Networking Communities

Wales Africa Community Links: Who and Where?

Most community links start from a few people involved in a school, church, health practise, local authority, campaign group or many other community sectors. The Gold Star project supports any such links who are looking to broaden out and involve their wider community at both ends, and undertake the challenging yet life (and community) changing journey towards a Gold Star Award.

To find out more about individual Wales - Africa community links below, including contact details and web links, visit the interactive Google map here:

View Larger Map

By Spring 2009, the following Wales - Africa community-based links are actively involved in working with the Gold Star Communities project:

1. Amlwch (Anglesey) – Sankwia (Gambia) - have been awarded UN Gold Star for work with Children
2. Bedwas (Caerphilly) - Kikambala (Kenya)
3. Brecon (Powys) – Molo (Kenya)
4. Bettws (Bridgend) - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
5. Bosherston (Pembrokeshire) - Masitise (South Lesotho)
6. Briton Ferry (Neath Port Talbot) – Bbowa (Uganda)
7. Brynycwm (Monmouth) – Yirga Cheffe (Ethiopia)
8. Builth Wells (Powys) - Ivato (Madagascar)
9. Caernarfon (Gwynedd) - Mkushi (Zambia)
10. Cardiff S – Hargeisa (Somaliland)
11. Cardiff N - Burao (Somaliland)
12. Cowbridge (Vale of Glamorgan) - Endonisidai (Kenya)
13. Conwy – Mafia Island (Tanzania)
14. Crossgates (Powys) - Bulabakulu (Uganda)
15. Crymych (Pembs) – Hlotse (Lesotho)
16. Dyffryn Ardudwy (Gwynedd) – Butembo (Tanzania)
17. Gower & Pennard - Lubombo (Swaziland)
18. Hay-on-Wye (Powys) – Timbuktu (Mali), including Jump4Timbuktu, Medics 4 Timbuktu and Teachers 4 Timbuktu
19. Lampeter (Ceredigion) – Bore (Kenya)
20. Llandudno - Lira (Uganda)
21. Llanfyllin (Powys) – Kamuli (Uganda)
22. Llangollen (Denbighshire) – Marafa (Kenya)
23. Machynlleth (Powys) - Kagera (Tanzania)
24. Merthyr Tydfil - Nungwi (Zanzibar, Tanzania)
25. Neath Port Talbot - Maralal (Kenya)
26. Newgale (Pembs) - Banjul (Gambia)
27. Newport - Gutu (Zimbabwe)
28. Newport – Masvingo (Zimbabwe)
29. Newtown (Powys) - Kumi (Uganda)
30. Penarth (Vale of Glamorgan) - Teyateyaneng (Lesotho)
31. Penygraig (Rhondda Cynon Taff) – Langa (South Africa)
32. Pontypridd (RCT) – Mbale (Uganda) - have been awarded UN Gold Star for work with Health and Children
33. Pyle - Gomo Jena (Zimbabwe)
34. Rhayader (Powys) - Quelimane (Mozambique)
35. Splott & Roath (Cardiff) - Banjul (Gambia)
36. Swansea – Paynesville (Liberia)
37. Swansea - Siavonga (Zambia)
38. Vale 4 Africa: Barry & Vale of Glamorgan - Tororo (Uganda)
39. Ystradgynlais (Powys / Vale of Neath) - Thembalitsha (South Africa)
40. Wrexham - Mekele & Adigrat (Tigray Province, Ethiopia)

Sectoral Links - can offer specialist advice, resources and networking to individual sectors and / or professionals involved with specific aspects of community linking projects:

• SMIDOS - Small Medium International Development Organisations- provide professional troubleshooting advice and support to SMIDOS in Wales.
• HEALTH - NHS Wales for Africa Health Links Group
• HEALTH - MATERNAL CARE - Hope for Grace Kodindo - Cardiff midwife Angela Gorman, inspirational chair of HFGK, has undertaken support to a number of Wales Africa links besides developing HPGK projects in Chad, Liberia and Sierra Leone so far.
• EDUCATION - Wales International Dimension in Education (WIDE)
• EDUCATION - Cyfanfyd, the Network supporting Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship
• ENVIRONMENT - Environment Wales Link and Cynnal Cymru / Sustain Wales
• ENGINEERS - Engineers Without Borders
• PUBLIC SERVICE - Public Service Management Wales (PSMW) organise professional development placements for Welsh workers through VSO
• VOLUNTEERING - UNA Exchange
• Black Voluntary Sector Network
• Welsh Local Government Association
• ACADEMIC - Welsh Network of Development Researchers

Country Links - can offer specialist in-country knowledge and support to community links:

• Advice on links into African Networks: African Community Centre (Swansea plus also Newport, Cardiff & Fishguard)
• LESOTHO - Dolen Cymru (Wales Lesotho Link)
• SOMALILAND - Wales Somaliland Link
• ZAMBIA - ABESU (Wales Zambia Link)
• ZIMBABWE - Love Zimbabwe
• GAMBIA - Gambian Arts and Culture in Wales
• TANZANIA (Zanzibar) - Sazani Associates
• MADAGASCAR - Money for Madagascar
• CONGO - c/o Refugee Voice Wales / South People's Projects

Other sectoral and community links within Wales - Africa Linking Networks include:

