Mannya, Uganda.

Brief History of Mannya Project: 

In late 1989 David Butler, a parishioner of St Bernard’s Parish, after returning from a visit to the missions in Uganda approached Father Peter Foley, Parish Priest, and the St Bernard’s Parish Council requesting approval for a sister parish in Uganda. It was approved on a trial basis of 5 years. Bishop Adrian Ddunga, then Bishop of Masaka Uganda, allocated us with a new parish, Mannya (a remote, difficult and backward area) that had 47 sub-parishes.

Over the years David, on our behalf, has maintained contact with successive parish priests at Mannya. Communications with Uganda improved dramatically in 2005 due to their access to email (71km away) and to a lesser extent SMS. St Bernard’s Parish has an annual collection and raise between $1,000-$1,500 annually which is remitted to the Diocese.

All moneys raised for Mannya are sent to Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa of Masaka, Uganda for distribution to the Mannya projects.

Additional special collections were organised from 2000-2005 to assist the parish with the building of their church and the replacement of the dilapidated presbytery. David represented St Bernard’s at the official opening of the church in June 2005. 

In 2005 Father Peter Foley approached the Parish Priest of the Mannya Parish asking if there was a project for which they required assistance. They responded - the building of a health centre. Bishop J B Kaggwa strongly supported the project saying that no real development can occur until basic health care is provided. Government Health care is almost non-existent in the area. St Bernard’s Parish, through contributions, sent $52,000 to build the Health Care Centre. Father Peter will be in Mannya to attend the official opening in June 2007. 

As well as our yearly contribution of between $1000 - $1,500 for the support of the people, St Bernard’s has undertaken to provide $10,000 per year for the next three years toward the operation of the centre. It is expected to be self-funding after three years.

Brother Russell Peters, Christian Brothers Nairobi, on several occasions has visited Mannya Parish on our behalf to report back on the progress of our projects. In addition, he approached the Australian High Commission in Nairobi requesting support for our project. Through his representation funding was secured for the repair and re-roofing of the St Bernard’s Secondary School and for the purchase and installation of a solar electricity system for lighting and equipment operations at the health care centre.
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN MANNYA:

Mannya parish has a work plan which guides us in whatever we do.

The core of it all is PASTORAL that is the spiritual growth of the people; which automatically goes hand in hand with their physical life

1. The major activity 2003/2004/2005 was the building of a new

church, which was completed and consecrated on 19/6/2005.

2. Second was to have an underground water tank (20 000 litre) which is also

finished.

3. Thirdly it was and is our struggle to make our parish self-supporting and sustaining in some way.

So, we put up some income generating projects which include:

1. Banana Plantation 1 1/2 acre

2. Coffee Plantation 1 acre

3. Animal Rearing 3 Exotic cows, goats and pigs

4. Seasonal Crops Maize, beans, cassava etc

5. Tree Planting A eucalyptus forest

 Health Centre

Our most important attention is now put on the establishment of a health centre, to help people have a better healthy life

We so much appreciate the great effort, Mr. David Butler, Br. Russel, Fr. Peter, the Parish Priest, the Rotary Club of Belmont and all the people of good will who are working tirelessly to make this project become a reality.

St. Bernard’s Parish: thank you. God's healing and saving hand, and His voice to the people of Mannya, that don't be afraid, is experienced through you

The Local Community at Mannya is also ready to co-operate to make this project a success.

THE PLAN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION:

Since we are limited in funds, our plan is to establish our health centre in phases.

1. The first phase was to solicit funds that could make us have a

building constructed. 

2. Second phase is to construct the out patient block.

3. Thirdly is to make the out patient department begin operating by

getting funds to buy medicine, get the staff, and other equipments

necessary for the health centre to operate efficiently.

At the beginning, the parish shall find means of accommodating the staff.

Later

4. We shall build nurses house and a general ward.

5. We shall build the Children's ward, labour ward.

6. We shall build the male ward and female ward

7. Lastly we shall have the isolation ward, and a mortuary.

We hope the health centre will continue to grow steadily. The staff will grow with time to have doctors and necessity and availability of funds shall help us know what to do and in the best time.

Everything is in God's hands to be our director and chief architecture.

LOCAL CONTRIBUTION FOR THE HEALTH CENTRE:

The local community at Mannya is prepared to contribute bricks and other materials. This has been divided into Sub Parishes and each gives its contribution.

We are working in conjuration with all other people irrespective of religious denominations. Everybody is aware that things concerning health is a concern for all.

The government is also supportive. The local political councils have also made arrangements of their direct involvement in the establishment of the health centre at Mannya. The Sub County administration have already pledged to give the necessary co-operation required for the establishment of a Health Centre.

