Things That Happened on African Child Day

Things that Happened on African Child Day 

By: Niagaga Shakira

School: Rock of Ages

Class: Primary 3

"We were happy and celebrated Very much. Different types of schools came and gave speeches and sang songs about early marriage. I learned that early marriage is bad and that children should get their rights in this. And I saw many schools playing games and presenting poems. And we saw the headquarters and offices. We saw that our school is the one that ate well.  I saw that  Rock of Ages cares for us very much. We enjoyed very much and played and ate rice and meat and soda and it was very sweet and beautiful and very great.

Thank you  Mr. Kalanzi and Teacher, Betty Wasswa . Thank you for every thing you have done for us and Teacher Kenneth and Teacher Hawa and the rest of the teachers.

God please keep all my friends and teachers safe. And may God keep my school safe.  May God keep this school  very beautiful and  very safe in all  days. I love my school in the whole world. 

The End" 

 This heartfelt  essay was one of ten I received last week from the staff at Rock of Ages School.  The school was invited to participate in a celebration of The Day of the African Child (DAC)  at the district Education Headquarters.  Every year on June 16th, African children all over the continent gather to  remember and honor the hundreds of school children who were gunned down in Soweto, South Africa in 1976 as the marched  for the right to a  better education.  This year the theme of the celebration was “Ending Child Marriages”.  

Despite laws against it, child marriage is a big issue in Uganda where 40% of girls are married before the age of 18, often to older men.  Cultural norms, poverty and tradition all play into this number.  More recently, there is a belief that marriage protects girls from  HIV/AIDS. However, studies have shown that married women are 5 times more likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS than girls who have never been married. Early marriage also perpetuates the poverty cycle.  (See girlsnotbrides.org/child-marriage/uganda/  for more on the havoc to girls lives and the society they are part of when early marriage is rampant)   

The older girls at ROA are very much at risk for being married off. When I was there this past  March,  Betty, told me of a  13-year-old student who was married off during a school break last year.  Betty, at the girls request tried to talk to the parents to no avail. The girl now has a baby  of her own.  “Only 13!”, Betty lamented, with tears in her eyes. 

16 students and three teachers attended the day long celebration.   First they marched with  800 other children from schools across the district, carrying  a ROA banner and placards.  They  spent the remainder of the day listening to speeches, songs, and poems  from  other  children and dignitaries on why child marriage is bad and why it is good to stay in school.   The essays and pictures tell their story.  What strikes me the most in the essays is how thankful the children were to the teachers for letting them attend this event. Also it is interesting to note the  things that made an impact on them:

•    many mentioned the food that the teachers gave them and how other students  were not so lucky

•    the comparison to other students (they were rude, they did not speak English as well)

•    the pride they felt in their school and their teachers

I have included the rest of the essays below. They were read to the rest of the school.  If you can, take the time to read thru some of them. Please remember that  English is not these children’s first language.   To me, that makes the writing that more impressive.  It is proof that these children are learning.    Even if you don't read each letter, I have  highlighted a sentence or to from each child. Enjoy!

Junior: Primary 4

"I would like to tell you that keep the spirit of loving children"

Cyrus: Primary Primary 5

"I learnt that child marriage should be stopped in order for children to help their parents in the future"

 Colleen: Primary 4 (Colleen is a boy)

"I love my school. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"

Albert: Primary 3
"I thank God because  we got to with other schools. I thank the Lord we marched well. I thank all three teachers who took us"

Fridah: Primary 5
" Girls and boys I am advising you to stay in school to avoid the following  things, suffering in a family and  poverty. Staying on school helps you to live a settled life in the future"



Nuludin: Primary 5 (Nuludin is a boy) 
"The MC told the band to play the  east African Anthem, the Uganda anthem and the School Anthem. We stood up and sung. Some of the other schools were bad mannered, speaking vernacular.  Rock of Ages was the best in English"


Also, Banas are  banners.

 Nisha: Primary 5

"One of the presenters asked us questions. If we  get them, we get sweets (candy). Some of our pupils got sweets. I would like to thank Teacher Betty and Mr. Kalanzi For the good care they gave us. May God bless you."

