Help for self-help” is this moto we use in development work. Education is the key to success and progress.
Uganda has in the last 4 decades passed through times of wars, violence, natural catastrophes, and diseases (IHV/AIDS, EBOLA, etc). These problems have left the country with so many scars which manifests themselves in the rampant poverty in the communities.
Millions of people have lost their lives due to war, violence, and diseases. The people who die leave behind children who become very vulnerable because of the loss of their parents.
One of the biggest challenges for the children and the young people is the lack of school fees to enable them to go to or remain in school. School education is still expensive, and many parents and guardians cannot afford it. As a result, children drop out of school, stay at home doing domestic work, others go out in the streets in search of petty jobs to earn some little income for the families’ survival. In this way many children end up being exploited and abused. Many young people flock to urban areas where they meet other challenges of hunger and poverty.
Youth unemployment in Uganda, for instance, between the ages of 18 and 30 is at 13.5%! Unemployed youth are a big problem in society. Youth unemployment results in idleness, drug abuse, sexual abuse, teenage pregnancies, violence, alcohol abuse, perpetuation of diseases etc.
In order to prevent the above-mentioned problems and to empower the young people in the Catholic diocese of Fort Portal, Fr. Joseph Musana initiated a school fees program for vulnerable children especially those orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The programs started in 2005 with the help of friends and well-wishers from Germany!
The lack of school fees is a big problem for many young people and children. The list of children looking for sponsorship is long and because of lack of donors we cannot help all. Therefore, we are appealing to all people of good to help us empower the young generation of our country.
Classrooms are an essential part of learning – they are a place for children to feel safe, to be creative, to create and use interactive learning tools, and to store books and other supplies. Through our education program, we build classroom block for schools that are in need. To make school conducive for learning, we also construct pit latrines, water tanks and girls changing rooms.
The facilities we construct improve on teaching facilities which are dilapidated but also the
standards of education in rural areas in general.
As necessities for learning, the program also provides school materials such scholastic
materials such as books, pens and uniforms. We mobilize money from friends in Germany to
cater for children’s fees but also some other education needs. Those who required special needs
such as mattresses, we provided them. We also provided extra support. There are students who
are renting but they do not have money. Some of them come to us when they have failed to get
rent. Lucky ones would get uniforms and examination fees in addition to school fees. It is
sometimes difficult to stick to your operational terms and principles when supporting needy
children. Therefore, we find ourselves catering for other things we had not planned for. There are
so many extra things that we have to attend to on an individual basis.
Most of these children live in child headed families and majority live with needy guardians.
Most of these kids are in primary and secondary levels, a sensitive stage that a child's brain picks
well in class. When children go to school, the community is saved of thugs and thieves, majority
of pick pockets in city centers are as a result of lack of scholastic materials and school fees