Many communities in Teso bear the scars of being victims of decades of violence and neglect. Levels of poverty are high and much of Teso’s population of 2.5 million continues to struggle for water, food, and ways to earn a sustainable income.
TDT works with local partners to help these communities establish livelihoods which offer hope and opportunity.
One of the privileges of working in Teso is to see communities transformed by the support we enable our partners to give. Often this will start with the provision of local clean water but then extends to savings schemes, training in diversifying their farming, building resistance to drought and flood, and learning to run alternative forms of local businesses.
Water provision remains a core part of our support to the infrastructure of communities in Teso but we also recognise the importance of health services and education. Government provision is gradually improving, but often support is needed in equipping the previous mission hospitals to provide low cost healthcare for the poor. Helping communities to build school facilities typically generates further support to give the next generation hope through primary and secondary education.
The people of Teso, like most of sub-Saharan Africa need no convincing about the effects of climate change. Old rainfall patterns have been disrupted leading to difficulties in knowing how best to farm the little land they have. Drought and flood can bring instant destitution to households and to whole communities.
TDT keeps a reserve to provide immediate aid in such circumstances while our other activities seek to build community resilience to such events.
Christianity is the faith of a large majority of the people of Teso. Pentecostal and Evangelical Anglican churches predominate,
TDT works with many of these churches in their development work but there is also a significant need to ensure good quality theological and pastoral training for the pastors in these local churches to enable them to be reliable and responsible community leaders.
Projects in particular need of support right now - hover over pictures and click for more detail
