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URF Headquarters
P.O. Box 10538
Holyoke, MA 01041, U.S.A.
Volunteer Coordinator
John Mary Lugemwa, OSB
300 Fraser Purchase Road
Latrobe, PA 15650, U.S.A
Ph: 763-291-1102
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May, 2008 Uganda Updates
Hope Integrated Academy Opens for High School Students, May 29, 2008
Please allow me to share exciting news of the opening of the Hope Integrated Academy Vocational Secondary school in Uganda on May 26th and other updates from our volunteers on the ground. The first three days enrollment counts to 27 students for grades 8, 9, and 10. Eight of these students are orphans on full scholarship and others on subsidized tuition as most of them come from poor family.
The orphaned students had previously dropped out of school for financial reasons- but they have been participating in our after-school program which we continue to run for other students attending other local schools. We continue to seek sponsors for these students ($300 a year). We hope the numbers to grow in the coming weeks as it is typical of students in Uganda to start show up in the second week. Also, being a second trimester in the middle of the academic year, it's hard for students to transfer to a new school.
The community library and computer center are full operational and are open to anyone in the community. However, we still need more textbooks and computer equipment. The current major need is the science laboratory. We are raising funds for this facility - any help is appreciated. Vocational training courses will be integrated gradually as we obtain funding for needed tools. Seed funding for the weaving project for women has been secured and the project will start soon. Also school uniforms will be made at school so students can learn tailoring skills. These will be the first two skills training programs at the school.
Ugandan professional teachers have been hired in addition to seven international volunteers currently on site. A few other volunteers will be arriving in June, July and August. There is also another set of seven students from St. John's University and St. Benedict's College from Minnesota,USA on at the school for a week. The Engineers Without Boarders team of 6 from Univ. of Minnesota will arrive on June 2 and 7th to start implementation of the water and sanitation system for the school. We will keep you updated on the progress. So far things are going well.
The volunteers are preparing for a big community training seminars for June 14-15 aiming at empowering the entire community. Speakers are identified in these areas: health care, human rights (focus on gender and women's rights), entreprenuership, micro-finance, education, HIV/AIDS, rural development, and will also include women in business series. I have also spoken with our Member of Parliament (MP) requesting him to speak about community leadership and engagement.
Below are the rest of the updates from Uganda:
From: Kayla McCurry <>
Hi JM!
Hope you are well! Here's the list from last week. The school looks great and the students have already expressed how much they are enjoying it and the teachers. Bridget and Kate are in the clinic in Masaka today. Jenn, myself (Kayla), Laura, and Alyssa are teaching english while Tadeous is gone and then continuing the rest of the three week intensive english program in after school.
Peace, Kayla, NC-USA
P.S. I'm having an amazing time!
WHAT GOT DONE:
- St John's & St. Benedict's students arrived from Minnesota
- Jenn and Alyssa from the USA arrived
- Classroom desk's got delivered to the school
- Poultry trainer came to look at structures
- Chicks for Muslim women's chicken project were ordered
- Eye glasses got picked up for Immy, Adrian, and Richard
- Took Nampijja her bunk bed
- Printed more pictures for identity portfolio progress books
- Found a venue for the Conference
- Took 3 local women to the clinic in Masaka
- Took young lower class student to clinic for her eyes (conjunctivitis)
- Made budget for community conference
- Water tank at home got finished
- School opened "Hope Integrated Academy"
- Took middle student to Kyetume clinic for laceration/abrasion
- Went to Orphanage and bought them enough food for 2.5 months
- Took Richard to Kampala and got eye plan for 6 months
- Had Soccer game in Kiwangala (tied 2-2)
- Downloaded Anti-Virus onto computers
- ASP had an assembly about discipline, attendance and game plan
- Started ASP 3 week English course (after school program)
- Upper class Entrepreneurship completed part of the roof of their structure
- Upper class received a donated cock
- Solidified Acc. For school teachers
- Some students got uniforms
- Slashed Compound
- Typed up ASP evaluation sheet
- Bridget also lost her phone on the trip to the clinic and the orphanage in Masaka.
- Laura got a ridiculous amount of insect bites.
UPDATES from Week of May 12 -19
"Also, I have attached our minutes from Monday night's meeting, Kate typed them up but we've had a hard time finding time (when the internet was working well) to send them along to you, so I am sorry that they are a little bit late this week,
But anyway, I wanted to let you know that I am having a really great time here and I am so happy to be here. I hope I am helping even though I feel a bit overwhelmed sometimes! Bridget is so helpful though and she is really doing some great things here, as are all the other volunteers. And the kids in the afterschool program are great! They just finished their debate and it was really a pleasure to watch. I am blown away by how wonderful and welcoming everyone is and also how beatiful Uganda is.
