UK News - Gold Star Communities Project
December 2008 Cordelia was now able to get to work with Emmanuel and introduce the children of Llanfechain and Llansantffraid Primary Schools to the Photo Diary project, which involved them in taking pictures of their life in Wales, which would then be taken back to Uganda so that the children there could see what life is like in Wales.
20/5/2008 At the meeting Lorna Brown explained our involvement with the Gold Star Communities Framework. Cordelia Weedon then explained the initial project and her part in it. The grant will be used to fund Emmanuel Maraka to come to Wales and for Cordelia to visit Uganda. The intention is to set up a photo diaries exchange project enabling people in Uganda to learn about the potential of photography and, combined with creative writing, to tell their stories on a personal level. In Wales, the project will highlight issues vital for the future of farming in Wales. Giving people a voice of their own will empower the participants, enable them to learn additional skills and strengthen the links between the two communities. It is important that we extend the links we have developed with the communities in Eastern Uganda over the past 16 years, to include schools, medical centres, farming groups, engineering, appropriate technology and other areas.
Gold Star Communities Framework: The Framework has been set up by the Welsh Assembly to encourage links between communities in Wales and Africa. The Welsh Assembly is only able to fund projects which benefit Wales directly (and developing countries indirectly) as funding for developing countries is the responsibility of the UK government. We have been given a grant of £1,250 to fund an initial Gold Star project which will, hopefully, lead to greater funding to allow us to go beyond our present activities in Uganda and to involve other sections of our rural communities.
Cordelia Weedon will control Dolen Ffermio's input to this project and the grant will be used to fund Emmanuel Maraka to come to Wales and for Cordelia to visit Uganda. The intention is to set up a photo diaries exchange project enabling people in Uganda to learn about the potential of photography and, combined with creative writing, to tell their stories on a personal level. In Wales, the project will highlight issues vital for the future of farming in Wales. Giving people a voice of their own will empower the participants, enable them to learn additional skills and strengthen the links between the two communities.