The Southern African Women’s Association or SAWA – as it’s known by most people is an organization supporting various charities in Uganda. What is a ‘Southern Africa Women’? If you are born within any of the Southern African countries or married to a Southern African or have become a resident of a Southern African country – then you are welcome to become a member of SAWA. Since 2007 SAWA has supported and donated to various organizations, namely: The Wandegaya Disabled Association, Uganda Child Cancer Foundation, Action to Positive Change, The Victoria Nitel Foundation, and Missionaries of the Poor, Hospice Uganda, the USPCA, Rhino Fund Uganda, Wrap-up Africa and the Mukisa Foundation. Currently there are 48 women members who support SAWA. Meetings take place once a month (usually on the last Wednesday of the month) at a pre-arranged SAWA members home for tea/coffee where we have discussions on various topics/issues like, where and how we can use donated funds effectively and we brainstorm new ideas for events and functions. Membership fees are 20 000/= per woman per year and this annual fee goes towards donations. Some of the SAWA ladies visit the organizations that we support to see where and how we have made a change to the lives of the recipients concerned and they find out what else could be done to help others in need. During the year SAWA collects clothes, curtains, blankets, kitchenware, books etc (in other words, unwanted items from our homes and friends), which we give to orphanages in and around Kampala. This is an on-going project and anyone can drop unwanted items off with one of the SAWA members or make arrangements with us for collection.

SAWA held a Corporate Golf day (usually this takes place each year in either Feb or March), for the last 3 years with great success. During 2009, SAWA decided to have a South African ‘braai’ – a social event for all Southern Africans to get together on an informal basis, where ‘boeremusiek’ gets everyone doing the ‘sakkie sakkie’ and cold beers, ‘boerewors’ & pap are plentiful. SAWA also hosted their first annual Christmas Charity Ball in November last year and we hope this will become an event for everyone to mark in their social calendars. We encourage all Southern African women to join SAWA. SAWA is not just all about the charities we support, it’s also the help we can give each other when in need. Newcomers will experience ‘home away from home’ support when they join SAWA. We talk the same talk, we all miss ‘home’ the same way and most of us share the same experiences living in Uganda. Some SAWA ladies get together on a more regular basis by doing crafts/embroidery/ needlework etc, or by playing cards and/or having morning coffee sessions. It’s a fun and exciting way to get to meet people that you would not have met otherwise.

SAWA ladies give unconditionally in the form of time, support, life experiences, love, and are dedicated to any task at hand whether that be an event or a project. SAWA ladies have given so much in the past and we know that in the future we will grow stronger in our charity and become more active in the rural areas.

For more information, please contact:
Chairlady, Nicole Straub,
Email: nicole.straub1@gmail.com
Treasurer, Debbie Benjamin,
Email: debbieb@wol.co.za
Secretary, Mary-Anne Henning,
Email: maryanne.henning@gmail.com