When I arrived at Uganda Lodge in February I
was amazed to find there were over 400 children
attending our school each day. There are 9 classes
which include new P3 and P4 levels. Most children
still walk to school and some take over an hour
although a few were coming by car or motorbike
taxi from the nearby parishes of Itojo and Kahunga
Providing free uniforms for all these new children
was a challenge, but thanks to David & Sally and
others who had bought vast supplies out with them
plus a visit to the local market to find extra
sweaters all of our 150 new children ended up
looking very smart.
These are our New Toilets
This toilet block is especially for the girls at the school,
and many thanks to all who donated money and to our
local builders and the artists. Kind donations from
many avenues also enabled us to get two more
classrooms completed and decorated in time
for the new term.
Lining up for free Breakfast Porridge
Nutrition is important for the health of the children
and recently two students did some research into the
nutrients that could be added to make this porridge
more beneficial. To assist their research we also
weighed and mmeasured a selection of 50 children
which was great fun! We have promised that if we
can get sponsors for all the children then we will
improve the nutritious value of the breakfast porridge.
Safaris and Gorilla Permits
Many of our visitors whilst volunteering, choose to
go on a 3-day safari to Queen Elizabeth or other
National Parks. These are easy to organise once you
are there. However if you are planning to trek the
MOUNTAIN GORILLAS you must contact us well in
advance as these permits are very difficult to obtain
especially June-Sept. All profits from our safaris are
used towards building projects at Uganda lodge
and the school.
School Transport
Our new headmaster Kenneth wondered if there are
any companies out there that might like to purchase a
school minibus for our school in order to overcome the
overcrowding of kids in small cars and motorbikes
which are dangerous and unsafe for our children.
The company will also benefit from positive publicity
in their local papers and by having their name
displayed on the vehicle.
IOJO HOSPITAL
Only 4 kms from Uganda Lodge and ideally situated
for medical students to do their practical electives.
The administrators at the hospital are keen to welcome
potential volunteer doctors, dentists, and nurses who
have completed at least one years training and also
fully qualified surgeons. Please contact me for more
details.
Certificates
Thanks to volunteer help in the UK we have now sent
out certificates to everyone who is sponsoring any of
our children showing their name and a photo of their
sponsored child. To show our appreciation of your help
we will, over the coming weeks, also send out
certificates to all volunteers who have spent time at
Uganda Lodge helping at our school and around
Ruhanga village over the past two or three years.
Denis and I would also like to send out thankyou
letters & certificates to all who have donated
additional money towards building the school,
upgrading the Lodge facilities and providing water to
the villages. However I do not have a definitive list of
donors as many donations have either gone direct to
Denis or have come anonymously into our UK bank
acounts. Please email me if you would like one of
these certificates sent to you. We are also having
some boards made to go up in our classrooms showing
the names of individual donors or groups such as
schools and clubs. Again please will you email me
if you would like your name to be added (dont be shy
all donations are very much appreciated)
If you pay UK tax we can claim an extra 25%
Gift Aid through LTHT provided you let me know
and sign the appropriate form.
Sponsor A Child ldMany thanks to all those of you who are already sponsoring one or more of our children. In January more than 150 new village children registered with us so we really are urgently in need of more sponsors. All it costs is 12p a day and because ALL of your money goes directly out to our village school, the children receive a virtually free education that includes uniform, breakfast,books, pens and other teaching materials. You can download an application form and see all the children still need sponsors here A full year is only £42 or you can set up a STO and pay monthly. If you are unable to help at this time please will you pass this on and try to find a friend who would be willing to help?
Recent volunteers introduced more inovative and fun ways of teaching the nursery children – although the village teachers find it difficult to move away from the old method of pointing to ABC on a blackboard.
Water and sand play, lego, dressing up and playing with dollies has proved very enjoyable
New School Kitchen Thanks to the various donations that had come through recently we are able to put up a modern kitchen to take care of the meals for the children.
The kitchen will have a veranda built at the front so the children can line up and be sheltered from both the hot sun or heavy rain.
Feedback
Lorraine wrote: I have experienced what has undoubtedly been the most wonderful two weeks of my entire life at The Ruhanga Lodge in Uganda. So many breathtaking moments that no words, pictures or video could ever do credit. I have met some wonderful people, seen some wonderful things and learnt a lot about how other people live their lives to the fullest despite having so little. I confidently wandered places alone without ever feeling threatened or intimidated, despite being constantly stared at :). I did not want to leave. My friend decided to stay out there so I travelled home alone feeling very envious. I cant wait to go back. I cannot recommend this location enough, please please visit this wonderful school and meet these amazing children. You will be exceptionally well looked after by all the people involved and do make sure you go on safari with Denis! I am officially in love with Uganda and the Ugandan people Lex volunteered in Ruhanga last summer and has just raised £1,200 climbing Mt Kilimanjaro for us – she wrote: The thought of seeing everyone in Uganda again kept me going. This was the toughest thing i’ve ever done but very honestly knowing that the money I raise can help the kids build their new classrooms makes it worth while!XxUK Volunteers Wanted
Here in UK I still need additional help with admin
from reliable volunteers who ideally live local to
Shepperton, or possibly who can work from home.
I also need assistance with writing new copy to update our wesbites. To continue to expand, to grow and make our school self-funding and to help additional people around Ruhanga we need new capital so we need someone who can help us with fundraising or grant applications.
Anyone with web-design skills (wordpress) marketing and PR experience, or project management ideas and who has some free time please contat me.
If you plan to organise a sponsored event you can host a page like the one on www.mycharitypage.com/ruhangadevelopmentschool You are welcome to contact me direct
with any questions – please, call me on +44 7867513588 – I am in UK until early June when I will be in Uganda for another month.
Message From DENIS AHEIRWE (CEO of Uganda Lodge & Ruhanga Dev School)
Hi to Everyone – and especally to all our past volunteers. If you were to return you would not believe the growth we have been able to achieve over the past year.
With over 400 students we have had to start turning children away, so please come forward to sponsor one at only £3.50p a month – even this small amount helps one extra child to be educated
For those able to fund-raise we are hoping to build two more classrooms over the next few months – at a cost of approx £10,000 – followed by a school hall.
Alongside this we plan to start income generating projects out here so that eventually the school can become self-funding and we could concentrate on extra new benefits for the village community.
From all in Ruhanga I pass on thanks to everyone who is supportng us – please consider coming out to visit (again) and meet our delightful children plus go on a weekend safari to see Ugandas exotic animals and birds.
Denis +256 752536197 or +256 774768090
