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Greetings!
If you are living in the U.S., you have already won the lottery! Or at least that's what I think each time I come back from traveling to Uganda. Among those things I'm most thankful for is the opportunity for education that we have here in the U.S.
The U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Everyone has the right to education...[that] shall be free...". Yet, in northern Uganda, as in many parts of the world, this right is simply not available to you if you are a girl. That's what caused us to form our Girls' Education Initiative program which now has over 100 participating girls. In this month's newsletter, find out how you can help convince girls they don't need to "find a man" to continue their education.
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Taking the Initiative to Keep Girls in School
Programs for Girls are Set to Expand
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Paska, our Girls' Education Initiative coordinator, distributes sanitary pad kits to Ugandan girls
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If you have been following along in our newsletter, you have read a great deal about our Girls Education Initiative and the positive work it has been doing in northern Uganda. A particularly impactful project has been the collection (in the US) and distribution of sanitary pad kits. Because the girls have no money to buy sanitary pads, they often choose to remain at home, missing school, for the one week each month when they have their monthly period. Eventually, this causes them to fall far behind in school. The donated kits (obtained from another U.S. nonprofit called Days for Girls), come with underwear and reusable pads, and help these girls to comfortably attend school and focus on their studies.
Our Girls Education Initiative program has great potential for keeping girls in school and excelling in their studies. In Agwata, we see that the number of girls in the upper classes has more than doubled in the last two years as a result of our program. We would like to multiply this potential to benefit more girls by expanding the program to two additional schools in the sub-county. Please consider making a donation today to allow us to expand our program to more girls, or consider sponsoring one of our Girls' Education girls like Angee and Apwonyo who have progressed on to secondary school in 2015!
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| | Buy a beaded cross ornament and keep our Agwata girls in school! |
Brand new! Beaded crosses made by our Agwata girls have just arrived! The sales of these paper beaded crosses are an income generating activity of our girls to generate funds to help them buy small necessary items like soap, exercise booklets, and school uniforms. This allows them to stay in school through their own efforts without "finding a man," to provide those things as might be advised by their parents if they come from a family that does not support girls continuing their education.
These beautiful crosses can include a suction cup and/or threaded hanging loop for you to display from your window or refrigerator. They can also be hung like ornaments come holiday season. Visit our online store to order yours today!
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Building a Solid Foundation
Updates from the Agwata School
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Opio Jackson, Cubu school headmaster poses in front of his new hut alongside his wife, Jennifer, and two sons, Jessa and Justice.
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The Cubu Parents Primary and Nursery School in northern Uganda recently welcomed a new headmaster, Mr. Opio Jackson. This is his first year in this position, and so far, he has proven himself very capable. 
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Merry, volunteer, marks the circle where 12 rows of bricks will be laid to build the exterior wall of the headmaster's new hut.
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The reputation of the Cubu school is getting stronger within the district, and we are optimistic about the progress that will be made under the new headmaster's direction. Along with some help from two U.S. volunteers, the community came together to construct a new hut for the new headmaster. Relatively luxurious for this village, his new abode features a cement floor and brick siding as opposed to a structure comprised of branches and mud. Parents within the community are now motivated to build additional huts for Cubu teachers.
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The fourth classroom block is finished! In May, our school builder and his crew began to dig the foundation of the fourth classroom block at the Cubu School. This block will house two nursery classrooms, and in anticipation, the nursery classes have expanded to a full day, ending at 3pm. In the mornings, instruction will be regimented in accordance with the normal curriculum, and the afternoons will involve more playful learning and activities similar to U.S. pre-schools. A fifth classroom block is now needed to house a third nursery class plus P-1 students who continue to meet in the original mud and thatch school building.
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Bead Corner
Neon Colors & New Arrivals
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Cloth Coin Purses
Buy one, get one free this month!
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Neon Beads / Striped Beads
Perfect colors / patterns for Summer!
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Beading on the go... Three beaders casually sit on a table outside the Jinja office, perhaps waiting for a meeting or training to begin. You can see the triangle strips of paper and what looks like a bottle of glue on the table. The ladies typically carry such beading supplies with them so they can do some bead-making whenever the opportunity arises. Look closely and you can see that the cat is helping.
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Great Expectations
Cultural Infobyte
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Agwata girl carrying water
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For most families in the United States, the primary expectation for children is pretty simple - go to school and get an education. In Uganda, the picture is a bit more complicated. Because of the limitations the families face (such as lack of clean water access, reliance on subsistence agriculture, and large family sizes), children are expected to contribute to the domestic work-load, often at the expense of their studies. They are directed to fetch and carry water, to assist with farm work, and for older children especially, to care for younger siblings. While this pressure may certainly be faced by boys, too, it is most heavily placed onto the shoulders of young girls.
Outreach Uganda works to confront this challenge and help offer solutions. In 2012, a borehole (for fetching water) was constructed on the school grounds. We have assisted in the construction and operation of 3 nursery classes (ages 3-6). Having the younger children in school eases demands for older children to babysit. Through our Girls' Education Initiative, we strive to garner the parents' support, stressing the importance of education and its potential to break the cycle of poverty.
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As always, we welcome your feedback about our newsletter and hope that you will forward it along to your friends. Thank you so much for your support.
Sincerely, Carol Davis Outreach Uganda
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