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Jordan Emergency Appeal

July 25, 2019

It is with immense sadness that we must again ask for your urgent help with assisting thousands of refugees in Jordan. The Comboni Missionary Sisters and the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation desperately need your help to fund their vital work. Seven years of war in Syria have created the world’s largest refugee crisis and, […]

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It is with immense sadness that we must again ask for your urgent help with assisting thousands of refugees in Jordan. The Comboni Missionary Sisters and the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation desperately need your help to fund their vital work. Seven years of war in Syria have created the world’s largest refugee crisis and, with no end in sight, thousands of refugees from Syria still need your help. In a country with no free healthcare, your donations fund the Sisters’ work, providing desperate refugees with vital emergency medical care at two hospitals. Life-saving surgery and complications relating to childbirth are just some of the challenges the hospital staff face. The Sisters at the hospitals have reached out to us for help, stating:

EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED NEW RULES THAT SIGNIFICANTLY HIKED THE COST OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES. HUNDREDS OF SICK REFUGEES SUFFER EVERY DAY AND CANNOT AFFORD THE INFLATED MEDICAL COSTS, WHICH HAVE INCREASED FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT IN SOME AREAS. DISTRESSINGLY, THIS HAS INCREASED THE DEATH TOLL AMONGST REFUGEES, PARTICULARLY IN INFANT MORTALITY. THIS IS THE MAIN REASON FOR OUR CRY FOR HELP, WE NEED URGENT DONATIONS TO HELP US CONTINUE SAVING THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES.” – SR . ALESSANDRA FUMAGALLI

Over 2.7 million refugees have entered Jordan, desperately trying to escape civil wars in Palestine, Iraq and Syria.

The refugees’ struggle
Imagine how you would feel if you went on holiday with your family and some suitcases, only to be told, while you were away, that you could never come home. Ever. How long could you survive on the contents of your luggage and the cash in your pocket? This is the situation that refugees face. Except they weren’t going on holiday. Their former homes have been reduced to rubble, family members killed, and all hope gone. The lack of media coverage in Jordan, means the world just isn’t aware of the problems refugees are facing when they arrive in Jordan. With humanitarian aid in short supply and no free health care, your donations are as important as ever.

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The Sisters inform us that thousands of refugees try to get work to support their families daily, but with the government only giving approximately 30% of these refugees work permits, many are unable to work, no matter what skills they possess. There is a beacon of light amid all this hopelessness. Two beacons in fact. These are the two ‘Italian Hospitals’, located in Karak and Amman, and run by the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation and the Comboni Missionary Sisters. Founded 90 years ago by an Italian priest, to attend to the needs of the poor and refugees, these are bastions of hope for those in extreme distress and hardship. The Sisters selflessly donate their time, energy, faith and their love for all humanity. But they can do nothing without the essential supplies that are needed.

The hospitals are a beacon of light for refugees in Jordan who have nowhere else to turn.
4-year-old MOHD

Little Mohd had been very poorly for some time. His desperate parents had nowhere else to turn so took him to the Italian Hospital in Amman. The Sisters noticed that Mohd’s parents had travelled so far from their refugee camp, hungry, exhausted and with no money for food or a place to stay.
The Sisters fed Mohd’s family and let them stay at the hospital with him. The surgeon performed an emergency tonsillectomy on the little boy and he is now doing really well.
IT COSTS THE SISTERS £1,185 TO PROVIDE TREATMENT OF THIS NATURE

25-year-old SABAH
Sabah was suffering with excruciating abdominal pain and bleeding. She could not afford the treatment at the local government-run hospital near her refugee camp. In pain and in desperate need of medical
attention, she travelled to the Italian hospital in Amman where she could receive free treatment. Sabah received lifesaving surgery for severe bleeding in her uterus. The doctors were able to save her life by performing an emergency hysterectomy. The Sisters cared for Sabah for free and looked after her until she made a full recovery.

THE COST OF THIS TREATMENT WAS £1,650. WITHOUT YOUR GENEROUS HELP AND SUPPORT, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT, LEFT UNTREATED, SABAH WOULD HAVE DIED.

