EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Post Minnesota Convention Report Complete version

REPORT ON TWEGAITE EFFORTS FOR BUSOGA DEVELOPMENT

By Dr. Bakama BakamaNume, Chair Busoga Twegaite - Houston, TX, Dr. Fred W. Alibatya, Chair Twegaite Inc. – New Jersey,  and Mr. John Kizito-Kalema, Chair, Twegaite - Minneapolis, MN.

History and Accomplishments

Purpose

By the time of this report Twegaite has three announced chapters:(i) Twegaite Inc. – New Jersey,(ii) Busoga Twegaite – Houston, TX and(iii) Twegaite – Minneapolis, MN.Twegaite has had two international conventions: Houston, May 22nd – 26th and Minneapolis, May 22nd – 25th.The three chapters are unanimous in purpose and resolve to develop Busoga. Just note that both Houston and Minneapolis made Twegaite truly international.

(i) New Jersey Chapter

At the May 21st – 25th , 2009 Twegaite second International Convention in Minneapolis, MN, the banquet speaker Betsy Waibi Zikusoka spoke of the history and purpose of Twegaite as a concept and an organization. She also highlighted some of the achievements the organization had scored in specific projects back in Busoga. “I shall try my best to give you the history of Twegaite” she said. “Twegaite came about as a result of a meeting that was held in Princeton Junction, one Sunday afternoon, in October 1998. We figured that as a group the idea of trying to give back to our community in Busoga and Uganda at large was not a bad one. It is a non-political group and the name Twegaite means, "Let's unite." Membership is open to anybody in the world who subscribes to our cause regardless of gender, ethnic background or religious belief”.

According to Fred N. Alibatya, the current chairman of Twegaite Inc. - New Jersey, the organization was informally started in October 1998 by a group of Ugandans that included Betsy & Aggrey Zikusoka, Harriet & Dennis Mugwanya, Lydia & Alexander Zabassajja, Mary & Chris Bakwesegha, and Loy & Ten Tehnhwa, among others. Subsequently, in 1999 and 2000, Fred N. Alibatya helped to formally register the organization, and to obtain for it a tax-exempt status from the United States Internal revenue Service, which was granted in August, 2000.

Today, Twegaite Inc. – New Jersey, is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organizations, whose primary objectives are to mobilize resources to assist in the development of the Busoga region, particularly in the areas of health and education. From its inception, Twegaite Inc. hoped to make a difference by tapping into the diverse individual and collective skills and resources of its members in North America and encouraging them to initiate and implement aid projects to assist the people of Busoga. A key aspect of Twegaite Inc.’s commitment has been to ensure that substantially all of the funds it has so far raised get to the intended recipients.
According to Dr. Bakama Busoga Twegaite Houston’s “Registration as a 501C (3) charitable organization, in order to encourage tax refundable donations from American charities, is in progress. The application is under review.” Similarly, Twegaite Minneapolis has also applied for 501C (3) charitable organization status in Minnesota.

(ii) Busoga Twegaite – Houston, TX

It was during at the 2005 Labor Day weekend UNAA Convention in Minneapolis that Dr. Bakama BakamaNume convened the first meeting of Busoga Twegaite in the U.S. Midwest. That meeting and the hard work by the Houston Committee led to the first and second International Conventions on Memorial Day weekends in Houston, TX in 2008 and Minneapolis, MN in 2009, respectively.

These conventions led to great member participation and a measurable element of reform of Twegaite as an organization. According to Dr. Bakama, “Twegaite has come through some rough waters, but the immediate past provided a glimmer of hope for the organization especially after the Houston TX Convention in 2008.

There were 77 full registered persons for the sessions, and 94 for the dinner. The reservation had been made for 100 people”.
Past Accomplishments
Between 1998 and 2002 Twegaite, Inc. – New Jersey demonstrated its commitment to Busoga development by making donations which include, but are by no means limited to the following:

•  Bugembe Health Centre: twenty (20) beds, twenty (20) mattresses, Twenty (20) blankets, one (1) water tank , one (1) refrigerator for storage of medicines and blood, three (3) Blood Pressure units, two (2) Weighing Scales for infants, two (2) Suction Pumps, one (1) Dental kit, four (4) pairs of Theater Boots, two (2) Rubber Aprons, three (3) Stethoscopes, two (2) Electronic thermometers, Female Urethral Catheters;
  • Mwiri Primary School: three (3) computers and one (1) printer;
• Kigulu College: a poultry farm as an income-generating project to the school;
• Igumyamwoya Village, Kamuli District: One (1) water pump (borehole);
• Bwanalira Village, Iganga District: One (1) water pump (borehole).
  Twegaite, Inc. has thus far raised most of the funds for the above-mentioned projects through membership dues, dinners/dances, fashion/cultural shows and the occasional non-member donation. The organization is indebted to its core membership for their generosity with both their limited time and treasure for the good cause.

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