Scott's girlfriend Amy worked with the Moyo Babies Home and the Redeemer Children's Home in Moyo, Uganda for several months to give accountancy support. Upon Amy's return, Scott was so impressed with what she had to tell him about her time out there, that he decided to participate in the London to Brighton Challenge and raise money for the two orphanages. The walk takes place on the 25 and 26 May, so not long now! All the best of luck to Scott and we are so grateful for your support! For Scott's story and to sponsor him, visit his fundraising page: 'Scott's London 2 Brighton 100km challenge'. 

Caroline, Martha and Frances Lowrey (mum and daughters) will all be running their first half marathon in Tromsø, Norway, on 22nd June this year. The event is called the Midnight Sun Marathon and although it is held at night, you run in bright daylight! These ladies are raising money for several charities and IRT is very pleased to be one of them. Good luck girls! Check out their 'Lowrey girls run in the midnight sun' fundraising page to sponsor them and to see how much they've managed to raise so far. 

Want to join Scot or the Lowrey girls at one of these fantastic events? It's not too late to sign up! And there are many, many more events coming up, so if you want a good excuse to get fit: this is it! You will help make IRT's work towards sustainable development happen as well as be part of some of the country's most fun and most challenging events. Get in touch, browse our Run for IRT page or check out these links to some of the upcoming events:

25 and 26 May: London 2 Brighton Challenge

14-16 June: The Great North Swim  

22-23 June: Transpennine Challenge

12-13 July: Moonriders London 2 Brighton 

14 July: British 10K London Run

27 and 28 July: Virgin London Triathlon

25 August: London Spartan Sprint

31 August: Great London Swim

01 September: Cambridge Spartan Sprint

14 and 15 September: Great North Run (London)

14-15 September: Thames Path Challenge

28 October: Run to the Beat 

09 November: South London Spartan Beast

 On going events:

Notorious Night Runs - Events in Scotland, the Midlands, the South and North

MensHealth Survival of the Fittest - London, Manchester, Cardiff, Nottingham and Edinburgh

Trail Blazer - Bedgebury National Pinetum, Forest of Dean and Clumber Park (Sherwood Forest)

IRT has been linking schools and youth clubs in the UK to schools in northern Uganda to begin an exchange of letters between young people. The main aim is to bring young people of the same age in two quite different countries closer together. What many of the young people find is that even though there may be some fundamental differences, there are also many things that they have in common with their pen pal. The idea is that young people feel connected to their peers on the other side of the world, rather than seeing them as strangers who they have nothing in common with. 

Over the last couple of days we've had letters come in from St Mary's Primary School in London which are now on their way to a primary school in Gulu, northern Uganda, as well as letters from Pope John Paul II College in Gulu which have now safely arrived at St George's Secondary School in Maida Vale, London.

We now have five schools (four in the town of Gulu and one in Moyo, all in northern Uganda) linked up with schools and youth clubs in the UK. All the schools are using the pen pal projects in different ways. Some are using it as part of the English literacy curriculum, where students need to learn to write good letters enabling them to inform people through writing. Others are using it for Citizenship or PSHE to help their students learn about different cultures through direct contact with their peers in another country. The UK schools are all committed to helping out with fundraising for the Ugandan schools. Money they raise goes towards school books, new desks and benches as well as lavatories, new classrooms and even solar panels.

Both the young people in Uganda and in the UK are enthusiastic and the excitement when a new batch of letters arrived is really wonderful to see.

If you think you would like to get your school involved, do get in touch! We would love to discuss the options with you. 

For educational resources relating to the countries where our projects are based, please feel free to download free activities from the IRT Classroom.

All the excerpts are from the letters by the students of Pope John Paul II College in Gulu for St George's in London and St Mary's Primary School in Chiswick for Mary Immaculate Primary School in Gulu.

The Heglig oil drilling rig in Sudan. The rig is in one of the disputed areas on the border between Sudan and South Sudan. (Photo: UNEP)

Already the South Sudanese currency is strengthening because of these recent developments. Oil companies and pipeline operators were asked to immediately resume production of crude oil for delivery to international markets through Sudan, after the signing of the 'oil deal' two weeks ago.

The states on the border between Sudan and South Sudan over which control is disputed have still not been allocated to an agreed country. Therefore, although resuming oil production will be beneficial to both countries, the violent dispute on the border may not be over just yet. However, there are currently reports that both Sudan and South Sudan have started to withdraw troops from the border region.

Both the hospital in the city of Amman as well as in Karak continue to help refugees from Iraq and Palestinian territories, but we felt that we wanted to focus our efforts on our sustainable projects where we could make more of an impact as a small organisation.

