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A Hand Up for Young Ugandans

  • May 2023 update - this page is sadly closing!

      3 May 2023
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    Hello and thanks again for your support!! We got to $1,366 of the $2,200 goal, this was enough to send the 3 children to school for 3 terms (Okello only managed two terms due to various logistical problems). That has honestly changed their lives already, you people are so kind.

    The Givealitttle page has now closed for donations i.e. it is timed out.

    The total cost of their tuition plus registration, uniforms, exercise books etc since March last year was approx NZ$1512 (3.3 million shillings) - see the payments summary table I have posted up. The next fees will be for term 2 (May - August), due this month. It works out to about $600 - $700 / term altogether for the 3 of them. They are all learning well at school and really happy to be there, although they are a couple of years behind their expected class for their age.

    Their current schools are:

    > Evelyn: N Janat Memorial Primary, Kyebando, Kampala

    > Okello - Peace Modern school, Kayabwe, Mpigi District

    > Paulo - Plato Childrens' School, Bukoto, Kampala

    I would love it if you could like the facebook page I have set up, I can keep posting there: https://www.facebook.com/YoungUgandans

    They say 'webale nyo' thank you very much :)

    Please consider supporting them again in the future in some way - watch this space or at least the facebook page.

    Best wishes, Bernie

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  • Thank you video from the children!

      1 February 2023
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    Evelyn, Paulo and Okello with their mother Beatrice

    They say "Thanks for the school fees"

    :)

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  • February update from Uganda

      1 February 2023
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    I am lucky enough to be in Uganda at present! I checked up on the children at their Nana's (Jajja's) house where Paulo and Evelyn were visiting for the school holidays (and Okello lives there). I gave them some small things and took a lot of photos which I will post on the Givealittle page. I will also send a very short thank you video from them!

    While we were there their Mum arrived which was a surprise for everyone. She wanted to have them for the last 2 weeks of the school holidays. The children were unsure about it but we all agreed it's best that they re-establish a relationship with their Mum. So that was really positive. They will start school again next week, after the long holiday. Thanks for all of your support, they are really learning well and they are lovely kids and very grateful for the help!

    Bernie

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  • October update about Evelyn, Okello and Paulo - halfway through term 3

      8 October 2022
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    Hi kind people, this is a quick update on how the kids are doing.

    Evelyn - is still studying at Janat Memorial School in Kampala, I now have a picture of her in uniform (see the photos page - red uniform). She is a lot happier about it than she looks, I think she does not like having her photo taken! I suspect she will be very tall, she is definitely growing up not out....

    Paulo, the youngest - has been put up a class from preschool to Year 1 (Plato Academy in Kampala), so he is feeling very important. Not sure why they did not start him there last term. So he is excited to be learning and looking cheeky in this photo.

    Okello, the oldest - I know he is a school in Kayabwe near the Equator but have not been able to get a photo yet as they can't find someone in the village with a cameraphone (really, they are a luxury item!). Will keep trying. He had a small setback when his Dad came and picked him up a couple of months ago, saying he would be a couple of days, and did not come back until about 6 weeks later when school had already started. But he is now back with Nana (Jajja) and there's a school bus that comes past the door so he has a school routine now.

    That's about it, thanks for helping these children out, they and the family really appreciate it. I will post again towards the end of term.

    I still have $650 left in the account from your kind donations so that should pay the first term's school fees for two of the kids next year, and / or some uniforms. If you feel like adding a top up that would be welcome, but not essential at this stage.

    Best wishes, Bernie (for Okello, Evelyn and Paulo)

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  • April / May 2022 update from Uganda - Okello

      31 May 2022
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    Okello is not yet at school unfortunately. He has gone back to stay with his Nana / grandma in the village to help her out with jobs around the farm. he will be going to the local school there in Kayabwe which is right on the Equator. Sounds very exotic but it is more of an excitement for the people passing through getting photos (OK, guilty) and getting souvenirs than the people making a life there. (Here it is all the same :) https://goo.gl/maps/YYndFiVrPJTGvETn6 ). As soon as we can get him into school I will post some photos

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  • April / May 2022 update from Uganda - Evelyn

      31 May 2022
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    Evelyn has started at Janat Memorial Primary in Kyebando, Kampala. It is where her cousin Patricia goes, who she lives with, as well as some other cousins. I hear it is a good school. Even though she is (I think) nearly 12, they put her in year 2 as she has missed so much school. The fact that they teach in English also makes it hard, as she has limited English but I am sure she will catch up soon. I have not got a photo of her in uniform, I will post it when I do. We have paid most of term 1 fees plus registration plus uniform, there is 222,000 shillings to pay in June which is about NZ$100

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  • April / May 2022 update from Uganda - Paul

      31 May 2022
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    I was lucky enough to see Paul, Okello and Evelyn on my 3 week trip to Uganda in April. They were all doing well, I have posted a few photos in the photo gallery. Paul has been able to start at school for the first time aged 5 1/2, they put him in the preschool class but he is not very happy about it as "we just learn songs and they try to make me sleep, they don't teach us to write"! But today I heard he now has homework so he is excited about that - cute. We hope he will be in Year 1 soon. He is at Socrates Primary School! In Bukoto, Kampala, we have paid most of the registration and term 1 fees plus uniforms etc, with a small amount more to pay in June.

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