How to make soap!

Our new “Wash” project has got off to a flying start, raising awareness of good sanitation methods and  the importance of good hygiene and sanitation, in order to prevent the spread of disease. Our trainees were taught all about washing their hands using “tip-tap” water containers, and where to site latrines, bathrooms, rubbish pits and water sources around the home.  

A highlight of a recent two-day training session was a colourful demonstration of how to make soap. Our trainer, Mrs Mumbwe, showed local householders how to make soap from ingredients found in the local environment, including grass, roots, stems and leaves.

Here is a selection of pictures showing our enthusiastic trainees joining in what look like a messy process!

It's World Book Day!

Today, March 6, here in the UK we are celebrating World Book Day (yes, we know, a few weeks ahead of the rest of the world). So what better time to update you on our literacy programme in Kamuli.

Girls from Kimenyuro school proudly show off their new books

 It’s now a year since we launched our literacy project to encourage and support reading in primary schools. We’ve trained teachers in book management and methods of teaching reading, encouraged schools to start up reading and debating clubs, and provided hundreds of books.

In the last three months of 2013, we trained four more teachers from two schools in library and book management. Both schools – Kasambira Public Day and Boarding School and Kimenyuro Primary – received 158 books each. These include reading books, junior dictionaries and thesauri. Two school reading clubs have now been established.

A delivery of new books from UDS at Kasambira school

The Principal of Kasambira school said: “It was joy when UDS introduced the reading project at Kasambira Public Day and Boarding School, both teachers and students were amazed to see books delivered at the school.” She added: ‘‘Our prayers are being answered, we have been crying out for this for a long time. Other schools were been helped in terms of reading materials by organisations around but we were ever left out. Since everything is now in place, it’s now our work - the Directors of the school and the teachers - to emphasise reading.’’

The school year in Uganda begins in early February, and with the new term now well underway we’re looking forward to our taking our literacy programme from strength to strength.

   

UDS Chair of Trustees visits Uganda

Mark Sheard, the Chair of Trustees, has just returned from a visit to our projects in Uganda. On his return to the UK he wrote:

I met many inspirational people on this visit – but one particular lady’s story will stay with me for many years to come. She told me how she was widowed 6 years ago which left her both destitute and in despair. But then she told me UDS came, and showed her how her tiny scrap of land could produce food for her family and income from her surpluses.

With pride she showed me her onion patch, her bananas, her maize and other crops. And then, beaming, she quoted Isaiah’s prophetic words to me: ‘UDS bestowed on me a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.Thank you UDS.'

Widow Pirusuka Wotali thanks Mark Sheard

This lady’s story is inspirational – but, I’m thrilled to say, not unique. Indeed, a recent analysis of our impact indicated that UDS

programmes have directly benefitted more than 20,000 people over this past year. This number is trulyremarkable and we are very grateful to all our supporters who give so

generously to allow us to help the poor to break the vicious cycle of poverty.

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Cyber School a great success

Students who use our facilities in Kamuli say a recent three-month trial of a computer-based science teaching programme has been a great success... so we've now gone ahead with a licence to put it to full use for the next three years.

Earlier this year UDS decided to evaluate a scheme called Cyber School, an e-learning programme to teach mainly science subjects at GCE O-level. We hoped that this would help students who do not have access to laboratories or science equipment in their schools.

The scheme was supplied by Cyber School Technology Solutions, a Nairobi-based company that offers digital education services worldwide.  Its courses specialise in science and mathematics.

 

Cyber School was available for three months in our study centre, located in our library, and became very popular. A total of 76 students signed up to use it, and up to 10 students came in every day to access Cyber School.

Many students were intimidated by the prospect of using a computer, but UDS’ library staff soon put them at ease, and three months on many of them are full of praise for the programme. 

Student Joel Zirimenya said, “I had some problems in the science subjects more especially physics,”  but now: “I’m in the best five who are wizards in physics at the school.”

Fellow student Benard Kaima was at first reluctant to use a computer, but now says: “The system helped me find and cover topics that we skipped at school, these topics were never taught even up to now, and the exercises provided at least opened my eyes to a world of questions.”  

Students were dismayed when the demo version expired recently, just as they approached exam period. But now we have a three-year licence, they can look forward to making full use of its benefits for the near future at least.

UDS' marathon hero

One of our key Kamuli staff has completed a heroic feat - coming in the first 100 of a field of 500 in the Busoga Marathon.

Robert (right) with fellow runner

Robert Ssebuliba, who runs our I.T. training programme, was awarded a commemorative key-ring for his efforts.   But his biggest reward was being able to take part in a fund-raising effort to plant trees and preserve the natural environment in Busoga.

Busoga sub-region, once the Busoga Kingdom, is a large area of Uganda that contains Kamuli District, among many others.

The marathon - actually a 10km run - was won by up-and-coming long-distance runner Michael Cherop.

Members of Parliament, religious leaders, NGO staff and business people were among the guests in attendance, and runners came from as far afield as the Democratic republic of Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda and Sudan.

We congratulate Robert on his great success.

If you wish to donate, please visit his JustGiving page:

http://www.justgiving.com/RobertBusogaMarathon

Read more about Robert at our website:

http://www.ugandadev.org.uk/

  

Remember Kamuli on International Literacy Day

On Sunday September 8th the world will observe International Literacy Day. Established back in 1965, it's a day when UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning.

A pupil in Kamuli enjoying reading aloud to the class. 

It's an important date not just for Uganda, but for Africa generally. According to UNESCO figures, the overall literacy rate for sub-Saharan Africa stands at 63 per cent.  Uganda doesn't fare too badly by African standards, with an overall adult literacy rate of 73 per cent.

But the picture in rural areas is much worse. And Kamuli, where UDS works, registers the third lowest reading skills in the country for primary school children. A recent government survey revealed that children aged 10-11 in Kamuli register a literacy level of just 14 per cent.

UDS is trying to do something about this - both with our well-established book box programme, and with our new reading project in primary schools. All the experts agree that the biggest barrier to increasing literacy is the lack of books. 

We kicked off our primary literacy project by providing more than 260 books to just two schools. We are also training teachers, opening reading and debating clubs and doing all we can to get children reading at an early age. Of course, we'd like to do more, which we can do only with your donations.  So please remember us on International Literacy Day, September 8th. You could set up a regular standing order via our  donations page or text UDSL13 followed by £5 to 70070 and you could  be helping these children  have a better start to life.

Memorial Service for Dr John Maitland

On Saturday 10 August a memorial service was held in the St Francis Chapel, Makerere

for Dr John Maitland, the founder of UDS who passed away in November last year.  The service was led by the most Rev Stanley Ntagali the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda and attended by trustees and staff as well as officials from Kamuli. 

The Doctor, as he was affectionately known by many,  was a visionary.  From his time spent in Uganda in the 60s and 70s he recognised that lack of access to information and training prevented many people from escaping poverty. He dreamt of an informed society, free from poverty which UDS in Kamuli is working hard to achieve. 

Dr Paul Kiwanuka, UDS Board Member paid the following tribute

"John's life was remarkable and inspiring. Not only because of all he achieved but also because of the faith he had in God, his gracious belief in people and their potential and the ability to hold on to the fact that it can and will be done."

Click here to see pictures from the event.  The national newspaper New Vision ran an article prior to the service which can be read here and follow this link to another New Vision article published in 2005 when John "retired".  

The quote  that "Maitland will never retire from the hearts of those he touched, encouraged, and walked with." is  more poignant now that he is sadly no longer with us.  His contribution towards changing the lives of the people of Kamuli will never be forgotten.