Some of the sisters and nurses who have worked in the Amman and Karak Italian Hospitals in Jordan over the years. They have looked after thousands of Palestinian and Iraqi refugees. Unfortunately, violence in the region has flared up again, and now the hospitals are treating hundreds of refugees from Syria.

However, since the start of the violence in Syria in 2011, the pressure on the hospitals in Jordan has surged. The violence has crippled health care in Syria itself, so civilians flee to seek safety and medical help in neighbouring countries, such as Jordan. The two Italian hospitals in Karak and Amman have very much  felt the brunt of this. 

This destroyed house in the Syrian town of Haleb belongs to Mr Mohamad Sadri, pictured here at the Italian Hospital in Amman. Mr Sadri is 79 years old and had to flee Syria with his sons and their families. The UNHCR reported this week on people fleeing from Syria to seek help in Jordan. In the article As conflict affects Syria's health sector, many sick and injured seek treatment outside. The UNHCR states that "Jordan says it has received more than 320,000 Syrians since the conflict erupted in March 2011".

Although IRT aims to fund long term and sustainable projects, we felt that we had to step up in this particular situation. We already have a well established relationship with the two Italian hospitals, and our donors already know the projects, We know that they would understand if we decide to help out in this emergency. 

We are in close contact with the staff at both the Italian Hospitals and they keep us updated. Sr. Elizabeth Mary Chakkiath who is based at the Italian Hospital in Amman writes as follows:

Sister Elizabeth Mary Chakkiath from the Italian Hospital in Amman."Since last year we started to have the flow of Syrian refugees into our hospital. There are those with experience of horror in front of them as the regime just killed them in front of their families, especially the adult male of their family as they were trying to escape from the hands of the regime in Syria. Finally the mother, grandmother, older men, children cross the border to find shelter, food, water etc. Many look malnourished, women expecting babies, sick due to unhygienic situation, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, cough, chest infections, wounds that were sustained.

Many have trouble with their eyes. But they ran away to safety.

It is impossible to explain the true misery of body and mind of our poor Syrian brothers and sisters.”

If you would like to donate to help the two hospitals in Amman and Karak, please visit our Donations page. You can let us know that your donation is for this appeal in particular, this way we can ensure that every penny goes to Jordan.

Children of Burmese refugees receiving support from local community based organistations funded by IRT.Adrian recently returned from his trip to Thailand to see how the projects IRT supports are getting on and assess further involvement in the region in the future. IRT helps fund two projects working with Burmese refugees through local partners in Thailand.

The first project is the outreach programme to the Shan and Lahu ethnic groups in the Chiang Mai Province. Through local community based organisations (CBOs) our funding supports three orphanages: the Lahu Orphanage, Mary’s House and Wat Mae Kaen Orphanage. The Lahu Orphanage, which has 35 children, is now self- sustained due to the development of income generating projects, such as growing their own food. This is great news, and IRT plans to stop our support to this orphanage in about a month, as they now do not need external funds.

Projects such training in sewing help Burmese refugees earn a living so that they are not at the mercy of the Thai government or foreign aid.For IRT this is a great triumph, as our ultimate goal is to help projects such as these become independent and no longer rely on hand-outs from international charities. In Thailand, and in Uganda and South Sudan, too, our aim is that all the projects we work with will eventually be self reliant.

In this province we also support the refugees living in Krung Jor camp right on the Thai-Burma border. We support both a nursery and primary school which are solely for the people living in this camp. The local kindergarten school is run by local authorities who pay for teachers and supplies. Like the Lahu Orphanage, the nursery and primary school are coming up with small projects to get an income for the running costs of the schools. We hope that eventually they, too, will be able to support themselves. The main focus now is support for teacher training.

Keeping pigs is a good way of getting some extra income for the Burmese migrants.The second project which IRT helps to fund is in Mae Sot, also near the border with Burma. Its aim is to build the capacities of the community based organisations active in the area, often made up of particular Burmese ethnic groups (predominantly the Karen and Arakan). Projects run by these CBOs involve a range of income generating activities (both for their own needs and also for vulnerable community members) and educational programmes which include teaching people how to use electrically operated sewing machines, teaching workers their rights and basic family health care. In the Mae Sot area there are various charities working with the Burmese refugees in the camps. However, our work focuses on the Burmese migrants, who need support just as badly but do not fall into the right ‘category’ to receive it. The fact that so many people are still coming into Thailand, even if they are not officially classed as refugees, makes us worry that despite the positive reports, there are still a lot of issues in Burma unresolved. Clearly the people do not yet feel secure enough to stay in their own country.

