Hello from somewhere on the African continent and arriving home to Boston. I am literally writing on the plane as I move from one world to another. I am amazed how fast the past 4 months have flown by, having arrived in Uganda in January.

I am always filled with numerous stories that are enriching to the mind and soul. The work of helping educate children utilizing a holistic approach involving the student, the family, the school and the community where they reside is exhilarating and, at times, overwhelming. As I cross the continent I am reminded of starting this journey in 2004 when I observed the difficulties families were having in educating the orphans in their care. Any and all Ugandan families are caring for 4 plus orphans. How does a grandmother, who is a farmer, pay school tuition for these grandchildren? It is nine years later and some of those initial children are in the best schools in Uganda, some have graduated to good paying jobs, and, unfortunately, a few are no longer in our program.

Seventy students have passed through our sponsorship progr am. Currently, 41 are being helped by you. Presently, 19 are in primary school, 18 are in secondary school, 1 is in vocational training, and 3 are in university. At present 7 students are in the BEST secondary schools in Uganda. The first student to set the precedent, is Emmanuel. He attends Kings College: the name alone says it all, an old missionary school that was started for the Kings. Upon Emma going to this school, 2 others have tried to follow in his footsteps. Although they did not make it to Kings College, they are in excellent schools. Unfortunately, not all the students can succeed in academics. Three of our secondary school students are having difficulty. While this is a grave disappointment to them and their families, the mission of Connect Africa is to help them find a way to generate income, so we are in the process of counseling them on vocational training.