December 2009

Jajja’s Kid’s – NEW Friday Program

We are pleased to announce that a new program for Jajja’s Kids began last month, and we hope to continue it throughout the coming year. Called the Friday Program, its purpose is to provide counseling, care, food and comfort to street children living in two slum districts of Kampala, capital of Uganda.

Ronnie Sseruyange is a young Ugandan adult who began life on the streets at age seven and has survived that harsh existence. Self-educated and now considered by many to be the “Chairman of the Street Kids”, Ronnie is deeply committed to helping the most needy of Kampala’s street children, and serves as an advocate, counselor, overseer and protector for them. Because he himself has been there and knows their life, he has gained the trust and admiration of the children he seeks to help.

Ronnie and his assistants (also former street children) meet weekly with groups of children, trying to serve 40 at a time. The children share their problems and concerns, and receive counseling and guidance to help regain a sense of self-esteem and belonging. At the same time, it is intended for them also to receive a haircut, bath, meal, and recreation, plus basic medical care. The counseling includes advice about avoiding drugs, staying safe, and protecting themselves from attacks by police and others. Those most needy also receive a jacket or shirt as funds allow.

Steel Security

The average front doors on the market in Japan just dont give a feeling of solidness and safety. To disprove that old truth “They just dont make them like they used to”, we asked Akaiike-san to build us an entrance door in the tradition of the great Japanese Edo castles. He came back to us with this custom built beauty; steel exterior on and wooden frame with 2inches of internal insulation. The interior is faced with a smooth cedar and the window is actually….(this is a secret), a set of pyrex glass oven dishes from Ikea. Built to last 100years.

Chestnut Harvest

The wild chestnut trees were just babies sprung from seeds carried by the crows when we first started farming the land on the edge of Aokigahara Forest. Now 15 feet tall they provided us with a months worth of chestnut cake, chestnut rice, and of course roasting on an open fire. And those are just the ones that the deer left for us.

Fall Colors

Our fields are fading to brown and we are picking the last eggplants and tomatoes of the season from our greenhouse. Even though the nights are going below freezing, our greenhouse still gets up to 30degrees C during the day and this is the latest into winter we have ever been still eating fresh food. We also harvesting lots of organic seeds for next springs planting. Out in the fields the broccoli, cabbage, parsley and carrots are still holding on. They arent getting any bigger, but a little walk everyday at sunset to harvest a big pot for dinner is saving us that trip to town and shopping.