Mulushid: Primary 5

"For us,  did not present anything because it was our first time to go there and the next reason is we were not told early. I saw that our school was the good caring school in all the schools I saw in African Child Day. For us, we ate food but other schools did not. I think next year we will present something"

Jonathan: Primary 5

" I thank our head teacher called Teacher Betty Wasswa. I thank you for what you have done for us. I thank you for what you have made us. I thank all the teachers for serving us with education". May the Lord our God Bless our Teachers and our School"

Shakira's letter starts off the post.

Water

Water Faucet at ROA 

"And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42


Water!  We turn on our the faucets, and there it is clean, abundant,  cheap.  It's not that simple in Uganda.    On my recent trip, at least once a week the water from the outside faucet at Rock of Ages School, which is connected to a municipal water line,  stopped running. There was no explanation,   and no estimated time when it would be back.   There was just no water,

It is difficult to run a school with 250 kids when there is no water for drinking, to prepare lunch, to wash hands. When the water stops running, the school purchases what they need, and it is brought in by  5 liter jerry cans.  It becomes a precious commodity, carefully measured out.

Thanks to a generous donor, the school now has a storage tank that can be used when the water is not running. Abdu reports, "Hello friends!  The water reservoir/tank is done.  We built a wall around it for security reasons. Made of plastic,  kids can easily damage it, so after building the flat form, we built  a wall around it
. Now we are waiting for the wall to dry.  By next week, we will start filling it!  Thank you so much!"


Water. Now continuously available! What a blessing for the school!

Water Tank

Keeping Girls in School

Practicing how to use the kits

It was a bonding of sisters. All the P4, P5, P6, the female teachers and the school secretary gathered in a classroom during break time. Nurse Olivia and Betty started a frank discussion on menstruation: what it is and  why we get it.  Then we talked about what to do once it happens.  Betty shared her story with the girls and told them that many girls stopped going to school once this happens to them, but that women can still go to work and school.  We  showed them the DaysforGirls hygiene kits and how to use them. The kits are designed to allow girls to attend school everyday. See their website for more information on this amazing organization.  Each table of girls received a kit to explore and try out.  We laughed and clapped as the girls successfully demonstrated  how the kits should be used.

Olivia talking to the girls

Afterwards all the P6 girls received a  kit and the other girls were told to come talk to teacher  Betty or Hawa, the school secretary when then needed a it.  Betty and Olivia encouraged the girls to  talk to their parents about what they learned.  Betty also plans to talk to the parents next week when they are gathered for the celebration the Gate City Church  team will hold here at ROA.

P6 Girls With their kits

Everyone was so  grateful for the kits. I can’t thank enough,  the ladies of Grace Lutheran church, especially Charlene Farwell who organized the project,  and all those who donated  time, materials  and money. 

If any sewers out there would like more information on how to make these kits, let me know at karla@hands4uganda.org.

It's not just the students we are helping

Betty the ROA Seamstress. The room she sews in also serves as her
 bedroom. It is  maybe 8 by 10.

A little over 2 years ago, funded by the Juneau Alaska Rotary club, a sewing project was initiated for some of the moms at ROA school. The goal was to  give the moms skills to earn a living. We bought sewing machines, hired an instructor  and supplies purchased supplies.  The first project  to teach the ladies to make school uniforms.   Today, one of the women, Betty,  is using her acquired skill to make ALL the  uniforms for ROA children. She earns a set fee for each piece she makes.  She also takes in business from other schools from time to time. I asked her how sewing  has helped her.  She is the sole supporter of her  2 children who both attend Rock of Ages. She told me that  her life has been greatly improved. She can now feed and clothe her children as well as  contribute to school expenses for her children.   This mild mannered, gentle lady was so  grateful for this opportunity.

These dresses are for the older girls. They take about 4 hours to make,

These dresses for the smaller girls take about 7-8 hours. 

As a side note, the parents pay about 8 dollars for the children’s uniforms.  They are not covered by sponsorship money. This and other miscellaneous expenses  ( ex. each student must buy a ream of paper) help foster some responsibility for their child’s education. Betty gets a little over a dollar per  piece.  A boys shirt and shorts count as two pieces.  The school makes no money on the uniforms.  

Betty did not stop smiling. She spoke as much English as I did Lugandan. And we both laughed at our inadequacies.

