Elta Distributor Supports Ugandan School Project

The MD of our Northern Ireland based distributor for heating and ventilation products is helping to improve the education of children in Uganda, with a little help from Elta.

Des Collins, Managing Director of Duct Products based in Newtownwards, became involved with a project called Fields of Life in 2008. The charity was formed in Uganda in 1995, beginning with an agricultural project in Kasangati, a village 16 kilometres from the capital Kampala. From the work on this project it became clear that schooling for local children is a perennial problem and from 2000 to 2008 some 70 schools have been built in Uganda.

Des, (along with 23 other volunteers), is part of a group from the UK that will make a two week trip this August to help develop the latest project ” the new ‘Arise & Shine Primary School’ ” was created by the local parents and the church because the nearest school was several miles away. This meant that nursery aged children would need to walk a considerable distance every day to receive any education. The school is currently under construction and Des, (along with doctors, teachers) and other supporters from the UK, will be in Butebo County in the Pallisa District of Uganda to help with the setting up of the infrastructure and to provide teaching support and medical care for the community.

Des approached several of his business contacts, including David Ball of the Elta Group, for contributions towards the cost of the project which is being funded through the Fields of Life charity.

David, who is a longstanding friend of Des, felt that Elta should donate some funds to help this worthwhile project succeed. He comments “We were delighted to be able to offer some financial support to Des for what is a truly inspiring project. We do a lot of work ourselves in the schools sector of building services and, like most in the UK, tend to take the provision of education somewhat for granted. To be able to assist in some small way in a school which will have such a significant impact on the lives of the children of Kasiebai is a stark reminder that education is a right not a privilege but sometimes in developing countries a helping hand is needed in order for education to become a reality. We wish Des and all of those involved in Fields of Life and Abaana, every success in their ongoing endeavours.”

Des Collins in response said, “We have sent on ahead of us a pallet containing all sorts of things that will be useful in the new school ” encyclopaedias, reading books, paper, art equipment, even musical instruments.”