Uganda 🇺🇬 news Update on Good Luck Junior School.
Children in and around the village of Nawantumbi are still enjoying going to Good Luck Junior School though they still struggle to pay the fees especially with the harvests not being reliable these days! As I’ve mentioned previously most parents, often just mothers, have very small farms where they grow their own food and can only get money when there is excess produce they can sell. There has been an improvement in fee payments though, and more families have been able to make some contribution.
I am gradually reducing the amount we sub the fees as I’m keen not to make the school dependent on us, and I don’t have the donations available.
A very special thank you to those of you who are still donating regularly to the children fees that pay the teachers salaries, you are keeping the school open! If anyone else feels they can contribute on a one off or regular donation this would help enormously.

It was really good to hear from Innocent that – ‘The school will now start co-culicular activities, they have divided the school children into four houses : there is Hambridge house with colour yellow, Angel house with colour Green, Mary with blue color and Gerry house with colour Red color’. The chosen House names made me smile! 😊
Innocent added that ‘you could be one of our trainers, activities are done during school time and in the evening after classes with Scouting, music and drama, and debating’.!
I hope you enjoy looking at the following video taken by Innocent of some of the children at GLJS. X

School Library and a wonderful surprise!
You may remember that when the District Education Officers visited the school in March they insisted that the school build an office before they would verify the licence as Ibrahim’s little home is used at present. He and the teachers have put down foundations and built the walls (making their own bricks of course), creating two rooms, one to use as a library. Since then they have been unable to make any progress and Innocent reported recently that the walls are beginning to deteriorate because of the heavy rains which is a real shame after their efforts. The library is also visible in one of the videos above.

Now the surprise!
Steph one of teachers at Marton Primary School, Macclesfield, got in touch –

Hi Gerry!
I’m really pleased to email you to let you know that we have a cheque to pass on to you from our craftivism event in the summer. 3 classes decided to dedicate their money raised towards the Good Luck Junior School library being built.
This was a whole school event where each class sold items they had crafted to each other, parents, friends of the school and Governors for a cause of their choice. Reception made garden ornaments and dog biscuits, Y1 made bookmarks and Y4 tie dyed T-shirts – all whilst raising awareness of the library project in Uganda too.
Sending lots of love and best wishes from your friends at Marton and District Primary School x
I’m not sure yet how much the lovely children have raised but whatever it is it will have come in the nick of time to save the walls! A gigantic thank you to all at Marton School! ❤️

Our five sponsored students are progressing well at school thanks to several wonderful friends who donate various amounts regularly towards the school/college fees, and the donations that we receive for looking after our doggie friends🐾🐾 !

The cost of schooling in Uganda has increased a lot since we started sponsoring children through their education way back in 2007 so we’re always after extra help if you could possibly contribute in this way. I know all the students and families personally and we get regular updates on their school progress and their lives in general. And of course I will be spending some time with each of them when I next go to Uganda 🇺🇬! Can’t wait!😊
Since Paul, m left uni he has been searching for a job either in a hospital or clinic. He has had several voluntary posts with the promise of permanent employment but after a few weeks of working long hours without pay to be told there is no real job! This unfortunately is how young people with no fathers or family connections within the ‘firm’ are treated in Uganda, it’s who you know that counts! He’ll not give up though!
Thanks to you all for continuing to take an interest in my projects in Uganda and to donating whenever you are able to. Will be back soon x

A few days ago it was the graduation ceremony of Paul, the young man we have been sponsoring since he was 8 years old, when he was found hungry, alone and uneducated in his village.
His qualification in Clinical Medicine and Community Health gives him the title of Medical Officer.
We are so very proud of Paul as it has been an enormous challenge for him, but through hard work and dedication he achieved what he set out to achieve. Now he will be busy searching out a job, not always a simple task in Uganda even though the country’s population is desperate for medical health.
Thanks to anyone who has helped us with paying Paul’s fees and with other necessities along the way. You should all be very proud of yourselves.
We will continue to support Paul while he looks for a job.
X

Dear friends, Sorry for delay in writing and sending Part 2 – Innocent’s health and his pig and poultry projects.

