A Short History

These are the words of Donald Tweddle, the first general secretary to the United Kingdom Freedom from Hunger Campaign in 1961, when many Commonwealth countries were becoming independent.

The initial aims of the Freedom from Hunger Campaign were:

• To provide information and education about world hunger
• Fundraising
• Research
• Action and education to improve food production and distribution in developing countries

A Projects List was drawn up and by March 1963, 864 committees were formed. The Devon Committee chose to raise money to set up a Farmers' Training Centre at Urambo in the Tabora Region of Tanzania (site of the failed earlier groundnuts scheme). John Gillett was invited to join the committee, as an interested farmer.

An enthusiastic fund raising campaign raised enough money to provide two Farmers Training Centres. Mwanhala, also in the Tabora Region, was chosen as the second site.

History of FUM

After the Freedom from Hunger Campaign it was decided by the Exeter Committee that it was important to stay in touch with our project and continue to provide assistance.

So FUM was founded and David Walker from Exeter University was elected as Chairman and John Gillett as Secretary.

Help and education in the improvement of farming methods and financial help was the initial aim of the project.

FUM decided to become involved with help for the hospitals and the provision of very much needed Mother and Child Clinics in isolated villages, a practice which still continues. Water and the provision of wells has also been an important work of FUM right from the beginning.

Around £20,000 is raised annually, targeted at projects selected jointly by FUM Officers and the Tabora Regional Government authorities. All our projects have the full support of the local authorities and are delivered by them, thus over 95% of FUM donations are spent directly on the projects themselves.

FUM funds are administered by a committee of officers, all of whom are volunteers elected at our Annual General Meeting. Apart from postage, mailing, bank transfer costs, etc. there are no overheads. We have two volunteer officers in Tanzania, Frank Charles and Janeth John, both based in the Regional Government Offices in Tabora. The Regional Commissioner is our Honorary President in Tanzania.

FUM has a significant interest in the progress of three Rural Crafts Colleges (FDCs) at Urambo, Mwanhala and Sikonge. We also support a number of primary schools, particularly those in the more isolated villages. Over the years we have funded the construction of twelve Mother and Child Health Clinics mostly in very isolated locations and make an annual grant to each in order to ensure that they remain properly equipped. These clinics provide primary health care to their communities particularly ante and post natal care as well as care during delivery. Each is staffed by a paramedic and midwife and is supplied with drugs and consumables by the District Medical Authorities.

There is a rotating program of refurbishment of the clinics and FDCs using the enthusiasm and commitment of school sixth form students from UK. Cranbrook School, Kent has raised around £50,000 over 25 years, visiting every two years. Tor Bridge High School in Plymouth have supported Shigamba clinic with several visits. University students from Plymouth and Durham have also undertaken fundraising.

FUM also provides some bursaries to very poor or orphaned students, who have gained admission to local secondary schools or our three FDCs, whose families cannot afford even the small fee required. Individual FUM supporters are invited to sponsor individual students either anonymously or openly. A few students have continued to university courses.

The FDCs have benefited from the provision of tools and equipment from UK charities Workaid and Tools for Self reliance.

We could do far more with more funds but we remain true to ourselves as a group of friends who give voluntarily, so that people less well off than ourselves can see their lives improve.