Clifford Chance Helps Our Children
Clifford Chance, the world’s largest law firm, is sponsoring LEAD Uganda, an organization that first-year law clerk Clare Karabarinde has worked with for the past five years. LEAD Uganda provides a solid education to AIDS orphans, former child soldiers, children in refugee camps, and other vulnerable young people in Uganda.
“My fellow first-year law clerks in Clifford Chance’s New York and Washington, D.C. offices, in conjunction with our Community Affairs / Pro Bono Committee, are excited to be supporting LEAD Uganda,” said Ms. Karabarinde. “We are organizing a clothes and books drive, a pen-pal program, an Amazon wish-list and a photo exhibit to raise support for underprivileged children in Uganda.”
The first-year law clerks are reaching out to all firm personnel and encouraging them to donate new and gently used items. They have set up an Amazon wish-list where anyone can purchase items for the Ugandan children from a list that ranges from books to clothes and shoes. There is a pen-pal program where firm personnel with children who would like them to have a pen-pal from Uganda can sign up so that they can be matched with one of the children. At the end of the drive on October 31, 2008 all the donated items will be packed and shipped to the children in Uganda.
Clifford Chance is a global law firm that cares deeply about giving back to the community. The firm has a very strong pro bono program and strongly encourages its personnel to recommend programs that are important to them.
“Having worked with LEAD Uganda, and knowing how important its work is in putting underprivileged children in the best schools to provide a better future for them, I knew this was the sort of organization Clifford Chance would be interested in sponsoring,” said Ms. Karabarinde. “Clifford Chance has given its backing to LEAD Uganda and I am proud to be working for a firm that is dedicated to giving back to the global community.”
Clifford Chance, with 28 offices in 21 countries and 3,800 legal advisers, is one of the world’s leading law firms, helping clients achieve their goals by combining the highest global standards with local expertise. The firm has unrivaled scale and depth of legal resources across the key markets of the Middle East, Americas, Asia and Europe and focuses on the core areas of commercial activity: capital markets; corporate and mergers & acquisitions; finance and banking; real estate; tax; pensions and employment; litigation and dispute resolution.
Student Profile: Amos-IDP Camp to #1
by Stephen Magezi
Omoya Amos , a 12-year old double orphan, who lived in an IDP camp since 2003, after his parents were killed by the rebels and left destitute under the mercy of God, now says “I want to be a doctor”.
Amos says,” After the death of my parents, I wanted to die, no one was caring about me, I stayed without bathing and had no clothes on my body, only those that were thrown away and I was buried in hopelessness.”
Amos is now in Primary 5 in a boarding school. Since he joined school, he has always been the 1 st in his class. He says “I do not know how I do it, but I think the secret is hard work”
Amos’ class teacher told us, “He is one of his kind, everyone likes him, from his classmates to the teachers because he is a first learner. I do not want you to take him away to another school, because he is a sure 1st grade for the school come the national examinations”
“I love mathematics and science, because they will help me realize my dream of becoming a doctor. I want to be a doctor so that I can treat sick people especially the HIV/AIDS patients. Also, in the war, a lot of people were injured and the doctors were not enough, so the people died, therefore if I become a doctor I will help in treating war victims”, says the determined Amos.
I want to thank LEAD Uganda for picking me from the IDP camp, paying my school fees and also being my only family.
To young Amos life is now full of hope. He believes the sky is the limit.
Hire: Allison Moll – Director of Operations
Allison Moll, our new Director of Operations, will coordinate the day to day business of LEAD Uganda. Allison will be working with two interns and our partners. “I am so excited and humbled to be working for such an amazing cause and changing the lives of so many children. I have been wanting for so long to work for something that has great meaning and impact, and this is it.”
Before coming to LEAD Uganda Ms. Moll worked for Forefront Church in the city, where her husband is the pastor. They moved here four years ago with their three children to start Forefront Church in Manhattan. Allison also worked for Peter Thomas Roth Skin Care and Katzenbach Partners Consulting Firm.
Allison and her husband have always had a passion for serving the city and the world. She has been on several mission trips and has a heart for those who seem to be forgotten. She fell in love with LEAD Uganda when Forefront partnered with them last year. Brian, her husband, had the priviledge to go to Uganda this past August, which made their passion for Africa even stronger. She is hoping to make the trip soon.
Having someone so talented handling day-to-day operations, allow Steve to focus more on our long term goals such as building our computer-oriented high school and raising awareness for the issues affecting children in Africa.
NEW ADDRESS
The Stephen Shames Foundation has a new address:
202 Saint Marks Avenue #4
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Please update your address books.
Donate
LEAD Uganda has two premium contribution levels: Sponsor and Patron.
Sponsors and Patrons receive a photo, letters from
their student, and progress reports from us.
Sponsors pay all costs for one child — $150 a month.
$150 a month — $5 a day pays for
everything a child needs to succeed: school fees, books, clothes, medical care, workshops in math, science, computers, and leadership, emotional support, counseling, and a family.
Sponsors are assigned a student. They receive monthly letters from their student, and progress reports from us. They may also receive photographs, drawings, and other materials.
Patrons donate $50 or $100 a month.
$100 a month – $3 a day - pays school fees (tuition), plus room, and board, books, and uniform at one of the best high schools in Uganda.
$50 a month – $1.50 a day – covers school fees for one scholar at a top school.
Patrons receive letters from students and progress reports from us. They are not assigned one student.
Please give what you can. Every donation helps.
$25 a month covers workshops in leadership, video, science, and writing, transportation home during school breaks, school visits, and staff support for one student.
$10 a month buys school supplies. clothes, shoes for one child.
$5 a month provides medical care and books for one student.
Please help a child achieve his or her dreams.
All contributions make a difference.
LEAD Uganda is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Donations are tax deductible.
Photography except as noted © 2008, Stephen Shames / Polaris
Please feel free to distribute or forward this newsletter to friends, co-workers, and anyone else you think would like to know about the situation in Uganda and our program.
