By Sean Leslie

Trade show raises money for African village

Apr 13, 2013 | 3:44 PM

A Prince Albert-based charity held a trade show on Saturday that will improve of the lives of people halfway around the world.

All proceeds from the Rays of Hope for Uganda’s (RHU) Step into Spring Trade and Craft Show will go towards developing the remote African village of Akampala.

One of the main goals of the RHU is to address the needs of the village’s vulnerable children, said president Joanna Hulowski. “We are presently building a school and even though the first wing hasn’t totally been completed we have four classes in there but that first wing will be completed this summer,” she said.

Because the village is in such a remote location, most of the children in Akampala have never been to school, said Hulowski, “Now we have 111 children attending school … from kindergarten to grade four.”

RHU, formed in 2009, also wants to bring an orphanage, medical clinic, water treatment facility and church to the village.

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Hulowski said the spring trade and craft show will likely raise about $1600 for the ambitious initiative.

Fifty tables were rented out at Midtown Hall on Ninth Street East and vendors offered a diverse selection of goods. Handmade quilts, feather paintings, Tupperware, stained glass, and baked goods were just some of the items on sale

Sponsorships for Akampala children were also available for purchase and for ten-year-old Kalab McKay, spending the $20 was an easy decision.

He went to Akampala with his family about a year ago and had a life-changing experience. He met a 12-year-old boy named Godfrey Bakao, the two became close, and now Kalab considers Godfrey to be his “best friend.”

Kalab can’t wait to go back to Akampala. He said he appreciated the chance to soak up another culture and enjoyed the experience of living a simpler life.

The trade and craft show is just one of the many events the RHU holds annually to raise money for the improvement of Akampala.

Keep track of their events by visiting their website or checking the paNOW community calendar.

sleslie@panow.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow