The land of freedom

 

Kibogo! The land of freedom

Our supporter is Pastor Billu

Our guide is the Pastor Kaazi

Long living in Uganda

Oh, Kibogo!

 

The song we were greeted with on my first trip in 2008

In 2008 there was a block of three brick classrooms with no roof and a few mud brick classrooms in various states of disrepair. In 2010 there was a finished classroom block, the start of a new one and a very good latrine. Last week there was the finished classroom block, two almost finished classroom blocks, the latrine and an office and staffroom block. Not to mention the two rainwater tanks, one of which was donated by the Australian Government, a pineapple growing project to raise funds for the school and the playing field.

I think some of my favourite, funniest and grossest experiences and memories of Uganda have all happened in Kibogo. A small village in one of the most disadvantaged districts in Uganda, it is a far cry from the town that I reside in. No running water, no electricity. I heard last week from some friends that this particular district has a rate of 25% of students reaching P7. That's a quarter of the population finishing primary school. You can't tell me that that is in any way okay.

We (Australia HOPE International) have two schools in the area, through our partner CVM. One is a small nursery school with around 120 students and one is a more established school of around 350 students, this year with their first P7 graduates going through. Last week I went to visit them both. Kyabyoma is the nursery school. It's pretty basic and only has a temporary structure, a block of three classrooms made from wooden planks. But there is land where they have started a project to grow eucalypts that will provide firewood to the school and enough to sell for a small income that will subsidise teachers income.

Kibogo (about 16kms from Kyabyoma but an hours drive) is the first school I mentioned. I have a soft spot for it as, through fundraising efforts of students at Victor Harbor High School where I previously worked as a Christian Pastoral Support Worker, I have cooked many a sausage to support it.

I love seeing the progress that is made in our schools and at the same time get frustrated when I see all the work that still needs to be done and all the money that needs to be raised/ donated to do it. Individual donations are great especially as capital in building projects. They build classes and get kids into the schools. On the other hand, it is really the ongoing sponsorship of individual students and classes that supports schools to run.

It is one thing to build buildings, it is another to pay teachers, cooks, security, buy food, firewood, water (although hopefully our new rainwater tanks will alleviate this cost), stationery supplies, text books etc. These ongoing costs are constantly on the necks of these schools. And while the schools collect some small school fees from those who can afford, they go nowhere near the full running of the schools.

I was welcomed at the schools like a VIP and, along with the group of people I was with, was entertained for hours (and hours?!) by the students. The village has come a long way since 2003 when most the kids ran away screaming from the muzungu. Each time I have gone back (specifically at Kibogo) I see faces that I remember, I see girls of 15 or 16 still in school and not having kids, I see a community that is learning along with the students to value education, I see a community that has hope for the future.

We have some wonderful sponsors who support many classes by themselves, some raising thousands of dollars every month. If you also would like to be part of the ongoing work of Australia HOPE International and see these classes grow and develop, one day to the point of offering classes like IT, check out the link to the HOPE website, give the office a ring or send an email.

Have a blessed week

Bron

Just had to laugh - reading back through this I realised that I have started to unconsciously use Ugandan sayings, phrases and ways of using the English language. See if you can spot them!