Note from John Wanda

This will be a fairly short newsletter, highlighting the significant events that have taken place this summer, and the next few weeks. October 28 is the date of our long anticipated Gala, and we hope you will be there. Find details below. 

As we move towards the end of the year, we want to share some of our accomplishments this year, and our hopes for next year. In our 7 year history, I can't remember a more significant year where so much has happened. In Uganda, we have a new school under construction with our new partners Kamal Foundation. We started a new teacher training program with our new friends from Marymount University, a program we hope to expand next year as more faculty and students visit. We are also working with staff and students from Georgetown University and Lasell College on possible study abroad programs at AAH for their students. At our clinic in Bupoto village, Dr. Lisa Umphrey, starts her one year term as the first medical doctor ever to attend to patients at this clinic, a truly significant development for the people of this community. And the emerging partnership with the Arlington Arts Center will see one of their staff, and an Art teacher from Arlington Traditional School, travel to Uganda in February to provide art lessons and coordinate This is My City photo project with students at AAH!

We have now reached a landmark 200 students on our secondary school scholarship program, with an additional 6 students at vocational school, including 3 nurses in training. We have also started a new program with university students who hail from Bududa district. We want them to help in the various volunteer programs we do in Uganda.

And we are privileged to have two great long-term volunteers on site - Caitlin McDaniel from Wisconsin, is committed to 16 months as Volunteer Coordinator in Uganda, and Lacey English, from South Carolina, is our new Outreach Coordinator. We welcome these two dedicated volunteers to our community. We have received inquiries from many others interested in working with AAH in Uganda. We welcome you all to help us in our efforts to build a new community and shape a better future for Uganda's children.

2011 AAH Reading Challenge

Students at AAH have completed their Reading Safari Around the Library. For the sixth year in a row, the annual Reading Challenge was celebrated with a complete school day dedicated to reading and the students could not have been happier about it. The day began with new t-shirts of bright colors corresponding to the "pillars of character" which ATS and AAH teach. In a true carnival style, they used tickets to participate in 5 different stations: charades (a new concept for them), students writing a story with each child adding one word or phrase to the story, name that book, board games and a wild scavenger hunt. After lunch, there was an assembly with invited guests. The honorary guest was John Wanda's father, Papa Wamundu, who thrilled to introducing the district officials in attendance. This year students read almost 17, 800 books (25 pages = 1 book). The top readers read 500! The two top readers were given shoe polish, a deck of cards and... their very own football! Top readers in each class were also recognized with small gifts. All students received a laminated certificate and a sweet. The highlight of the assembly was the presentations by each class about reading! The students are incredibly gifted in music and drama and their talents were on display. There were thanks all around for AAH's supporters in the U.S. and the ATS committee which writes the reading booklet each year. As they proudly proclaim, they are the only school in East Africa which has a day dedicated to the wonders of reading!   

Below is the P6 class performing the Spoken Word poem as P1 and P2 students listen:

News Briefs

Combined Federal Campaign - The time is now for Federal employees to choose a charity to support through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). AAH is a member of CFC through Aid for Africa federation and will appreciate contributions from supporters who work for the US government and its diplomatic and military missions abroad. AAH's CFC number is 11640. We thank all those who have already selected AAH.

 Retirement Party Supports AAH - Long-time AAH Supporter, Todd Parker, retired from his stellar career managing a popular local youth soccer club - Tanzman's Tornados in Arlington, VA.  He asked his friends to make donations to AAH in lieu of gifts at his retirement party and raised $600 to support AAH sports programs and equipment for kids in rural Uganda. Todd and Team have over the years sent hundreds of soccer balls and equipment to Uganda to support our outreach programs with local schools. Our thanks to Todd and Tanzman Tornadoes for their many years of support, and to everyone who showed up to give Todd a warm send-off.

Child Sponsorship Update

AAH students receive their sponsorship letters

Letters from Sponsors were mailed to Uganda early in October. We expect students in Uganda to receive the letters by the end of the month, and student letters should come back to the US in December. We thank all sponsors who wrote and encourage those who may not have written to do so next time. Students look forward so much to sponsor letters.

The Child Sponsorship program welcomes new sponsors. We need sponsors for students at the AAH Primary School and for students at secondary school who do not have sponsors. If you've been thinking of sponsoring a child and forming that special relationship, now is a great time! You can also e-mail the Sponsorship coordinator at sponsorship@aahuganda.org. A sponsorship for a child at Primary school is $360 a year (less than $1 per day), and $1,000 for a student at Secondary school. We encourage you to communicate with our Sponsor volunteers at sponsorship@aahuganda.org and let them know if you can help or need more information. 

• Take a Leadership Role. AAH is recruiting new members for the following committees: Finance, Health, New Ventures, Communications, Volunteer and Development. If you're interested in putting your expertise to work in one of these critical areas, contact AAH Executive Director, Dan Gardner at dgardner77@verizon.net.    
• Sponsor a Child at AAH. We are looking for sponsors for students at the AAH Primary School, and those on scholarship at secondary school. A sponsorship for a student at primary school is $360 a year - less than $1 a day. A secondary school sponsorship is $1,000, or $83 per month.
• Donate to AAH. If you are not able to sponsor a child, but wish to make a one time donation to support AAH's work in Uganda, you can do so by donating online or sending a check to AAH, P O Box 7694, Arlington, VA 22207. Every donation is important and helps us meet the many needs of children in this community.  
• Become an AAH volunteer. If you have an interest in helping AAH with fundraising, helping at outreach events and presentations, doing administrative work or coordinating communications projects, please e-mail Dan Gardner at dgardner77@verizon.net. 
• Organize AAH events:  AAH has a range of volunteer opportunities for putting together critical events throughout the year, including the Arlington County Fair,  the Annual Picnic in the Spring, the Annual AAH SanGala in October, and many others. If you're interested in helping at these events, please email Joyce Wanda at arlingtonacademyhope@yahoo.com 

• Learn about the many different ways you can give and support AAH and its mission.