ABOUT US

OUR HISTORY

STORIA DEL PROGETTO - History of project

John, the village chief and David's brother, in the following speech delivered at the inauguration of the second well (2007), tells the story of Utange's projects.

My names are John Katana Lewa. I'm a teacher. David Lewa is my younger brother. He is a Pastor.
I came to know Angela Andolfo in 1991 through my cousin - Richard Chondo. Angela assisted Richard in his education. Richard came to me to help him get admission to my school. He then introduced me to Angela. Angela asked me to ensure that Richard is in school and to report to her Richard's progress in school. As Angela assisted Richard, she also convinced her colleagues and friends to assist children in my village. Angela then convinced her uncle Col. Antonino La Rocca to help us. Col Antonino La Rocca also convinced other friends and together they put up one classroom and admitted 34 pupils, who were fully sponsored by the following:
Mrs. Angela Andolfo, Ms. Ester and Renata, Col. Antonino La Rocca, Cpt. Tonnarelli, Ms. Marcianesi Casadei, Ms. Chiara Barozzi, Ms. Manola Baldan, Ms. Sonia, Ms. Maria and Angela Pozzoli, Ms. Emma Perfetti, Ms. Anna Caspani, Ms. Giuliana Semeraro, Ms. Elisa Villa, Ms. Mimma Mercati, Mr. Mario Citelli, Mr. Alfonso Ettaro, Mr. Fabio Centemero, Mr. Renato Crippa, Mr. Franco Busnelli, Mr. Giuseppe Ronchi.
The school ran for 2 years, and then Col. Antonino fell sick suffering from Leukemia. He passed away afterwards.
During this time, Angela was working as well as pursuing her degree at University. She was too busy to be able to bring together all these people to continue with the Sponsorship. Col. Antonino's wife was old and unable to communicate in English. So the school project could not continue as there was a breakdown of communication with the sponsors.
Sometime in 1999, I asked Angela to seek assistance from an organization that could dig up a well for us - as there was an acute shortage of water in the village.
Angela approached IPAL and after a long discussion, the borehole started in Jan 2002 - and was completed in March 2004 at a total cost of Kshs 537,389.65. We started working at the borehole site growing spinach, bananas and pawpaws. We also reared chicken and carried out other small-scale businesses i.e selling firewood, manure, charcoal e.t.c. These activities were carried out under a small organization of people called Kibokoni Self Help Group.
We then decided to expand our activities and work more aggressively. We formed a group that included women, men and youths, we called this organization Living Fountain Group. (LIFOG) This is a C.B.O. registered with the Ministry of Social Services.
It has 3 main programmes:-

• Anti-drug abuse initiative
• Orphans and widows initiative
• Lifog Development Programme.

In Feb 2005, Angela Andolfo sent a friend to us known as Angela Gallorini she was with a friend called Nicki. On her second visit to our village in April 2005, Angela came with more friends including Cpt Claudio, Stefania, Manuela, Pietro and others. Cpt. Claudio suggested another borehole project for us. The project started in Feb 2006. We have received Kshs 688,942.05 through IPAL. With this amount, we renovated a house for mama Betty, built this house at the site and the fence and gate will soon be put up. The gate is still being prepared and as soon as we fix the gate, we shall start putting up the fence. The work moves on well. Where we can, we do the work ourselves to cut expenses.
We have the following projects in mind to be carried out at the site:-

1. Farming - growing bananas, pawpaws, vegetables, sweet potatoes, cassava, and maize.
2. Keeping poultry
3. Fish farming
4. Prepare seedlings for sale
5. selling firewood, charcoal, and foodstuffs.

However, the villagers have asked me to request you consider building a school for this community.
With these remarks, on behalf of all the villagers and friends, I wish to pass to you, IPAL and all the friends who supported you, our profound thanks for giving us this project and coming to inaugurate the site.

Thank you, so much, God bless you all!
John.