Looks like we will be having many more people coming soon as well, the group from your university and the engineers! I think the project looks good and I am interested to see the implementation of everything.
Have a great day!
Laura Collins, Villanova, PA"
Things That Got Done:
- Door to office fixed and padlocked
- Organized and put teaching materials into the office
- Brought Richard, Immy, Adrian and Ronnie to eye specialist in Masaka
- Brought one of the women from the Women's Group to the TASO clinic at Masaka hospital, and brought her and her family much needed household essentials and furniture
- Installed typing program on all functioning CPUs
- Posted the questions from the Women's Group in Kalisizo
- Started to plan and organize the conference
- Finished painting the hallways in the school (!!!)
- Established an intensive English lesson plan for all classes for the next 3 weeks
- We picked up Laura Collins and Kayla McCurry from America (hooray!!!)
- Continued care on Claire's foot, as well as Reagan's toe, and got malaria meds for Monday and John
- Richard taken to Mengo Hospital eye specialist
- Laura brought some hand-me-downs for local kids
- All women have signed contract for Women's Group
- Youth preformed welcoming ceremony for guests
- Attempted to kill Gus using glue, endoseed, and poison, as well as attempting to afflict blunt force trauma with Jjajja shoe!!!! Frankie now plans to use a bazooka. Take that Gus!!!
- Planning international team for California kick ball
- Richard captured "Flankie" in a stunning representation using crayons. (Note to volunteers: teach Richard how to pronounce "R" and to draw people's heads larger than their hands)- Frankie is from Ireland.
- Flankie scored 2 goals in "FOOTBALL" and Laura scored 3 points in netball (Kate is concerned that the exertion is too much for Frankie)
Volunteers Weekly Updates: May 5 – May 12
What Got Done
- Completed painting, washed floor, and moved furniture into office
- Finished filling in floors in classrooms
- Completed first coat in one hallway
- Did family outreach
- Did last training for poultry project
- Kalisizo women signed contract for the chicken project
- Did women's group in Kalisizo: contraception, HIV
- Checked on remaining pigs; pigs in Kalisizo and Kamusenene haven't given birth yet (two months remaining). Pigs in Kyawagonya and Gankanga have given birth, but still need two weeks before they can be given away. Pig in Gumungu miscarried but is pregnant again; will give birth in five months. Server in Lwampama has enjoyed the program thus far.
- Checked on chicken structures, but none of them are ready. One needs cleaning and the other one needs a net. We will revisit this week to check again.
- Upper class worked on chicken structure. They will start to come daily to complete the project more quickly.
- Collected examples of contraceptives and found out prices and availability
- Looked into typing program. Current program is sufficient and needs to be put onto computers in lab.
- Electrical was put into school office
- Brought 4 people to optometrist in Masaka. They all need to go back next week.
- Had Olivia (upper class student) treated for malaria and typhoid
- Brought Claire back to clinic in Masaka to have her wound debrided again
- Spoke with doctor regarding HIV prevention between mother and child
- Ordered receipts for school
- Completed final copies of handbooks and teacher applications
- Bought water tank and supplies for Kyetume donated by a Rotary Club in Canada.
- Gutters were installed for water tank at house- donated by several friends in Canada
- Bridget, Frankie, and Melissa walked to Kalisizo and back TWICE in one day and are alive to tell about it
- Melissa and Bridget survived minor surgery; they both acquired jiggers…
- Melissa, despite being sunburned numerous times, still managed to receive the worst sunburn of her life; she has now discovered the healing powers of both aloe and calamine lotion
- Frankie got his lungs handed to him on the soccer pitch by the "fittest and fastest" people he's ever seen….AND they were in their bare feet
- Melissa got asked to play football with the children instead of the "big kids"; despite this, she still managed to get kicked out for roughhousing
- Volunteers gave Jjajaa a mother's day present; Frankie emailed his mom to wish her a happy mother's day, then realized Ireland's mother's day was a few months ago…He's up for the "Son of the Year" award
- Melissa discovered the "no eye contact" method for avoiding Norman's wrath
- Kate from Victoria arrived; Bridget was unprepared for her arrival…surprise, surprise
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