A GOLDEN DAY FOR DOLEN FFERMIO

Twenty of us, including Emmanuel Maraka, travelled to the Senedd in Cardiff on St David’s Day to collect Dolen Ffermio’s UN Gold Star Award from the First Minister, Carwyn Jones – and it turned out to be a golden day in every respect, including wall to wall sunshine all the time we were there.

Dolen Ffermio has been awarded a Youth Gold Star for our work with children and young people in Eastern Uganda on the Kumi Orphan Project, the School Exchange Programme and the Photo Diary Project.  The Gold Star Award Scheme is a UN initiative to recognise the efforts of charities like ours which are striving to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in the developing world.  Needless to say, we are absolutely delighted with this recognition and also because the Welsh Assembly funded Emmanuel to come over to receive the Award with us.  The superb slate plaque is on display in Llanfyllin High School, which played a major part in us achieving the Youth Gold Star.

Carwyn Jones said: “It is fitting that on this our tenth St. David’s Day since devolution, we’re celebrating Wales’ achievements as an outward looking, confident nation; a nation of strong communities, learning from others - and making a difference in the world that would make St. David proud. It is humbling to see the innovation of these Wales-Africa community links, and the support they have from the Welsh people”.  Of course, Dolen Ffermio’s support also comes from Oswestry and the surrounding area as we are very much a Borders charity.

Emmanuel, who co-founded and administers the Kumi Orphan Project says: “I am both humbled and elevated by the Award because it celebrates the partnership of people who know well that none of us acting alone can achieve the Millennium Development Goals”.

Kate Breeden, one of the Llanfyllin High School sixth formers who went on the trip to Uganda in October 2009, says: “I feel privileged to have been part of the award.  Being involved in Dolen Ffermio and the Gold Star Award process has been a great experience for me. My visit to Uganda was life-changing; it is an amazing place and I'm so glad that the great work Dolen Ffermio is doing there has been recognised.”

Cordelia Weedon describes the aim of the Photo Diary Project as “enabling youngsters to capture insights into their lives from their own perspective and to share their experiences with each other through the photo diaries which they have produced.”  Cordelia returned from a recent visit to Uganda with a large number of inspiring photo diary projects which are in display in the Arts Connection building in Llanfyllin.

All of these links are enriching the lives of children, young people and the whole community in both countries and Dolen Ffermio is building on them to encourage further links between other organisations and more schools.