The Karak hospital is treating a minimum of 300 people a day. The hospital staff are stretched, and medical supplies are urgently needed to save the lives of thousands of refugees from Syria and surrounding countries. We are so lucky to have a free health service in the UK, but refugees in Jordan are not so lucky.

With 1 in 3 people in Amman being a refugee, the situation is dire and urgent funds are required.
All around the world, people just like you are being forced to flee their homes because of war and persecution. IRT does all it can to help those in the most desperate need. Jordan has already faced waves of refugees arriving from Palestine and Iraq. Now it is struggling to cope with the massive influx of Syrians desperately seeking safety. Your donations are a Godsend to those in need.

CHILDREN UNDER 15, MAKE UP 48% OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEE POPULATION IN JORDAN.

Sister Elizabeth’s word:
Matthew 25:40 ‘Whatever you did for the least of My brothers you did unto Me’

‘I personally ensure that all of the patients we treat, these, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, are treated with dignity. I also insist this with my employees at the hospital so all patients are treated equally. We are created in the likeness of God himself and we must respect all.’ Thank you for helping us to continue God’s work and God Bless’. Sr. Elizabeth Mary Chakkiath O.P.
Refugees in Jordan barely have enough money to survive let alone pay for vital medical care.

A word from Steven Smith MBE, CEO, International Refugee Trust:
“International Refugee Trust is a small charity and we rely on support from individuals to help refugees and vulnerable families in developing countries.

Many of the projects we support are run by Missionary Sisters. Often working in dangerous and distressing conditions, they dedicate their lives to helping those facing severe hardship on a daily basis. Your donations are received with heartfelt gratitude and joy. They make such an amazing difference!
We ask you at this most Holy time of year to help the Holy Sisters with God’s mission to the Syrian refugees and IRT’s projects in aid of those whose lives have been torn apart by war and conflict. Thank you for your generous support.”

Help save lives and donate generously.

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Are you getting your 5-a-week?

July 25, 2019

Are you getting your 5-a-week? We are often told by nutritionists that to lead a healthy life, you must simply eat five pieces of fruit and veg, and three meals a day. However, children in northern Uganda, victims of extreme poverty, will have to survive on only five meals a week, washed down with dirty […]

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Are you getting your 5-a-week?

We are often told by nutritionists that to lead a healthy life, you must simply eat five pieces of fruit and veg, and three meals a day. However, children in northern Uganda, victims of extreme poverty, will have to survive on only five meals a week, washed down with dirty water. If you feel that these children and their families do not deserve to live in this poverty, donate today and feed them the three meals a day they deserve. Give them a chance at survival.

Meet one of our many success stories, Jimmy and Jennifer:
As children, Jimmy and Jennifer’s homes were burnt to the ground by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) when the group took hold of their village. The violence and destruction were devastating, and they were forced to flee with their families and live in refugee camps in horrendous conditions. After the LRA was defeated and safety was restored, they went back to their home village of Angirodyang, in Okwangole parish, Alebtong district, where they worked hard to rebuild their lives. The couple have three young girls and were struggling to provide for them. With a lack of training in farming techniques, they would harvest very little and eat one single meal a day. Jimmy had no hope and ambition for his daughters’ future. Your donations meant that Jimmy and Jennifer’s family could join IRT’s StepUp programme, which changed their lives. Their future now looks bright, and the family are going from strength to strength.

