Tameside Community Computers bringing Christmas hope to rural Uganda

A Dukinfield-based community enterprise is preparing for a life-changing journey that will bring hope, education and festive joy to children in some of Uganda’s most remote areas this Christmas.

Tameside Community Computers CIC will depart on 26 December for a ten-day outreach mission to the rural districts of Mbale and Soroti in eastern Uganda. Directors Mike Brooks and Andy Cannell will personally deliver vital supplies, gifts and educational materials to around 250 children and families, many of whom face daily hardship. Their journey will be carefully documented through photos and video so that supporters can see how every contribution is used.

Remote communities in eastern Uganda are often overlooked because of poor infrastructure and chronic underinvestment. For many children, attending school is an uphill battle, long walks without shoes, missed lessons due to lack of sanitary products, and families forced into impossible choices where early marriage or child labour become means of survival. Without school fees, uniforms, meals or hygiene supplies, a child’s education can disappear overnight.

The charity’s mission is built on a simple but powerful belief: education creates choice, reduces poverty and transforms lives for generations to come. A modest contribution can have a profound impact, just £115 pays for a full year of school fees, £55 provides breakfast and lunch for an entire year, and the gift of sanitary products can keep a girl in school with dignity and safety.

The campaign has captured the imagination of the Tameside community, with extraordinary generosity pouring in from schools, youth groups, local organisations and individuals. Through their Amazon Wish List and community collections, supporters have provided clothing, school materials, and festive treats.

Among the highlights are a signed pair of football boots from Burnley’s Manuel Benson and a signed Manchester United football, both being offered to raise funds for school places. The London Taxi Drivers Charity for Children has donated 250 Terry’s Chocolate Oranges, while young musicians from Besses Boys Training Brass Band used their own pocket money to buy nine more.

MCR Dance Academy in Ashton has been collecting underwear for girls, Wild Bank Primary in Stalybridge is planning a cultural exchange project with Ugandan pupils, the 3rd Newton Scout Group has gathered educational supplies, and Emmaus Mossley has contributed £300 toward the cause.

Eyagu Boniface, Director of the Teso Talents Foundation in Soroti, expressed heartfelt appreciation for the visit. “Tameside Community Computers coming to support us over the Christmas period means a great deal to our charity and the children we serve. Their visit will be life-transforming and a great source of motivation,” he said. “Many of the children will receive gifts they have never seen before, orange chocolate, iPads, and sports equipment. The girls will receive sanitary pads, which is truly life-changing. This support restores dignity, keeps girls in school, and protects them from harm. What makes this visit even more special is that Mr. Mike and Mr. Andy will stay in native houses, becoming the first white visitors to do so. The community is filled with excitement, this will be an unforgettable moment.”

Although the response has been overwhelmingly positive, funding for school fees, meals and hygiene products remains the most urgent need. The organisation is calling on local businesses, community groups and individuals to get involved, whether through donating funds, sponsoring a child’s education for a year, or bidding for the signed football memorabilia so that collector’s items can be turned into classroom opportunities. Supporters will be acknowledged in future updates, though the organisation also respects the wishes of those who prefer to remain anonymous.

Transparency and accountability are at the heart of the project. Brooks and Cannell will document every stage of their journey with photos, videos and field reports to ensure that donors see the real impact of their generosity.

For more information or to make a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tccuganda2025, email fundraising@tamesidecc.org or call 0161 553 0060. Further details about the organisation can be found at www.tamesidecc.org.