Educate a Child Uganda’s students finished another successful school year in December 2016.

Our Kampala children - Lawrence, Hamza, Teopista, Olivia, Vanessa, and our youngest Gabrielle, all moved up and will start a new school year in February 2017.

Lawrence, Teopista, Hamuza,  Olivia and Vanessa are thriving at their boarding school. They range in age from 11 to 14 years and will all move up to levels primary six and seven in February.

At school, August 2016

Phionah, who attends Bukomansimbi Kids Gear School, an excellent boarding school near her village south of Kampala and south of the equator, also did very well. Her class went on a wonderful field trip to Kampala to visit the museum and the zoological park near Entebbe.

This past February we were able to add six more children from Bukomansimbi village. Three went to a government school and the other three went to a private day school. Rigan, six years old, had an excellent report card! Because he did so well, in 2017 we will fund him so he can attend Bukomansimbi Kids Gear School boarding school, where Phionah is thriving.

Rigan's excellent final report for 2016!

The boarding schools we choose have small enough classes so the children have the individual attention they need. They receive three meals a day, participate in sports, and have time and a place to study. These children continue to "blossom” at boarding school.  

They sleep in multibed dorms, and eat nutritious plain meals. They value this opportunity to attend a good school and continue to gain self-assurance, confidence and pride in their accomplishments at school.

Phionah (with Phyllis) in her dorm.

I was very happy to be able to return to Uganda this year to see the children. In August 2016 I visited all the schools, met and spoke with the teachers and head master, and also travelled to the villages to visit with the children's families. We brought lots of clothes to the children in the villages and some  dolls, reading books, coloring books, and crayons!

Our students Betty, Rigan, Lukia, and mother Pauline with Phyllis

Chldren in Bukoomansiimbi village with new clothes and some fun toys

Handsome baby in new clothes with proud mother, Bukoomansiimbi

Lawrence and Humza with Lawrence’s mother at home in Gayaza village

A new hockey shirt!

Happy wth new clothes!

Gaby

Gaby is our youngest child. She finished nursery school this term. Her mother helps pay for her fees and she attends an excellent school. I met her teacher and saw the classrooms.

Gaby and her school

A little background about Uganda
Uganda is the most ethnically diverse country in the world.In fact, the world's 20 most diverse countries are all African. Uganda is an East African country with a population of 38 million people,and a land mass slightly smaller than the state of Oregon. Uganda has a total of 45 tribes, and Ugandans speak 41 different languages around the country.

(Source: A revealing map of the world’s most and least 
ethnically diverse countries.By Max Fisher,
Washington Post,May 16,2013 based on data from the Harvard Institute for Economic Research.)

Consequences of European Colonialism

Uganda's ethnic diversity originated during colonialism, when Britain, the colonizing power, created Uganda's boundaries by grouping together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems, languages, and cultures. The colonial European powers carved all of Africa up into territories and possessions, along lines with little respect for the actual people who lived there. When Europeans left, the borders stayed (that's part of the African Union's mandate), forcing different groups into the same national boxes.

These differences complicated the establishment of a working political community after Uganda’s independence from Britain in 1962.

Languages

Baganda is the largest ethnic group (16%) and their language, Luganda, is the most widely used language in Uganda. All of our students speak Luganda.

Luganda is taught in schools along with English, and used in many printed publications.

English is the official national language. It is used in courts of law, businesses, by many newspapers and some radio and television broadcasts.

Therefore, it is essential for children to learn to read, write and speak English well in order to succeed.The best way to do this is by attending a good school.

Religion

Another legacy of colonialism is imported religion. Most Ugandans-- over eighty percent--identify as either Protestant or Roman Catholic. About 15 percent identify as Muslim.

Young population

Uganda has one of the youngest and most rapidly growing populations in the world. Seventy percent of the population is under 24 years of age. Additionally, the government schools do not provide a quality education for this very large school aged population.

