Dear Friends

Thanks to those of you who have been keeping in touch with me over the last few difficult months at St James, I really appreciate your interest and support. The news this month isn’t as good as I had hoped it would be either as James continues to be quite debilitated since his terrible sickness, though he has returned to part-time teaching. The new Schools Management Committee who I am in regular contact with, are doing a great job keeping the school turning over with the few children we have at the moment, as well as planning what is the best road to take for the future of the school. As you probably know James has always been a ‘one man band’ not being good at delegating responsibilities! Since we opened the school in 2008 he has been the head, a teacher, teacher trainer, father figure to the orphans, planned the physical development of the school, looked after the animal projects and growing crops to help feed the children! OK he had lots of help but he was the one to organise everything and now he cannot cope, which is really not surprising!

As you know from my previous newsletters we have also had the problem of the lack of latrines after a big tree demolished the school block last November. Only a few children have attended the school this year as they have been able to use ‘my’ personal latrine. These children are all the oldest pupils who take their National Leavers Exams in November hopefully progressing to Secondary Schools next year so it has been crucial for them to continue with their studies. In some ways the lack of children has lightened the load for the SMC but the sooner we are able to open the school once again the better for all those children not receiving an education at the moment.

We needed £5500 to install a block of septic tank latrines and with your help we have raised £4400 which is amazing. The latest donations came from the Stockport Lamplighters Rotary who had already given a donation towards the building of Joy Clinic at St James and from a dear elderly friend of mine who has always been a dedicated follower and supporter of St James!

The work on the latrine block is progressing well and is at the roofing stage. I don’t have any up-to-date photos only those from when the building work started which are included in the last post. The original plan has been slightly changed to make the toilets for the disabled children separate so they have more privacy.

My challenge now is to raise the remaining £1100 as soon as I possibly can. I am going out to Uganda next month so it would be amazing if I could take sufficient funds and have the latrines completed while I am there. If not hopefully to finish them by the beginning of February which is the start of the Uganda school year when we could welcome the children of Nakakabala village back to St James.

Please get in touch if you can help me by making a donation if you are able. Thank you for your continued support for me and St James as none of what has happened at the school will have happened without you!