Betty's son was playing with this innovative car in the door yard. 

Look at his Smile!

This is a story of the love  of one family reaching around the world to touch a boy and his family.

Just 4 weeks ago I wrote about Enoch's  fall from a mango tree. (click on link read about more about his ordeal)  He had  broken one leg and one arm and was languishing, hopeless,  with little more than pain killers in Jinjia Main hospital.  With the help of  the family that pays his school fees at ROA, surgery was performed  to set his bones. Here he after his visit with the  doctor on Friday.  His smile says it all!

Olivia, the nurse who has been instrumental in his care reports: "His doctor asked  Enoch to start bearing some weight on the leg with the help of crutches. He was given wooden crutches yesterday to start walking a bit, short distances for a start. We cautioned him to be so careful whilst at home because their home has no smooth surface or ground like you know. He was so excited to be able to start walking again thanks to you. He was also asked to put less weight on the arm that was operated on while using the crutches.  He had no new complaint.

His family sends greetings and blessings. "

Enoch will be back in school next term, which starts at the end of May.  

Handprints - Tuesday March 11

Today  we spent the morning making hand prints of all  nursery students: Baby Class, Middle Class and Top Class, about 95 students. The children were  intrigued with the process and the print that their hands made.  Small hands, large hands, long fingers, short fingers, slender fingers, fat chubby fingers: I was reminded how unique each of these little people are, such precious individuals  as I watched child make their print. 

Karen also read “Chicka, Chicka,  Boom,  Boom”  to each class and they all loudly chimed in.  This is story about the alphabet that crosses cultural  boundaries.  Karen knows it by heart!

Karen  was able to meet with the parents of some of her sponsored children and give them gifts and hear their stories. A  wonderful perk of sponsors who come to visit! Many, many times  these people tell us, “there is no way I can  ever repay you, but we will ask God to bless you.” 

It is another hot, hot day here in Uganda. It has been in the 90’s all week and  the Ugandans tell us , “even for us, it’s hot”.

Tuesday, March 10th - A busy Day

Baby  Class 

A busy day at Rick of Ages. Karen spent the morning with the nursery classes. Today  she covered opposites and colors using story books she brought and of course she lead songs with accompanying hand actions.  I have never seen Karen in her professional role, but her 30+ years’ experience teaching pre-school is evident. She reports that she is hugely impressed with the 3 teachers  she has been working with and observes that  they are good teachers.

Pastor Jimmy also came today (he comes every Tuesday) to  work with the nursery class. Karen says it was fun to watch him relate to the kids as talked  to the kids about God’s creation. I was thrilled to see he uses the children’s bibles we purchased for the purchased for the school a couple of years back.  He told me they are a great resource for him.

I spent most of morning with Betty and Olivia as they called in parents to discuss various medical

Olivia with Elvis. He has serious, chronic infections
in one of his ears. He has trouble hearing,

issues and treatment options for   chronic ear infections, syphilis, and other ills. A couple of children are losing their hearing.  Olivia, our school nurse patiently explained they need to keep up with the medicine and go back for follow ups. She told me that often the parents are not sure that modern medicine really works so they are not diligent about taking the needed medicine. In the case of the dad who came in about  potential syphilis, she arranged for the whole family to be tested and told him we would then figure out where to go from there. They will go to St. Francis tomorrow. Olivia told me later than many people see syphilis as a curse and are not aware that it is treatable.

Betty and I  also spoke with a mom who’s  child attends ROA.  The child’s sponsor sent some money  for the family and Betty asked her what she needed. This mom makes sumbusa,  little triangular shaped pies filled with onions and peas that she sells for 100 shillings (about 3 cents) during school breaks. They go quite fast.  She also sells them in the market. She asked for funds to buy inventory so she can grow her business.  Currently a vendor extends her credit for the  flour, peas, onions an oil she needs to make the pies. Once +she sells them she pays the vendor and the keeps the rest. She wanted to have enough inventory so she  buy whole sale and replenish her stock as needed.  There was enough money to also buy a small table and a new  fuel efficient charcoal stove. She will now be able to use less charcoal which also cuts down her costs.  It is always a pleasure to help women  grow their businesses.