Currently IRT’s support is as in demand as ever and we provide about 50% of the funds for each of these projects. Despite many thinking that Burma is now stable and safe, and as a result reducing aid to this region, fighting between the government and ethnic groups persist. Many of the Burmese people IRT supports in Thailand are still scared to return. The elections which will take place in two years time may give a good indication on whether things are likely to stabilise in Burma.

Some of the hand made products from the various projects in Krung Jor camp and Mae Sot.

IRT is proud to be supporting subsistence farmers in the Alebtong District in Northern Uganda, through the Obaya Community Association (OCA). They use the Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) approach, which involves communities analysing what issues are keeping them in poverty and deciding how to change them.  This approach recognises that poverty issues are not one- dimensional, and therefore different factors need to be considered alongside one another to be effective.

Groups of farmers in the Alebtong District meet regularly to discuss changes they wish to make and to receive training from OCA on a variety of topics.The three main factors that the PLA approach focuses on and integrates are

• sustainable agriculture
• family relationships and community development
• savings and credit schemes

Within these sectors are many factors which the community receive training on, such as farming techniques, adult literacy and gender inequality. Couples are actively encouraged to attend training sessions and work together.  

We have already seen a good deal of positive change for the farmers in the Alebtong District since the beginning of their training with OCA. One example which illustrates these amazing results is the construction of energy saving stoves. 90% of the farmers who have been trained in making these stoves have prepared the materials needed, and 70% so far have constructed the ovens and are already using them. This is a fantastic statistic which IRT are delighted to share with you.

As well as making cooking easier and safer, constructing energy efficient stoves helps couples to communicate better and work together.

As well as these stoves making cooking easier and safer, we have seen a great improvement in relations among the community. The training done by OCA and the construction of the stoves has brought the community together, by working alongside each other towards common goals. Domestic abuse is a big problem in this area, but many women have said that their relationships with their husbands have greatly improved and they are communicating more. Relationships between parents and children have also got better, with children being taught the importance of the training, and even monitoring their parents by reminding them of meetings!

Training in constructing energy saving stoves is just one of the many changes OCA are helping to implement with their PLA approach. Others include the provision of seeds, encouraging savings to be made and the building of boreholes to have clean water. IRT are proud to support the PLA programme and hope to extend it so that more communities in Uganda can benefit. We hope in the future that through this approach communities will be able to support themselves and no longer have to rely on foreign aid.

IRT's Education Officer Marijn visited the 10th South Croydon Guides to talk about northern Uganda and to deliver their egaerly awaited pen pal letters at part of IRT's PenPal Project

Marijn went to Gulu in October 2012 and delivered letters from the Guides at a local girls school on the outskirts of the town. The girls were thrilled to hear from their peers back in the UK and wrote back immediately. Last week Marijn went to talk to the Guides about the school and about the local town of Gulu and about Uganda in general. But of course the most exciting part was delivering the letters to the girls. 

They soon discovered they had so much in common with the girls in Gulu! Many of them shared a few favourite pop idols as well as a love for certain subjects at school (or a real dislike for other subject as well, of course!). Future plans described by the girls in Gulu such as going to university, becoming an accountant or a lawyer or a famous star were plans the Guides could completely relate to. It really proves that although we may be worlds apart, the life of a teenager in Uganda and in the UK are not so differnt after all. 

The girls from the 10th South Croydon Guides are reading the letters from their pen pals in Gulu carefully. They were excited to find out how much they actually had in common with their Ugandan peers!Not only are the South Croydon Guides writing to the girls in Gulu, they also intend to do some fundraising to help the school in Gulu with the basics such as text books (which you need to buy yourself, the school often cannot afford to provide these to the students for free) as well as contribute to the building of new dormitories and classrooms.

The exchange of letters between the two groups brings home the idea that even though you may never go to a country like Uganda, nor may most of the Ugandan girls ever travel to the UK, these are real people, with real lives, personalities, dreams, worries and ambitions. These are not just anonymous faces anymore in a far and distant land. The girls both in Uganda and in the UK now know that somewhere in a far away country, they have a friend. 

Interested in taking part in a pen pal letter exchange with a school in Uganda? Have a look at the IRT PenPal Project page and why not get in touch with us directly to find out more?

South Sudanese students demonstrate over their fellow protesters being shot by soldiers in Wau (aljazeera)In December 2012 protestors in Wau, a town in the North- West of South Sudan where IRT works, were shot by South Sudanese soldiers. The exact number of casualties is unclear, but at least ten people were killed and many more injured. As seen in this shocking video of the events, this was a peaceful and unarmed protest demonstrating against the decision to move the seat of local authority from Wau, the state capital, to the nearby town of Bagare. 

