Meet one of our students: Gerald

I am Basirika Gerald Kisuze aged 17 and Buganda by tribe. For the case of my background, all parents are still alive: Mr. Kakeedo Deo Ddamba and Namivubo Amyaga from Ttaba trading center Lwendaula village. We were born seven children including our older sister Nabbuye Fausta, next to her Nankya Maxersia, followed by myself Kisuze, Kiwamike Vicent, Nakizito Juscent, Nakaya Melda and our last born Namiiro Victoria. We are only two boys and five girls. My father was born by a soldier man the late Mark Ddamba who I didn't get a chance to meet implying the he kicked the bucked when I was not produced yet.

My father built a house which is not as such permanent as one may think of but it is semi-permanent with evidence from the mud which was used as morter. This house of ours in having five rooms. For a moment all of us children are still alive but our older sister went sick a recently. In the community at large we are poor and my parent Mr. Kakeedo is quite poor although he can slaughter cows every Saturday as his economic activity, plus faming and rearing pigs where he uses some balance of money and pays school fees. My grandmother is still alive for the father and my grandma on my mother's all are alive settled at Ssembabule Mawogola district. Their major activity is coffee growing which is grown on large scale. Our family is not rich although none can say that they are rich. My father has tried his best to educate his children, where my elder sister is at higher school, others are in primary level.

As I am continuing to proceed with my education my goal and ambitions are two. If plan A fails you improvise for plan B. Being a professional doctor is plan A, a professional teacher for a secondary school aiming at teaching chemistry, biology and agriculture is plan B. As far as my performance in those subjects is concerned if God wishes I am able to serve the country's children. 

Me there are some challenges I face as I am at school and in the community as well. The major problem at our school is shortage of laboratory equipments as far as science subjects are concerned comparing to St. Denis Makondo, and the school buildings do not give enough room for a bright student to go study because during rainy condition the roofs are leaking. In the community we are lacking roll models in education who could pursue us to love education which gives me enough confidence such that I can study to be a roll model in our family and society. St. Denis Makondo is having well constructed blocks most especially the computer and main hall block which are good for education compared to ours at Namabaale. Our buildings are lent to us by the primary school. I am a boarder but in this article I would like to put across this point that at St. Francis Namabaale we have few teachers, and are affected by jiggers (small insects that bury into the feet) due to dusty classroom blocks. Our school is only five years since it began and it is still infant. 

With my  sincere request I would like to call of the lord to bless you all.  

Meet one of our students, Nasaka

Nasaka Gorette is a 15 year old female student in her second year of secondary school at St Denis. Her close family consists of Mum, Dad and her baby sister and she lives in Kyamukama village, a 30 minute walk from St Denis, when she’s not boarding at school during term time. She is originally from the Eastern Region of Uganda and therefore speaks Lugishu as well as English and the local language in Makondo, Luganda. Nasaka’s mum is a store owner selling everyday items, and her Dad is a farmer with 9 acres of land, growing bananas, cabbages, sweet potatoes and beans. Despite her enterprising parents, her family would struggle to pay the termly fees of 120,000 UGX (about £30) and she currently receives sponsorship from Into Your Hands. Her favorite subject is Maths but she finds Biology too difficult!

       

(Nasaka (left) with her best friend Lillian, and Nasaka with her certificate of thanks for her commitment to the school canteen.)

Nasaka has been extremely dedicated to working at the St Denis school canteen this year, part of the St Denis self sufficiency project. Her previous experience has been a great asset to the canteen and the other students who have received training from her. She initially worked one day per week during break times and after school, but her quick learning and trustworthiness meant that she was quickly given more responsibility and asked to work alongside less experienced students.

Through her work at the canteen, Nasaka says she has picked up skills such as fast mental arithmetic, has increased her confidence and gained respect from fellow students and teaching staff. As with many students at St Denis, Nasaka’s ambition is to be a doctor or nurse, but she also has the back up plan of one day having her own large store. When asked what other businesses she would like to gain experience in, Nasaka mentioned that she was also extremely interested in fish farming but would not consider working on the dairy because she is terrified of cows! Nasaka received a certificate of achievement for her work on the canteen as well as a small gift of exercise books from the headmaster.

Send a Piglet Home Namabaale Update

In Namabaale Parish, IYH Uganda staff member Justine Nabukeera has been implementing and monitoring the Send a Piglet Home project for students of St Francis vocational secondary school. There are currently 25 students with pigs from the project, and three pigs have given birth in the last month to a total of 21 piglets.

A very pregnant mama pig!

Kasaanya Jude, Ssegawa Ivan and Bulungu Gonzaga are the owners of the recently born piglets, who have already been spoken for by eager buyers waiting to collect them when they are one month old. The students have already received half of the money for each piglet, which is required as a deposit, so they have already been able to use the cash for their school requirements such as books, shoes and school fees.

New born piglets

There are another 5 pregnant pigs in the program which will be giving birth over the next few months. Food waste, cabbages, cassava leaves, potato vines and maize bran are the most popular foods to give the pigs, who are mainly looked after by the students themselves. Boarding students have help from their parents who take responsibility for the piglets while they are at school in term time.

There are so many students at Namabaale interested in this project, because now they have seen their fellow students getting money from the piglets they also want to benefit! The current 25 beneficiaries will be donating one piglet from their first litter back into the program so that another 25 students can benefit from the program over the next year. 

Thanks to Justine for all her hard work!