Introduction
The Ministry of education of Uganda came up with three terms for learning in both primary and secondary schools. The term has 16 weeks of study and for the first and second term, children receive a three weeks holiday, but in the last term, third term, the holiday is for two months. The tertiary institutions and universities have two semesters which is for four months.
The Ugandan government put in started a program in the early 2000’s called universal primary education (UPE) in order to enable all children to acquire education. Schools were built in rural and remote areas to ensure that every child goes to school. In 2008, the government came up with a new program called universal secondary education (USE) that targeted the poor children who didn’t have money to continue with their studies after primary school level. These two programs were serios at initial years but later worsened to the extent that children in government funded schools could not read and write well or compete with others who go to private schools. Some of the reasons for the failure of these two programs was the incompetent teachers, less funding to provide learning materials, the poor school infrastructure, and high number of students in one class. These problems affected the children, districts, and the entire country.
The NGOs in the country have been instrumental in helping these poor schools by providing learning aid materials, and constructing classrooms, latrines, and water wells. But this hasn’t been effectful in some places because of sometimes the donors withdraw funding and the school goes back to a worst mode or corrupt officials within the schools or ministry of education.
Link Hands Uganda thought it wise to start a sponsorship program to support needy children with better education in moderate private schools so that these children can compete academically with others in the country. We have 14 children on our sponsorship program and we are happy that they are all in school and performing better. We don’t do this on our own, but we thank our partners, the Swedish Family, for supporting children’s education and enlightening their future and restoring hope in their hearts. The most important way to support a needy child is by giving them education so that in the future they can be self-reliant and support themselves.
Link Hands Uganda, does not only support children’s education but it also supports children healthcare at Nalufenya children’s hospital by donating monthly to the malnutrition ward. We do a number of activities which also include proclaiming God’s word to the destitute people.
Activities for the month of May
The following below are the activities for the month of May.
1. School fee: The second term begun on 27th May. All our students report to school in the first week. There are 14 children on the sponsorship program; eight in the secondary school, six in the primary school, and one in tertiary school. We started this program when the majority of the kids were in primary but every year at least one advances to secondary school. Our primary target was to have more primary school going children on the program but they aren’t static, they advance every year to a new level. This year, Leticia will be the first student on our program to complete her secondary school education. She is one of the pioneers of Link Hands Uganda support to the needy children. Mr. Anders and Mama Ingela have solely supported this program from its inception after seeing the great need of educating a child in Africa and we are proud of them. The second term fees were a little bit lower than the first term fees since it was a new academic year.
2. Nalufenya support: Link Handa Uganda supported the malnutrition ward of Nalufenya children’s hospital. This month, we supported the ward with eateries which are used as solvent to feed the malnourished children. Secondly, we funded a one-day workshop or training at the malnourished ward where mothers were taught how to keep their babies healthy and on a balanced diet even if they cannot afford expensive meals. The biggest problems with the mothers are ignorance and cultural barriers for example when a child is malnourished, they think the child was bewitched by a cowife, or a bad neighbors or a relative. So, they spend their resources by visiting the witch doctors and shrines. The workshop helped to transform their minds, and educate them about the killer diseases, sanitation at home, first aid, and balanced diets at home. A mother stood up and said, “Dr. Kizito, I have personally benefited in this program. I always thougth my cowife bewitched my children but according to what has been taught today, my mindset has transformed and hope to keep in check with what you have taught.” The workshop was facilitated by 3 pediatricians, 1 general doctor, and 4 medical nurses.
3. Pius Oriebo: This is the first time we are having Pius Oriebo on social program. He is a young man and a waiter at a local restaurant in town. He got a boda boda (motorbike) accident as he was going to work. He wasn’t riding but the boda boda rider was over speeding and knocked a pothole and fell down. The rider lost his life instantly while Pius is nursing wound s in the hospital. His face was damaged and he the hind bone dislocated, and the left knee crushed. He reached out to one of our staff who presented this matter and we reached out to him. Keep him in your prayers as he recovers.
4. Kisambira Barkley: He is a 67 years old widower and taking care of his grandchildren in a grass hatched house in Butiki village. The village leaders saw his dire state and convened a meeting and engaged all villagers to support Barkley and construct him a small block house with iron sheets. Link Hands Uganda reached out to him by buying 8 iron sheets for this man. Barkley is a staunch Christian who goes to the nearby Anglican church. When we delivered iron sheets to the village chief, he commented, “God has remembered me in my Old age! Thank you Jesus.”
Conclusion:
With the weekly fundings, we are able to do things that change people’s lives every day. We cannot take pride in our achievements but only thank the Lord who enables us to serve others with diligence and integrity and sharing the Word of God with them.
I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Anders and mama Ingela for their continuous support and prayers. May God bless them very much. The seeds they are planting in Uganda are sprouting and growing because they fell on a fertile land and the Lord waters and nourishes them.
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6
Compiled by,
Rev. Benard Mwesigwa
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