“MY PROOF ARE MY DAUGHTERS, LOOK AT THEM! THEY ARE HAPPY AND HEALTHY, AND THEY ARE NOT MISSING A SINGLE DAY FROM SCHOOL!” – JIMMY “WE HAD A GRASS THATCHED HOME WHICH HAD A SMALL KITCHEN. WE ALL USED TO SLEEP IN THE ONE ROOM TOGETHER. STEPUP HAS DONE SO MUCH THAT IT’S COUNTLESS. DISH DRYING RACK, RUBBISH PIT, PLANTING TRAINING SO WE HAVE HEALTHY TREES IN OUR COMPOUND, GOOD ENERGY SAVING COOKER, VEGETABLE GROWING. SO MUCH. I CAN’T SAY. WE STARTED HAVING BIG DREAMS. WE’VE STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR DAUGHTERS WITH HOPE, AND WITH THE TRAINING WE HAVE RECEIVED WE CAN PUT WHATEVER PLANS WE HAVE INTO PRACTICE. I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO STUDY AND THEY SHOULDN’T DROP OUT. MY DAUGHTERS HAVE HOPE FOR A GOOD FUTURE.” – JENNIFER

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St Therese Hospital, South Sudan

July 25, 2019

Over 60 years ago, Italian nuns at St Therese Hospital, in Nzara, began treating leprosy and TB. Today they need your help more than ever. South Sudan plunged into civil war in 2013, with both sides committing horrific abuses against civilians. Women and children, in particular, have borne the brunt of the conflict. The St […]

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Over 60 years ago, Italian nuns at St Therese Hospital, in Nzara, began treating leprosy and TB. Today they need your help more than ever. South Sudan plunged into civil war in 2013, with both sides committing horrific abuses against civilians. Women and children, in particular, have borne the brunt of the conflict. The St Therese Hospital is a safe haven among the chaos and devastation.

As the displaced population continues to swell around Nzara, the number of people seeking urgent medical treatment grows daily, placing monumental pressure on the Sisters’ scant resources. As well as treating chronic wounds and injuries, the doctors and nurses face an array of serious illnesses, from malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS, and leprosy, to typhoid and gastrointestinal disorders.

MOST LOCAL WATER SOURCES IN THE AREA ARE CONTAMINATED WITH WASTE AND PARASITES, FREQUENTLY CAUSING WATER-BORNE DISEASES.

From June to October, the Sisters can expect an influx of patients due to the increase of malaria cases. Vulnerable children with low immune systems are frequent victims of this terrible disease, and the need for staff, beds and lifesaving treatment is high. The Sisters desperately need more funds to buy malaria drugs in preparation for this difficult period.


RT’s support focuses especially on the 70-bed Paediatric Ward. In the last year, with your support, Nzara Hospital treated 5,456 children as inpatients, of which 3,600 children were below the age of five. In a country with one of the world’s highest child mortality rates, at 93 deaths per thousand, the Paediatric Ward is crucial to reducing infant deaths. Daily, the Sisters face long queues as families wait patiently for their children to be treated. The cries of some can be heard through the corridors. Others open their mouths, but are too weak to cry. No matter how long the queues get, the Sisters will not turn away those needing vital medical care.

£50 can buy 12 anti-malarial injections

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From June to October, the Sisters can expect an influx of patients due to the increase of malaria cases. Vulnerable children with low immune systems are frequent victims of this terrible disease, and the need for staff, beds and lifesaving treatment is high. The Sisters desperately need more funds to buy malaria drugs in preparation for this difficult period.

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South Sudan has been devastated by civil war since 2013. Fighting has killed almost 400,000 people, displaced millions and left more than 7 million in dire need of humanitarian aid. Both sides have committed horrific crimes against humanity, including the mass murder of civilians, abductions, rape, torture and the use of child soldiers. The Comboni Missionary Sisters daily put their lives at risk in South Sudan, the most dangerous country in the word for aid workers. Even the basic task of taking cash out for the hospital is fraught with risk. South Sudan’s banking system has collapsed, so the Sisters must make the perilous journey over hazardous roads to Kampala, in Uganda, over 600 miles away.
Many hospitals in South Sudan have been forced to close because of the conflict, famine and lack of funds, but the Sisters are resolute in their determination to carry on.

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General Appeal

July 25, 2019

All money donated or fundraised to the general appeal, will be spent where it is needed the most. Please read more about our projects in Uganda, South Sudan, Jordan and Tanzania to find out where your money goes.

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All money donated or fundraised to the general appeal, will be spent where it is needed the most.

