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life expectancy in Uganda is age 52 compared to the world average of 67 and UK figure of 79
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under 5 years infant mortality rates are 127/1000 births compared to the world average of 74 and 6 in the UK
This stems from the prevalence of killer diseases especially of Malaria, TB and HIV /Aids and waterborne diseases such as sleeping sickness and diarrhoea. It is one of the poorest countries in the world - and Teso is one of the poorest areas of Uganda.
Teso is a fertile region in the north-east of Uganda, bordered by Lango to the west, Bukedi to the south, and the arid region of Karamoja to the north and east. There are 1.6 million people living in Teso. Over the past 20 years, the people of Teso and Karamoja have often suffered from being marginalised as well as lack of resources, drought and famine, conflicts and cattle raiding.
Historically, the Iteso people were pastoralists descended from the Karamojong tribe, migrating southwards about four centuries ago in search of better pasture for their animals. They found a fertile area, where they became settled farmers, able to grow a variety of crops as well as graze their livestock.
Since then, the Karamojong have been raiding the cattle of Teso, trying to retrieve "their lost animals" from the generations before. This was a mutual "sport" until the overthrow of Amin's regime in 1979 when fleeing soldiers left their armouries open in Karamoja and the local spears were replaced by guns. Karamojong raids into Teso then became increasingly aggressive, largely because of the devastating effect of the gun. About 80,000 have now been living in camps for up to 20 years for greater safety.
In 1987, the new President Museveni sent in the Ugandan Army to help. Unfortunately, this only exacerbated the situation, with raiding and pillaging by the army and the formation of rebel groups. This was followed by a government decision to force most of the Iteso into designated areas so that the army could then operate a "scorched earth policy" to eradicate the rebels. No provision was made for shelter, sanitation, water, food, health or education. Thousands died of disease or when going out to find food; thousands more fled out of Teso.
In 2007 a large area was hit by major floods which devastated communities by washing away roads, houses, schools and community buildings and even worse, wiped out crops in great swathes, depriving the people of their food supplies. Prevalence of standing water multiplied the problems of malaria and water borne diseases. This was followed in 2008 by drought which meant that available food supplies were very low, prices rocketed and many communities lived on bare rations. Many died from famine. The Teso Development Trust, working through its Church partners, provided relief in the provision of blankets, mosquito nets, food aid and seed for replanting. In 2007/8, 16,000 people in 2,700 households received significant aid in the hardest hit areas. 
Hearing of their plight, a group of people in the UK, most of whom had lived or worked in Teso, formed the "Teso Relief Campaign" to try and alleviate the situation with practical help. This became the "Teso Development Trust" in 1989 as Teso moved from a situation of needing emergency relief to one of rehabilitation as the conflict receded. TDT continued for the next 10 years to serve the needs of the very poor in Teso by encouraging local self-help initiatives with small grants and loans. 
However, tragedy struck again on June 15th 2003, when the so-called "Lord's Resistance Army" (LRA) invaded Teso from the northwest. The LRA had waged an evil campaign of terror - child abduction, mutilation, murder and general destruction - since 1986/7, in their own tribal area of Acholi in northern Uganda and later into Lango. Although they met with such resistance in Teso that they were gone by January 2004, their widespread vicious attacks and abductions left Teso devastated once again. Thousands were killed or abducted, including children, and hundreds of thousands fled southwards. Once again, about 300,000 people were displaced within their own region, living without any provision for the basic necessities of life. And once again, TDT did much to lobby and raise funds for emergency relief.