Let the children read......

The availability of books is one very big difference between US schools and Ugandan schools. This trip I came with my suitcases full of books, pencils, glue sticks, paper, curriculum guides, and more from the Bloomington Friends.

I have been developing a relationship with two nursery and primary schools in this area. The first is called Circle of Peace school. It was started by a Christian family who wanted to be able to provide education for those children whose families could not afford school fees.  The school started on the front porch of the family home by Joanita Senago (who lives now in Virginia). It has become a family endeavor. There are now several buildings. Some members of the family, including the old mum, still live in the family house there and are involved in the school. There is also a chicken farm (I have been there, too) where eggs are collected for the children and, also, sold for money to support the school. They have a working farm where they raise crops to use to feed the children, again selling the surplus. You can find this school on the web at http://www.circleofpeace.org. They have over 100 children enrolled.

Here are is a picture from the school.

The other school I went to is a school I am patron of: Sir S.M. Nimrod school. It is a rural school. It is only one year old. The school grew to 62 this term, in only 1 year.

I really think it will make a big difference in the life of the schools and in the life of children to have books available. I gave this school its first books last year.

The pencils are all quite well-received. The children are vulnerable when they cannot pay school fees, buy their uniforms and/or get pencils. And what a relief it is to be able to lighten that burden.

My friend Anett is the director of the school. You can see her just over my right shoulder.

Now we shall let the children read.