It is not yet entirely clear as to why the decision to move away from Wau has been made and how these tensions escalated this much. However it is apparent that tensions persist between civilians and President Kiir and his army. The shooting of protesters led to fighting between ethnic groups in the state and yet more casualties, as well as many officials, journalists and activists detained. Human rights groups accuse South Sudan’s army of numerous human rights abuses against civilians.

President Kiir has dismissed more than 30 top officials of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA)President Kiir has recently dismissed more than 30 top army officials, including all six deputy chiefs of staff. Rumours have circulated of this being due to a coup attempt but this has been denied by government officials, who state that the reasons behind these dramatic changes are to bring younger people into top positions. This could be a positive change, as figures who were part of the army during the guerrilla warfare of the civil war are being replaced, but it also could point worryingly to political instability. In addition, President Kiir has fired the democratically elected Lakes State governor, in response to fighting between communities in this state killing at least 49 people.

As well as internal instability for South Sudan, conflicts between Sudan and South Sudan over oil still persist, the U.S. has criticised this delay in hindering economic growth and the peace process. 

The military regime in Burma has been described as the most repressive and abusive in the world. Widespread human rights abuses including murder, sexual violence and use of child soldiers has been used in persecution of certain ethnic minorities. IRT works mostly with the Karen, Shan and Lahu ethnic groups who have been oppressed by and in conflict with the ruling military Junta for decades. Many of their villages have been burnt down and they are forced to flee to Thailand, although many do not make it. Once in refugee camps they are still not secure and often are not given a refugee status. They face the worry of deportation and trying to find work, and often are forced to be undocumented labourers.

Rohingya refugees arrive in Thailand, seeking safety from Burma's oppressive ruling military junta, but face deportation (Reuters)Unfortunately conflicts between ethnic groups and the ruling military in Burma continue. The Rohingya people, a Muslim group originating from Bangladesh, are depicted as one of the most persecuted minorities, 'stateless and unwanted'. They do not hold citizenship, despite many generations living in Burma, and consequentially are unable to travel without legal permission, own land or have more than two children. As a result many have fled to both Bangladesh and Thailand. However, Bangladesh has closed its border to them and those who make it to Thailand are seen as illegal immigrants and deported; this has led to hundreds dying at sea. Various human rights groups are calling for the Thai government to stop deporting the Rohingya group and allow them to seek asylum.

It is clear that the persecution of minorities is continuing in Burma: The Burmese army has started a new offensive against the Kachin rebel group last month and thousands of ethnic groups are still forced to flee or remain in neighbouring countries. We will update you with Adrian’s findings of the current situation following his visit, and will continue to support these groups as much as we can. 

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (left) and President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir have made agreements over shared border regions and oil export (ibtimes)

Several disputes between the two countries are being addressed. The first is ownership over border areas, in particular the oil rich Abyei province, where both Sudanese and South Sudanese people live. This dispute and resulting military action has forced thousands to flee their homes.

A map showing the location of the disputed Abyei province, and the oil pipes running from South Sudan where it is produced, through Sudan for export (BBC)Another point of tension is the amount of transit fees South Sudan should pay to Sudan to use its pipelines to transport oil. South Sudan shut their oil production down a year ago due to high transit fees being demanded by Sudan. Resolving this issue is key for South Sudan to build its economy and improve infrastructure.

A further issue to discuss is the rights of each other’s citizens who are now in a foreign country. An estimated 500,000 South Sudanese citizens are in Sudan and an estimated 80,000 Sudanese remain in South Sudan. Their legal rights and freedom of residency need to be established.  Refugees in both countries have lived in their respective homes all their lives and are now facing difficulties because their nationality has been defined as being of the other country.  Many people who have been classified as South Sudanese after independence have lived in (north) Sudan all their lives and do not necessarily wish to return to South Sudan. Whether they will need to return to their country of origin or be allowed to remain is unclear.

The leaders of both countries have now agreed to set up a demilitarized zone along their common border as soon as possible, to ease tensions between the two armies and as a condition for the resumption of oil export.  As well as restarting oil export they hope to reopen border points for general trade, which will boost economic growth in both countries. Unfortunately, fighting between the government and rebel groups in southern provinces of Sudan continues, forcing thousands of Sudanese to flee from their homes into South Sudan and Ethiopia. The UN has stated this as a growing humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 700,000 people affected and living in extremely poor conditions. 

View this video: 'Sudanese leaders Bashir and Kiir meet in Ethiopia'