The government schools in Uganda and many other developing countries are seriously underfunded and under resourced. The classes may have over 100 children, the teachers may not speak English well, and may arrive late to teach becasue they travel long distances to their school. Therefore, many private schools have opened and have reasonable fees. The private schools are able to offer a better quality education. Children who attend these schools have a higher likelihood of success.  That is why we are raising funds to send these bright children to a boarding school.

We also assist some children who live in the small village of Bukomansimbi so they can attend the government school. We plan to assist more children in some other villages starting February 2017. Although the fees are minimal and are only used to cover school supplies and uniforms, many families cannot afford this small amount.  Children who are behind in their fees do not receive report cards and are often harassed.

Josephine at government school

We are helping children in Uganda go to school because:

• education is an investment in economic and human development.
• literate people are more likely to participate in the democratic process and exercise their civil rights.
• education gives young people a chance to control their own destiny

An investment in education has a relatively long payback period, meaning it takes 25 to 45 years to achieve important benefits. This slow payback is due to the time it takes for educated children to mature into productive adults. Another payback is that educated parents are more likely to send their children to school than uneducated parents.

We have more girls than boys in our program. We plan to add some children who live in the northern and southern parts of Uganda starting in Feburary 2017 in order to have more geographical diversity. We hope to add more boys so our gender gap will decrease!

In the past more boys than girls went to school but this is changing.

Educating girls is the most effective way to safeguard the well-being and health of children, and leads to the long-term success of developing economies.

It results in:

• Lower child and maternal mortality
• Better child nutrition and health
• Lower birth rates
• Increased economic productivity and growth
• Protection of girls from HIV/AIDS, abuse and exploitation

Three of our girls: Olivia, Teopista, and Vanessa at end of term, December 2016

Our Director

Kasule Michael, the program founder and director, continues to do a wonderful  job supporting the children. He is attentive to their needs,  meets with their teachers and parents, picks them up and takes them back after school breaks, and makes sure they have all the supplies they need. We pay for school fees and supplies which include brooms, books, pencils, pens, and uniforms. He is also aware of and responsive to any physical and emotional health concerns.

It was fun  to be back with Michael, Julie and three year old daughter, Phyllis, in August 2016

Michael's younger brother,Brian, was a terrific help all year with the program. He often picked the children up at school when needed, and also worked with them during their school breaks on reading and other school work. When I visitied in August he was a huge assistance in the logistics and in helping the children write the thank you letters to our donors. Here he is at our lunch under his  (and the children's) favorite meal --  chicken and chips!! Brian

The children’s families

The children’s’ mothers, grandmothers, fathers, uncles and aunts, who all warmly welcomed me into their homes this August when I visited Uganda, are most appreciative of the support the children are receiving from Educate a Child Uganda because they understand how important a good education is for their children’s' futures.

They continue to help as much as they can with funds for school supplies. They visit on parent’s day and meet with Michael throughout the year to discuss their children’s progress in school.

School Costs:

Our costs are $800 per child for the entire school year at the Kampala boarding school for seven children. This includes transport, supplies, extra tutoring if needed, and a small stipend for Michael.

Fees are paid three times a year so if you are interested in giving monthly donations that is much appreciated as our costs are ongoing.

The costs for Phionah and Rigan in Bukoomansiimbi are lower: $500 covers all expenses, supplies, and transport for the full year.

We are most thankful to Mark, one of our donors, who has fully funded expenses for Lawrence for the past three years and is continuing to do so. Lawrence is really appreciative and proud that he has a sponsor!

Lawrence at end of term December 2016.

If you are interested in sponsoring one of the other children at boarding school the annual cost is $800, which covers all expenses for the entire year.

Children in need of sponsors are: Teopista, Vanessa, Olivia, Hamuza, ($800) Rigan and Phionah ($500).

The students thank you very much and truly appreciate your help. Michael and I also thank you for helping these very deserving and bright young future leaders obtain a quality education so they can and will contribute to a better future for Uganda and our world.

Betty  Rigan - the top student- at Bukoomansiimbi Day school

Thank you,

Phyllis and Michael

Lawrence, Hamuza, Phyllis, Resty, Teopista, Olivia, Vanessa

August 2016.