Our speaker Thursday was Dr. Emanuel "Manny" Cirenza, who recently returned from an AOET medical mission trip to Uganda, and plans to return in July.
Saratoga County people have supported AOET's educational, job training, housing, feeding, medical and child-support programs in the Bugembe (near Jinja) and Lira areas of Uganda for many years, to a large extent due to the efforts of Paul and Jean Phillips. Paul, who is a member of our Rotary club, has been dealing with some recent health challenges. He attended Thursday's meeting with his daughter Beth. "Paul is my hero," said Manny.
The Saratoga-based teams led now by Manny also cooperate with the Schenectady-based Mooncatcher Project to provide reusable feminine hygiene products for girls (which help keep them in school).
Recent cuts in US aid have been damaging, but funding from the Ugandan government and AOET donors have kept operations going. Our Rotary club and individual members are among those donors. Barbara Conner, who has been on two AOET trips to Bugembe with Paul, said her First Presbyterian Church of Ballston Spa recently decided to contribute. Manny said AOET is a Christian faith-based organization.
He appealed for donations, noting that one useful non-monetary contribution is baby and infant clothes which are given away to mothers who want them at medical clinics, providing an incentive to bring their children there.
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