The positive response from the people gives us a great hope for a success

Pastoral Activities:

So far, last year, we managed to have the following in the spiritual growth of the parish

The number of people attending Sunday Mass have increased. Now the church is always full on Sundays. As a result we decided to have two masses. One at 7:30 am and the second at 9:30 am mainly for the children.

We managed to have 561 children receive the sacrament of Baptism, 124 received the sacrament of confirmation and 130 received their solemn first holy communion. 27 received the sacrament of matrimony.

We have organised the Christians into groups. The children, youth, women, men, and widows and each group have their mass at a specific time. They also organize some celebrations in a year.

Last year, we were given a chance to organize the Diocesan youth day. It was well organised and well attended.

Women also organised their day on the parish level and it was successful.

The school apostolate is well done, and our schools are now getting to know that their foundation is the Catholic church and try to put it into practice the aims and objective of the founder. Also the academic performance and discipline this last year was good.

We the priests and the parishioners are committed to make our parish God centred to every Christian and other people of God.

Lastly, what we have in future plan is the renovation of the father’s house and having religious sisters at our parish.

Once again thank you brother Russel for your visit and the people of St Bernard’s for their love to Mannya Parish.

Fr. Mugisha Nestus

In the June 10 - 17 Kairos there was a report from St Bernards Parish, Belmont on the relationship they had established with the Mannya Parish in Uganda.

On June 5th, Fr. Peter Foley and Dr. Kevin Shannon set out to represent Belmont Parish at the opening of the Health Centre which St.Bernard’s Parish had financed. 

“We travelled to Dubai then on to Nairobi in Kenya where the Australian Christian Brothers are doing an extraordinary job in caring for the very, very poor and destitute”. said Fr Peter. He continued, “After a week in Kenya, Kevin and I went to Entebbe in Uganda where Fr. Nestus, the Parish Priest of Mannya, met us and we set out on the five-hour journey to Mannya.  

The word Mannya means ‘the place of pot holes’ and is very aptly named.  The roads in Kenya and Uganda have to be experienced to be believed.  We arrived in Mannya at 9.30 p.m. and sat down for a meal; fifteen minutes later there was an earth tremor.  A great welcome for us!

The next day, Saturday, preparations were in full swing for the opening of the Health Centre.  The locals killed two bullocks and about forty-five ladies prepared the ‘martoki’ - the staple food of Uganda. These bananas are picked very green - peeled, laid out in the sun - and then steamed.  To me it tasted like potato but a little sweeter.

Sunday - about three thousand people turned up and the opening Ceremony which included Mass lasting for 6 hours.  Five minutes before Mass started the Parish Priest said to me ‘There are 64 children to be baptised.’  I said to him, ‘There are five Priests, so we will do a dozen or so each.’ He replied, ‘You must baptise them all!’  The Vicar General, who was present, made sure I did everything correctly - no short cuts!

The Health Minister and the Minister for Water and the Environment attended along with lots of other minor politicians.  The singing, the dancing and the speeches went on and on, until finally everything was blessed and opened.  It was a great day for the Parish of Mannya and for St. Bernard’s, Belmont.  Rev. Gosbert, aged 33 who is already a Deacon will be ordained in Masaka on the 4th August, the first priest from the parish.

The following Sunday we presented (and blessed) 20 new bikes to the 20 Catechists working in the Mannya Parish. Many of these Catechists had previously walked up to 30 kms each way to attend training seminars. These Catechists are the front line people in the 18 sub-parishes.  More singing and dancing and speeches with many thanks to Belmont parishioners 

who had donated some extra funds for the bikes during the week before we left Australia.   

Dr Kevin Shannon was of great assistance in advising the 2 nurses about the running of the health centre which he described as ‘more like a hospital than a clinic’.  

We arrived home in Geelong after a long flight and the next week received an 

e-mail to say that 152 patients attended the Centre in the first 4 days. 

A great beginning!

Neither of us had ever come across such extreme poverty - in Mannya there is no electricity, running water etc. But what the parish of Mannya  does have going for it, is that it is out in the bush - 9 kms off the highway and this means that the people are cut of from the things that are detrimental to family life. 

The faith is strong but the health of people is very poor - H.I.V., T.B., Malaria etc. and most children suffer from worms.  The Health Centre will be a boon to them.

The experience for Kevin and me will remain with us always.  The hope expressed by Fr.Nestus and Fr Thomas, the assistant priest, is heart warming.  Let Fr. Nestus have the last word ‘We trust in the providence of God’.  Perhaps a lesson for all of us.”