Innocent continues to help me with my projects both from here and when I am in Uganda when I spend a big proportion of my stay at his home. I couldn’t do what I do without Innocent! Unfortunately, a few weeks ago he had two more epileptic seizures one after the other leaving him with his face and head injured. I’m relieved to report there was no lasting damage, but his body gets a real hammering with every seizure.
I wish we could help him more but we can’t, other than help with his drugs, pay him a small wage for the work he does for us and assist him in paying his children’s school fees.
He hopes in the near future he can restart his piggery and poultry projects. As you may remember, the pigs had all been slaughtered due to a swine fever outbreak in Uganda. Then, when he had redeveloped his business and was just making a profit, Covid hit, then the war! There was no movement allowed by most people and of course the cost of living rocketed! Therefore there was no demand for pigs, or chickens and eggs, as no one could afford to buy them!
I’m truly hoping for a better future for him, his family and his little businesses. As you may remember we sponsored Innocent through uni but no one will employ him because of his epilepsy so we helped him set up his little businesses.
Now things have improved in the country he would like to restart his piggery and chicken project, the pigsty’s are all in place. Innocent will need some financial help to replace the pigs and chickens, and with animal feed until he starts selling his produce once again. If you are interested in helping Innocent please let me know and I can give you an idea of how much it would cost to buy a pig for instance, some chickens or some feed. There’s always a possibility that ‘your pig’ will be named after you as a show of appreciation by Innocent!🤣
Many of you might have seen the following photo’s previously but we have several new members who I’m sure would like to see them x

Part 3 to follow. Thanks for everything x

Jambo!
Thanks once again for your continuing interest and to your support for one or more of my ongoing ‘projects’ in Uganda, donating to the education of the children we sponsor, helping to keep Good Luck Junior School going or two helping others in need. Here is my latest news in three parts –
1-Good Luck Junior School.
2-Innocent and his animal projects.
3-Our sponsored student Paul.

Part 1 – Good Luck Junior School progress. Yes, actual progress which I’m pleased to report. Gradually fee paying has improved though we have some way to go. Head teacher Ibrahim is trying desperately not to send children home if they arrive at school without their fees, as he knows the problems these families have just to survive and he believes like us that an education is vital to helping lift them out of the poverty they’re likely to suffer in the future without it. Other Ugandan schools I’ve worked in refuse entry if a child owes fees. Ibrahim knows the families in his community and that the parents would pay if they could. There are now more than 150 children attending the school regularly.

In March the District Education Officers visited the school and Innocent says although they were complimentary towards the progress made they are insisting that the school has an office before they will verify its licence!

Fortunately because we have been helping with paying the teachers and the cook, Ibra has managed to start the building work. He has also decided that one of the two small rooms will become a library, which is a great idea though the school has very few books and most of those look to be pupils/teachers workbooks used for guidance.
I’m hoping we can help complete the building, for instance purchase the iron roof sheets which will cost 780,000 Ugandan Shillings, approx £170 and eventually provide more books.

Member of PTA – Note all the ‘visual aids’ made by the teachers, no whiteboards there!

When the meeting finishes the parents are given a meal of rice and beans. Innocent said some came straight from the fields and were hungry! The video shows the development there has been at the school since we started helping them. Two classroom blocks, latrines and now an office and library. THANK YOU 😊

Innocent has sent me the lists of each of the class fee payments. If you’re interested and would like me to forward them to you please let me know. Here is a letter from the head teacher.

Be in touch with you soon! 😊🇺🇬

Dear friends
I’ve had an idea and I would like your opinion on it please. Today was my friend Helen’s birthday and last year I got Innocent to take a photo and video of the children at Good Luck Junior School wishing her a happy 50th which I’m sure she would have enjoyed receiving. The previous year Innocent had sent me the same wishing me a happy 70th which I loved!
Also in the past I’ve had several people who don’t know what to give their friends or relatives on birthdays, anniversaries or at Christmas so have donated towards whatever we are working on at the time and asked if I can I send a greeting explaining their ‘alternative’ birthday gift. And of course we’ve had the mosquito nets and desks sponsored as an alternative gift too which raised precious funds.
Please look at the video and photos and tell me if you think it could be a good idea. Innocent says he is very willing to do the job for us.
Looking forward to hearing from you x