1. Abergavenny - Zimbabwe - Fair trade & livelihoods link through Love Zimbabwe
2. Angle (Pembs) - Kokomo (Kigezi, Uganda) - Churches link
3. Ammanford - Phelisanong (Lesotho)
4. Bassaleg (Newport) - Dilizintaba (E Cape, South Africa) - School Link supported by Link Community Development
5. Beaufort (Ebbw Vale) - Beaufort (South Africa) - Town Twinning Link
6. Beguildy (Knighton) - Maqanyeni (E Cape, South Africa) - School Link supported by Link Community Development
7. Bettws (Newport) - Bunanbutye (Eastern Uganda)- School Link supported by Link Community Development
8. Blaenllechau (Rhondda) - Zambia - link through ABESU
9. Bridgend - Tanzania - link through Tools for Self Reliance Cymru
10. Cardiff NHS - N'djamena Hospital (Chad) - (Maternal) Health link through Hope for Grace Kodindo
11. Cardigan - Kigoma (Tanzania)
12. Carmarthen - Kigezi (Uganda) - Churches link + Rotary and Soroptomists
13. Clun - Tanzania - link through Tools for Self Reliance Cymru
14. Colwyn Bay - Komokumdi (Tanzania) - School Link
15. Crickhowell - Mwanza (Tanzania) - link through Tools for Self Reliance Cymru
16. Crickhowell - Jinja (Uganda) - school link
17. Crickhowell - Ghana & Cameroon - volunteering links through St. David's Africa Trust
18. Cwmbran (Torfaen) - Nyantonzi (Masindi, Uganda)- School Link supported by Link Community Development
19. Deganwy (Conwy) - Bosomtwi-Atwima-Kwahoma (Ghana)- School Link supported by Link Community Development
20. Denbigh - Siphophanene (Swaziland)
21. Dinas Powys - Peka (Lesotho)- school link through Dolen Cymru
22. Dolgellau (Gwynedd) - Ghana - Health link through network of opticians
23. Ebbw Vale - Tongo-Balungu (Ghana)- FE College Link supported by Link Community Development
24. Fishguard - African Community Centre
25. Glan Clwyd (Clwyd) - Quthing (Lesotho) - NHS Health Link through Dolen Cymru
26. Griffithstown (Torfaen) - Kisiabi (Masindi, Uganda)- School Link supported by Link Community Development
27. Gwent - Awassa (Ethiopia)
28. Kidwelly - Kakereere (Kigezi, Uganda) - Churches Link
29. Llanelli - Tanzania - link through Tools for Self Reliance Cymru
30. Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (Ynys Mon) - Machekoaneng (Lesotho)- School Link supported by Dolen Cymru
31. Llangadog - Madagascar through Money for Madagascar
32. Llangefni (Ynys Mon) - Mallele (Lesotho) - School Link supported by Dolen Cymru
33. Llantarnam (Torfaen) - Lehana Pass (E Cape, South Africa- School Link supported by Link Community Development
34. Maendy (Newport) - CW Kies (N Cape, South Africa)- School Link supported by Link Community Development
35. Malpas (Newport) - Mboira (Masindi, Uganda)- School Link supported by Link Community Development
36. Menai Bridge - Hlotse (Lesotho) - school link through Dolen Cymru
37. Merthyr Tydfil - Zanzibar (Tanzania) - school link through Sazani Associates
38. Monmouth - Kibera (Nairobi, Kenya) - school link
39. Newport - Banjul (Gambia) - link through Enfys Acumen
40. Newport - Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) - link through Make a Change
41. Newport - Berbera (Somaliland) - diaspora link through Wales Somaliland Link
42. Pembroke - Zanzibar (Tanzania)- school link through Sazani Associates
43. Pembroke - Tanzania - link through Tools for Self Reliance Cymru
44. Penarth - Teyateyaneng (Lesotho) - school link through Dolen Cymru
45. Penarth - Nyakarambi (Uganda) - churches link
46. Pencoed - Mfuleni (South Africa) - churches link
47. Pontrhydyfen – Samburu Maasai (Kenya)
48. Queensferry (Flint) - Bosomtwi-Atwima-Kwahoma (Ghana)- School Link supported by Link Community Development
49. Rhydyfelin (Pontypridd) - Zanzibar (Tanzania)- school link through Sazani Associates
50. Rhosymedre (Ruabon) - Kambhoke (Swazliand)
51. Ruthin - Swaziland
52. St. David's - Matsieng (Lesotho) - town council link through Dolen Cymru
53. St. Donat's - Waterford Kamhlaba (Swaziland) - FE link through Atlantic College, United World Colleges
54. Swansea - Freetown (Sierra Leone) - health link through Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust
55. Swansea - Gambia - NHS health link
56. Swansea - Ibadan (Nigeria) - university link
57. Swansea - Siavonga (Zambia) - volunteering link through University
58. Tredegar - Ezra (Eastern Uganda) - churches & schools link
59. Whitchurch (Cardiff) - Macassar (Cape Town, South Africa) - High School Link
60. Wrexham - Mtwapa / Kisumu (Kenya) - churches and schools link through Equipe
61. Wrexham - Upper Volta (Ghana) - ecotourism link
62. Y Felinheli - Ibumba, Kigezi (Uganda) - Church Link
63. Ynys Mon - Mafeteng (Lesotho) - Consular link through Dolen Cymru
64. Ystradgynlais - Tanzania - link through Tools for Self Reliance Cymru

Communities in Africa interested in a twinning partner in Wales:

• Mazabuka (Zambia)
• Osodo (Kenya)
• Essoh Attah (Cameroon)
• Kinondoni District (Tanzania) through SAHU (Society for Advancement of Humanity)
• Mukono District, Uganda through Beacon of Hope Uganda