 Since then many other things have happened, with Friends of Utange.......

Small changes make a big difference

Since 2005, small changes have made a big difference in the Utange community. The well was inaugurated in 2007, the first four primary school classes in 2010, the completion of the primary school in 2011 with another four classes, and then the kindergarten and library. Since then, electricity has been connected. With the help of other volunteer groups and associations, a small clinic was opened, school toilets were built and eight orphans from the village received a roof and food. We provide a daily meal for all 300 children attending the school. We carry out necessary maintenance, initiate local projects through micro-credit loans, and have supported families during their isolation from Covid. And much more...

2014 -The Association "FRIENDS OF UTANGE - Onlus" is founded

02.04.2014 

To all friends and acquaintances who in one way or another have been actively involved or have come into contact with those who have provided direct and effective help to the Utange community in Kenya, I would like to give a few words of advice that will better frame, from a legal point of view, the newly formed association 'The Friends of Utange' - Onlus. (......).

The Association "Gli Amici di Utange" - Onlus is registered by the Italian legal system (Civil Code) in the category of unrecognised associations as legal persons (Ag. Entrate - legal nature: unrecognised associations and committees - of 19/02/14).

The deed of incorporation dated 16/02/2014 and the statutes constitute a contract of an associative nature, resulting from the will of several individuals (the founding members) whose services are directed towards the achievement of a common purpose (i.e. the humanitarian support of the Utange community through the local association LiFoG).

The statutes contain the rules governing the life and functioning of the organisation (Art. 16 C. C.) and distinguish the essential elements (name, purpose, assets, seat, rights and obligations of the members) from the optional elements (rules on the dissolution of the organisation, its transformation, transfer of assets, etc.).

All members duly registered with the association in accordance with the relevant provisions of the statutes are part of the membership, enjoy the same rights and assume the same obligations (principle of equality). Members are entitled to

- participate in the activities of the Association
- vote in the General Assembly
- elect the Association's officers (so-called 'right to vote')
- stand for election to the offices of the Association (so-called "passive right to vote");
- have access to the books of the Association in order to obtain information on the activities of the Association.

They are obliged to:

- Comply with the principles and rules of the Constitution and any internal regulations;

- Participate in the life of the Association in the manner provided for in the Articles of Association and any internal regulations and cooperate in the pursuit of the social purpose.

- comply with the decisions taken by the organs of the Association
- Behave in a manner that does not harm the Association;
- Pay the annual subscription that may be determined by the General Assembly or the Board of Directors.

Failure to comply with these obligations will generally result in the expulsion of the member from the Association.

I would like to point out two concepts expressed in the rights of the member.

Taking part in the activities of the Association and voting in the General Assembly means giving directions as to how the Association should act in order to achieve its objectives and, if necessary, using your vote to decide what action should be taken. Being a member therefore means actively shaping the policy of the Association.

So we look forward to seeing you, joining us and bringing your ideas to improve the living conditions of the Utange community.

Finally, I would like to add that behind the association "Gli Amici di Utange" - Onlus there are always and simply friends you have known for a long time, to whom you have given your trust and who have personally followed all Utange's projects.

CC

2022 -The Association becomes "FRIENDS OF UTANGE - ODV"

By means of ACT DD 1491/A1419A/2022 of 09/08/2022, the Piedmont Region established the cumulative inscription of the entities already enrolled in the previous registers and migrated to the Registro Unico Nazionale del Terzo Settore, pursuant to Article 54 of Legislative Decree no. 117 of 3 July 2017 and Article 31, paragraph 7, of Ministerial Decree no. 106 of 15/09/2020.

From this moment on, our Association is registered with the RUNTS, takes the name of Organizzazione Di Volontariato and can also be identified by the acronym GADU. For all intents and purposes, we are continuing our volunteer work in the same way as when we started this journey in 2005.

OUR TEAM

Meet our volunteers

AND NOW?

Support our mission