Please read more about our projects in Uganda, South Sudan, Jordan and Tanzania to find out where your money goes.


Prudential Ride London – Surrey 100

July 23, 2019

This 100-mile route is on fully closed roads, taking in parts of the Olympic road race route. The ride starts in the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, then follows the closed roads through the capital and onto Surrey’s stunning country roads and hills. This is a fantastic race, and we would love to have you […]

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This 100-mile route is on fully closed roads, taking in parts of the Olympic road race route. The ride starts in the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, then follows the closed roads through the capital and onto Surrey’s stunning country roads and hills.

This is a fantastic race, and we would love to have you on the IRT team! Registration is £50 and we ask that you pledge to raise a minimum of £500 in fundraising.

We will be with you every step of the way, from helping you with your fundraising and sponsorship to cheering you on during the race.

For more information, please email [email protected] or call Jessica on 020 8994 9120.

Book a place

Registration fee £50



    1989

    July 23, 2019

    Jessica Eames 30 years ago, in 1989, the International Refugee Trust (IRT) was founded, and it was certainly an important year in history. People in the Western world may remember the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ‘man v tank’ in Tiananmen Square (pictured), the execution of Ted Bundy, Nintendo releasing its ‘Game Boy’, the […]

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    Jessica Eames

    30 years ago, in 1989, the International Refugee Trust (IRT) was founded, and it was certainly an important year in history. People in the Western world may remember the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ‘man v tank’ in Tiananmen Square (pictured), the execution of Ted Bundy, Nintendo releasing its ‘Game Boy’, the release of the very first Microsoft office, the first ever GPS satellite put into orbit, plus many other historical events.

    A few years before that, in 1985, the world was watching just how charitable the UK could be during the ‘Live Aid’ concert, one of the most defining events of the 80’s. Nearly 40% of the world’s population watched numerous legendary bands and artists perform at Wembley, free of charge, to help Bob Geldof raise funds for relief of the Ethiopian famine. During the concert, we were exposed to harrowing footage of starving Ethiopian children, suffering, and gasping for sustenance in their millions. These images were accompanied by an emotional soundtrack of ‘Drive’ by The Cars, which can be remembered by all who watched it as a distressful and upsetting moment of the broadcast.

    For some of us, it was the first time we were exposed to such shocking images. Some of us were not even aware of the famine in Ethiopia, but Geldof’s humanitarian act had a huge impact on the nation, raising over £40 million globally. Geldof insisted that half the money raised was spent on long term development and the other half on food.

    Furthermore, Geldof raised awareness of the terrible suffering around the world. He showed us that as a First World country, we were able to help these people, by donating and fundraising. The nation proved that, collectively, we can help less fortunate people, thousands of miles away, to survive and rebuild their lives. This is something we should be very proud of.

    A few years later in 1989, an Irish Missionary Priest, Fr. Kevin Doheny, founded the International Refugee Trust in Chiswick. His aim was like that of Geldof’s, helping vulnerable refugees and displaced people around the world and raising awareness of how war and conflict have destroyed the lives of so many families overseas.

    Over the last 30 years, IRT have helped thousands of refugees all over the world in countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Thailand, Cambodia, and Jordan.

    Bob Geldof’s ‘Live Aid’ was in aid of the Ethiopian famine which took place approximately 10 years into the Ethiopian Civil War. It is thought that this famine was because of war, conflict and government policies relating to agriculture. The refugees that IRT help are in a similar position, as a result of war and conflict in their home countries.

    Today, IRT are helping thousands of refugees overseas, who are innocent victims of war and conflict. In some of the countries where IRT work, the conflict has been resolved, but there are still millions of people who are displaced and have been forced to leave their homes with nothing but the shirt on their back.

    With thanks to our incredible supporters, we have been able to sustain our vital work for the last 30 years. When the media and large charities have moved on from an initial crisis overseas, IRT stays to continue supporting projects. These projects help refugees to live sustainably and rebuild their lives, ending their poverty and suffering. Read more about how IRT achieves this through our StepUp programmes in Uganda, one of our many projects overseas (www.irt.org.uk).

