About Us

John è un maestro di scuola primaria. Grazie all'aiuto economico del fratello maggiore ha potuto concludere gli studi ed esercitare la professione.

David, fratello di John, è un pastore protestante dedito all'aiuto spirituale e materiale della comunità.

Entrambe dedicano la quasi totalità del loro tempo alla loro comunità. Il loro padre (che non c'è più) era il capo del villaggio, carica che viene esercitata attualmente dallo zio.

Ambedue sono i referenti locali dei vari progetti. John e David sono persone eccezionali, fidate ed efficienti, meritevoli di tutta la nostra stima ed amicizia.

"A tutti coloro che vogliono creare un mondo in cui non ci sia più neanche un povero".

Muhammad Yunus - Premio Nobel per la pace 2006

Alex è un Comandante di una compagnia aerea charter italiana. Dotato di grande simpatia, è anche un vulcano di idee. Tra i vari progetti è il coordinatore della costruzione della scuola.

Alberto, Comandante, collega ed amico da più di 30 anni, molto attivo ed efficiente nelle iniziative di solidarietà. Si occupa di manutenzione logistica e coordina le attività con la gemellata Onlus "Un chicco per l'Africa".

Alessandra, simpaticissima Assistente di Volo di compagnia aerea italiana. Già assidua frequentatrice di Utange, si impegna con la sua professionalità e serietà a tenere i collegamenti tra i vari Coordinatori dei progetti.

Io, Claudio, come Alex,  Alberto ed Alessandra giro il mondo, anch'io Comandante di una compagnia aerea. Attualmente sono il responsabile delle adozioni a distanza per Utange. Mi preoccupo dell'aggiornamento di questo sito.
Sono fortunato ed onorato ad avere amici come John, David e Alex, Alberto ed Alessandra.

STORIA DEL PROGETTO - History of project

 John con il seguente discorso pronunciato in occasione dell'inaugurazione del secondo pozzo, ci racconta la storia dei progetti di Utange.

My names are John Katana Lewa. I'm a teacher. David Lewa is my younger brother. He is a Pastor.

I came to know Angela Andolfo in 1991 through my cousin - Richard Chondo. Richard was assisted by Angela in his Education.

Richard came to me to help him get admission in my school. He then introduced me to Angela. Angela asked me to ensure that Richard is in school and to report to her Richard's progress in school.

As Angela assisted Richard, she also convinced her colleagues and friends to assist children at my village. Angela then convinced her uncle Col. Antonino La Rocca to help us. Col Antonino La Rocca also convinced other friends and together they put up one classroom and admitted 34 pupils. who were fully sponsored by the following:

Ms. Ester and Renats

The school ran for 2 years, then Col. Antonino fell sick suffering from Leukemia. He passed away afterwards.

During this time, Angela was working  as well as persuing her degree in University. She was too busy to be able to bring together all these people to continue with the Sponsorship. Col. Antonino's wife was old and unable to communicate  in English. So the school project could not continue as there was a breakdown of communication with the sponsors.

Sometime in 1999, I asked Angela to seek assistance from an organization that could dig up a well for us - as there was acute shortage of water in the village.

Angela approached IPAL and after a long discussion, the borehole started in Jan 2002 - and was completed in March 2004 at a total cost of Kshs 537,389.65.

We started working at the borehole site growing spinach, bananas and pawpaws.

We also reared chicken and carried out other small scale business i.e selling firewood, mannure, charcoal e.t.c. These activities were carried out under a small organization of people called Kibokoni Self Help Group.

We then decided to expand our activities and work more aggressively. We formed a group that included women, men and youths, we called this organization Living Fountain Group. (LIFOG) This is a C.B.O. registered with the ministry of Social Services. 

It has 3 main programmes:-

1. Anti-drug abuse initiative
2. Orphans and widows initiative
3. Lifog Development Programme.

In Feb 2005, Angela Andolfo sent a friend to us known as Angela Gallorini she was with a friend called Nicki.

In her second visit at our village in April 2005, Angela came with more friends including Cpt Claudio, Stefania, Manuela, Pietro and Others.

Cpt. Claudio suggested another borehole project for us. The project started in Feb 2006. We have received Kshs 688,942.05 from IPAL. With this amount, we renovated a house for mama Betty, built this house at the site and fence and gate will soon be put up. The gate is still being prepared and as soon as we fix the gate, we shall start putting up the fence. The work moves on well. Where we can, we do the work ourselves to cut down on expenses.

We have the following projects in mind to be carried out at the site:-

1. Farming - growing bananas, pawpaws, vegetables, sweet potatoes, cassava, maize.
2. Keeping poultry
3. Fish farming
4. Prepare seedlings for sale
5. selling firewood, charcoal, foodstuffs.

However, the villagers have asked me to request you to consider building a school for this community.

With these remarks, on behalf of all the villagers and friends, I wish to pass to you, IPAL  and all the friends who supported you, our profound thanks for giving us this project and coming to inaugurate the site.

Thank you, so much, God bless you all !

John.