Exotic plants, such as rosemary, mint, lavender and chamomile, are being cultivated and introduced to the country. The goal of all this economic development, she says, is to move the school to a nearly full-tuition status, with those funds helping on scholarships. The school should be self-sustaining by January 2017, with less reliance on donors. A fundraiser brunch to benefit the school and clinic will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the home of Lisa Giannini, who has been to the village. It includes live streaming of songs. Reservations are available from [email protected]. More information is at www.buiga-sunrise.org . John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Oct. 19, 2015 at 6:20 PM Updated Oct 19, 2015 at 6:21 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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