    IRT will be holding a series of events over the course of the year to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Please keep an eye on our news page for updates.

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    “Finish your dinner!”

    July 23, 2019

    Jessica Eames Jessica is the Fundraising manager at IRT, and shares why she chose to join IRT and support overseas refugees: “Finish your dinner! There are starving children in Africa!” That’s what my mother would bark at me as a child when I refused to finish my dinner! “Well why don’t you put my dinner […]

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    Jessica Eames

    Jessica is the Fundraising manager at IRT, and shares why she chose to join IRT and support overseas refugees:

    “Finish your dinner! There are starving children in Africa!”

    That’s what my mother would bark at me as a child when I refused to finish my dinner! “Well why don’t you put my dinner in an envelope, and send it to them then”, a cheeky adolescent Jess would reply.

    In hindsight, I’m not sure how an envelope with my leftover sausage, potato waffles and beans, would help a starving child in Africa. The beans would leak everywhere, and I imagine the food would rot somewhat during transit, so in fact, would probably do the starving children more bad than good!

    80’s kids dinner
    Fast forward 35 years, and I finally realise the point my mother was attempting to make. My mother is Spanish, and the most amazing cook (I would walk a million miles for her meatballs!). I know we all say that about our mum’s cooking, but she really is! She worked very hard, whilst bringing up three noisy, opinionated daughters, often fighting over whose turn it was to play ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’ on the Casio keyboard. On occasions, when she only had 15 minutes to make the family meal, she would make the standard 80’s, kids’ dinner. My siblings and I were spoilt with delicious and nutritious meals so often, that I would turn my nose up at potato waffles. My mother is a charitable humanitarian at heart, so it must have been so frustrating and disappointing to see her daughters behave in such an ungrateful manner.

    So why was she harping on about starving African children? She wanted me to appreciate the food in front of me. She wanted me to know that not all children around the world are fortunate enough to be presented with a delicious plate of food, three times a day. I’m not that precocious child anymore. I appreciate what I have now, and I want to help those less fortunate than myself.

    Send your left over sausages to...
    Sending your left-over sausages to the African children is not the answer. At IRT, we teach refugee families in Uganda how to support themselves, through our successful StepUp programme. We teach them farming techniques, so they can grow enough food to eat and sell. How to look after livestock. We dig boreholes to provide clean water. We teach families how important education is, and how important it is to keep their children healthy, not just for survival, but so they are fit enough to attend school every day and build a future for themselves.

    Many girls are taken out of school at a very young age and married off to a 50-year-old man, or even warlords, in exchange for the ‘bride price’. The poverty is so extreme in some parts of Uganda, that refugees will resort to selling their daughters in order to feed the rest of the family. In fact 1 in 2 girls are married before the age of 18.

    You can help them by donating. Your money will help to support these families, teaching them to grow, nurture, clean, teach, learn and survive. These refugees are regular people just like you and me, they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    The only difference between them and us, is that we got lucky.

    Read more about IRT’s successful StepUp programme in Uganda.


    Why do we support Syrian refugees?

    July 23, 2019

    Jessica Eames IRT’s CEO Steve Smith talks about why we should support Syrian refugees: What’s the problem? The civil war in Syria has resulted in a refugee situation on a catastrophic scale. In 2016, from an estimated pre-war population of 22 million, the UN identified 13.5 million Syrians requiring humanitarian assistance, of which more than […]

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    Jessica Eames

    IRT’s CEO Steve Smith talks about why we should support Syrian refugees:

    What’s the problem?

    The civil war in Syria has resulted in a refugee situation on a catastrophic scale. In 2016, from an estimated pre-war population of 22 million, the UN identified 13.5 million Syrians requiring humanitarian assistance, of which more than 6 million were internally displaced within Syria, and around 5 million had fled the country as refugees (UNOCHA report , 16 Feb 16). The vast majority of refugees have fled to neighbouring countries, such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, where most live below the poverty line. Unemployment and low wages are the norm. Many rely on less sustainable sources of income, food vouchers, credit or borrowing money, mostly from friends and relatives. Falling into debt is common. For this reason, refugees face difficulties in accessing services and in providing food, housing, healthcare and other basic needs for their families.

