Keeping Henry In School! 

May 2011  Find us on FacebookView our profile on LinkedInFollow us on Twitter
 
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In This Issue
Story of Rock of Ages Teacher by Abdu
Child of The Month - Betty Tracy
Send your Child A Gift!
How You can Help
Hands4Uganda Mission

Upcoming H4U  Events

We are planning a variety of events to support the Rock of Ages school. Check out how you can help!


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Greetings!

Syd & Henry 2008

"I will NEVER forget the first day I saw him among the 11 children.  He kept looking at me and in his shy demeanor kept smiling at me with that BIG white smile.  Through the smile of a little boy, whose father had abandoned him....LOOK AND SEE what the Lord has done!!!"  Syd Hair, President, Board of Directors, Hands4Uganda

 

In 2008, on Syd's first trip to Uganda  she fell in love with Henry, a little boy attending  Rock of Ages  Pre-school. Nursery School, as it is called  in Uganda,  serves children from about age 3  to age 5 , at which point children start Primary school,  which lasts 7 years.  Many children, especially in more rural villages don't have the opportunity to attend Nursery School, because they don't exist. Betty  had started her  school for  the poverty stricken children of Mbiiko  and with the intention of keeping it a Nursery School.  When Syd asked  her what would happen to Henry  when  he was done at ROA, she couldn't bear the answer.  His education would end unless his  family could find the fees to send him to Primary school.  

 

That began  Syd's quest to help Betty grow Rock of Ages into a primary school. Henry HAD to continue on!  In the past 3 years, thru sponsorships and donations , Rock of Ages has grown to accommodate 128 students.  Early this year,  2  additional classrooms were built, new  teachers  hired and  28 new students  added.  Rock of Ages now  provides education thru Primary 2! 

 

Our dream at Hands4Uganda is to work with Betty and Abdu, growing Rock of Ages  year by year. There is room for some expansion at the current location, but  not enough to ensure the kids  get thru Primary Level.  Betty and Abdu  hope to buy land and build a  new school that will accommodate 500 children and take those children thru Primary (the equivalent of 8th grade).  

 

Support  from our donors is  essential!   Sponsorship money is the bread and butter that keeps the school running. It ensures that there is money for teacher's salaries,school supplies, Uniforms for  

Henry and Syd 2010
Henry and Syd2010

  the children,  rent and utilities and food for the kids.  Your sponsored child is guaranteed an education, a daily meal while in school  and hope for the future. What a lasting legacy $20 a month buys! Our  events help raise  money to buy land and build the new school.  With your help we can help Henry and other children stay in school thu Primary!

 
Teacher Jackline
Jackline 

 

Rock of Ages Teacher - Jackline

Story told by Abdu Waswa, Betty's husband. Betty is the director and founder of Rock of Ages School.

   

Jackline is 23 years old. She comes from a family of  six children, 5 girls and 1 boy. Her dad died when she was 7 and then her  mom died when she was 15.  Jackline then went to live with her aunt who wanted to give her  to an old man for marriage because the old man was rich. Before this happened,  her niece revealed the plan her aunt had for her.  Jackline  decided to run away and went to live with some friends  who helped her to go to school where she studied Nursery teaching . One day,  a pastor friend of mine,  seeing our advertisement for an opening  at Rock of Ages for a Nursery teacher a told me he knew some one with the right qualifications. That is how we met Jackline. 

 

According to Jackline,  she never imagined that she would  be where she is,  but she thanks God for going through all that because it helped her learn to put her faith in God for everything.

 

ROA pays her 120,000shs(50$) per month but we talk to our teachers about the little pay and encourage them that some day they will get  as the rest of the teachers in the country. We also provide her with housing.An average teacher in Uganda  earns 100$ per month. 

 

She chooses to stay  at ROA because it's a Christian school  and although we pay little, she is happy that we  have never missed a month without pay like other private schools. 

 

 
Betty Tracy
Betty Tracy
Child of the Month  - Betty Tracy

In this letter we are highlighting  Betty Tracy, who is 5 years old.  Both her parents are alive but  divorced.  She is currently living with her grandmother after being rescued by police as witch doctors were  attempting to sacrifice her. As hard as it is to believe, Child sacrifice is prevalent in Uganda!  

 

Betty Tracy  is one of our neediest students.  You can sponsor her for  just $20 a month. Learn how by going to our Hands4Uganda Website now.

 

Please contact Syd if you are interested in sponsoring  another Rock of Ages Child.      

 

Send a gift to your child! 

Stanski sponsored child

Morris excited after receiving gifts from his sponsor last June.

The highlight of ALL our outreach efforts is hand delivery of packages to the kids from their sponsors.  In July,  a group from  Idaho will be going to Uganda in July. We want to send a one gallon zip lock bag filled with goodies  for each child with the group.  

 

Sponsors, this an opportunity to make a personal connection with your child!   Since not all the children are sponsored, others are invited to help as well. Only one bag per child please and keep it as light as possible.  You can send the bags to our address (H4U, 3550 Johnny Crk Rd, Pocatello, ID  83204) or contact syd@hands4uganda.org on where they can be dropped off.   We need to have them by the end of June.  See below for things that can and cannot be sent.     

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

ITEMS THAT CAN BE SENT

Band-Aids

Baseball and football cards

Bookmarks

Calendars, small

Construction paper

Greeting cards

Laminated flowers and leaves

Magazine pages

Origami

Pages from coloring books

Pages from watercolor paint books (may not send paint brushes)

Paper dolls

Photos of you and your family

Postcards

Scrapbook paper

Scripture cards

Small posters

Stamps

Stickers

 

FUN IDEA: Collect pictures of your family and make a small photo album for your child.

Items needed:  

 

·    Variety of family pictures

·    Five to 10 pieces of construction paper or fun scrapbooking paper

·    Glue or double-sided tape

·    Two small pieces of string

 

Glue or tape a picture onto each page and indicate who is in the picture, what this person likes and dislikes, his or her hobbies, age, birth date and other fun facts. Continue with remaining pictures. Finish the album by stapling the paper together or tying the paper together with two small pieces of string to keep album intact.

 

 

ITEMS THAT CANNOT BE SENT

Any metal (including jewelry, ornaments and magnets)

Perishable items (gum, candy, flower seeds)

Balloons

CD's/DVD's

Ceramics or glass

Anything labeled as or that could be a potential choking hazard

How You Can Help

Hand4Uganda's success is dependent on people like you.  No matter your skills, financial well being, or theological knowledge, God can use you to move mountains and change lives forever.  2011 brings opportunities for individuals of all ages to "love differently..." by participating in  fund raising efforts, local promotional events at your church, traveling to Africa on a mission trip, praying for the ministry, sponsoring a child or helping promote child sponsorship.  Please consider how you can be the difference you want to see in the world.  For further ideas on how you can help you can visit

Hands4Uganda website or email info@hands4Uganda.org.


 

Hands4Uganda LogoOurMissionOur Mission

The mission of Hands4Uganda is to make a positive difference in the lives of the children and youth of Uganda, primarily through a faith-based education, and to assist them in achieving their highest potential as they grow to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults, by providing compassion, love, economic, and spiritual support.