    No home to go to
    To those of us living in peaceful, developed countries, refugees are often viewed with suspicion or aversion – as if it’s their fault that they are in their present situation. The truth is that the majority are just people like us. In their former lives they may have been doctors, lawyers, accountants, factory workers, shopkeepers, office clerks, social workers or farmers. To put their situation in context, one might imagine going on holiday with the family from England to a foreign country, then receiving a phone call, mid-vacation, to say that you can never come home. Ever. Your home has been destroyed and the area taken over by people who will kill you on sight. Now you have to survive, with whatever you have in your suitcases, and whatever savings you may have. If you can access them, and if you bank is still able to operate.

    How we help
    It is people like this that International Refugee Trust is trying to help, through its support of the two ‘Italian Hospitals’, located at Amman and Karak, in Jordan. Established some 90 years ago to treat the poor and refugees, these hospitals are now facing unprecedented demand. But the staff simply will not give up. As one of the Missionary Sisters said to IRT, ‘This is now our new normal.’ Surely no cause could be more worthy of our support.

    Read more about how IRT’s projects help Syrian refugee’s in Jordan.


    Fenwick Elliott holds charity football cup in aid of IRT

    July 23, 2019

    The Fenwick Elliott Charity Cup 2019 took place on Friday 5th July 2019 in aid of IRT, taking place at Powerleague in Shoreditch. The five-a-side tournament featured seven budding teams made up of the law firm’s clients. The event is a fantastic annual fundraising initiative by Fenwick Elliott LLP, a highly respected London based law […]

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    The Fenwick Elliott Charity Cup 2019 took place on Friday 5th July 2019 in aid of IRT, taking place at Powerleague in Shoreditch. The five-a-side tournament featured seven budding teams made up of the law firm’s clients. The event is a fantastic annual fundraising initiative by Fenwick Elliott LLP, a highly respected London based law firm which specialises in construction and energy law.

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    Photo: The tournament in full flow.


    The day was a huge success, with teams paying an entry fee to enter and all the proceeds kindly being donated to IRT. Despite the fierce competition on the pitch, the teams were able to enjoy pizza together afterwards. They were all competing for the prized trophies which were presented to both the winners and runners up at the end of the tournament. Our CEO, Steve Smith MBE, gave a fascinating speech preceding the prizegiving outlining the incredible work IRT undertakes, rebuilding the lives of refugees overseas.

    IRT’s trustee Robbie McCrea is a Senior Associate at Fenwick Elliott and we are thrilled that this connection led to IRT being placed at the heart of the charity cup. Fundraising events like these help IRT to help even more refugees whose lives have been torn apart by war and conflict.

    WE WOULD THEREFORE LIKE TO GIVE A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO FENWICK ELLIOTT FOR PUTTING ON THIS WONDERFUL EVENT, THE PROCEEDS OF WHICH ARE REALLY GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO OUR PROJECTS ABROAD. MR STEVEN SMITH MBE, CEO AT IRT.

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    International Refugee Trust lifts Ugandan villages out of poverty

    July 23, 2019

    We are pleased to announce the completion of our very first StepUp project (StepUp 001) in northern Uganda. The project aims to enable impoverished farmers to become self-sufficient, improving their quality of life both financially as well as in strengthening community ties – AND IT WORKS! Please take a look at this fantastic video from […]

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    We are pleased to announce the completion of our very first StepUp project (StepUp 001) in northern Uganda. The project aims to enable impoverished farmers to become self-sufficient, improving their quality of life both financially as well as in strengthening community ties – AND IT WORKS! Please take a look at this fantastic video from our partner (OCA) and some of the StepUp 001 families in Uganda.

    We have a further 4 ongoing StepUp projects and expect them to do just as well as this one. If you would like to donate to the StepUp projects please visit our website https://www.irt.org.uk/donate – thank you.