Happy times at Brain Trust PS

April 6, 2019April 6, 2019Leave a comment

Hello friends! I’ve come across some photos of the happy times I spent with the children at Brain Trust PS, only a few weeks ago though it feels a lot longer!
As I think I’ve mentioned previously I only spent half a day at the most teaching at the school as my energy levels are not what they used to be when I ran Hollies Pre-School and 3rd Poynton Guides for quite a few years! Also the heat and the perpetual movement of dust around the school was terrible! I often coughed and had streaming eyes, feeling too uncomfortable to really enjoy what I was doing some of the time . The reason for the dust was the long dry season when the drought in the area dries everything up and this year it was prolonged! People were unable to plant their crops as they should have been doing, which means that some might have difficulty feeding their families! At school the fact that the classrooms have dry mud floors, open sides and no windows or doors everyone was suffering with the choking dust! I hate to think what all the dust is doing to the lungs of everyone particularly the smaller children! Anyway more about that later.
The fact is I did manage to give each of the seven classes (5-14/15 year olds) plus three nursery groups a portion of my time, and I tend to forget the bad bits when I remember those gorgeous children, without exception, really!
Hope you enjoy my memories too!

Please click on first photo to work through slideshow and read descriptions

Learning about shapes is much more fun when you can make a picture with them. I take everything I need for lessons out from the UK with me. The ‘mats’ are made out of the bags the mosquito nets come in. Otherwise the children would be sat on the thick dust.

They listened while I talked about the properties of the different shapes, helped by Innocents mum who translated where necessary. She would make a wonderful teacher but never had the money to train. Then the children worked silently to make their pictures.

Using glue was new to many of them but they soon got the hang of it! I made glue sticks out of old ice cream boxes!

A regular visitor to my lessons was this very elderly teacher who last year told me he was retired but not yet tired!

I did notice a big decline in his health this year and Charles confided with me that he was seriously thinking of having to ‘send him back to his village’.

Proud of their achievements!

Judith on the left and the class teacher at the back.

Break time and these children played in the thick dust like it was sand!

Some had bought a few shillings to buy sugarcane. Devastating for their teeth as they suck on it and rarely have a drink to wash the sugar away. And of course, are unlikely to have a toothbrush or toothpaste!

The opensided hall with the rough wood classrooms for the younger classes in the background. No protection against the dust!

Often a toddler joins us, the child of a teacher.

I often get stray animals wonder into a lesson and this time it was the turn of this goat 🐐 that decided to join us! Charles caught him and tied him up to await the return of its owner.

A favourite from previous years has been to make necklaces with wool and drinking straws. The nursery classes were very pleased. Thank goodness for the mosquito net bag mats. Can you imagine what this activity would be like without them!!

I drove the pickup down to school as it was too hot to walk as I usually do and we were delivering a few nets afterwards too.

I wonder if any of these children will still have their necklaces next year? I’m saying that as I have seen two older children wearing theirs as we delivered nets to their homesteads!

Now we have a few books I’m trying to get the teachers into the habit of taking some to their lessons for children who have completed their tasks. You can see what a hit they are!

The discussion that was going on between these children was great though I couldn’t understand it if course!

Now what animals are these? I think I may do a whole school project about African animals next year. I have found that in these village schools they know the names of animals but often don’t know what they look like, even the teachers! They had no books so how can they know!

The joy of books! Thank you Brussels Airlines for allowing me extra luggage allowance to enable me to take books etc out to these children. And to those who donated money for me to buy books once in Uganda.

Thank goodness for Poynton Rotary!

April 2, 2019April 2, 2019Leave a comment

Thank goodness for Poynton Rotary! Yesterday I received a message from Innocent in Uganda saying ‘We just had a very heavy storm, houses have lost their roofs.’ I asked how his home had fared and that I hoped the new roofs at Brain Trust PS had stood the strain of the storm too. He said ‘We are ok thanks, and the school but I bet had it not to be for your help, the two roofs would be flying to UK!’ The phrase ‘in the nick of time’ comes to mind!’ Thanks again Di Penny and members of Poynton Rotary for acting so swiftly to the emergency when much of the original school roof blew away in a previous storm soon after I arrived in Uganda in February. I’m now hoping that the weather calms down to a rainy season useful to crop growing rather than the devasting storms and drought of recent weeks where the crops and the people don’t stand a chance of survival! Enjoy the short videos!

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More of my family in Uganda

April 2, 2019April 2, 2019Leave a comment

Another branch of my Ugandan family are the Kasenke brothers who, since 2008, my family and wonderful friends who have joined us along the way to help give assistance to the brothers at different stages of their education and careers. Before I met them their father died and their mother was ‘chased away’ from their village because ‘uncles’ wanted the family land, leaving the six boys to fend for themselves. Something that seems unthinkable to us but was, and probably still is, common practice in some communities.

During my recent visit to Uganda you ‘met’ four of the brothers. Firstly Bosco who, though only gained low grade A levels, last year qualified as a nurse with extra skills in dentistry. Bosco was so surprised and very grateful when I took out to him many dental tools donated by dentists in Poynton, mainly from Doctor Lisa-Marie at Chester Road Dental Care who wants to keep updated on Bosco’s progress, and also Doctor Arde from MyDentist. A big thank you to both dentists. Your gifts have given Bosco opportunities he would otherwise not have had.

Bosco showed me around the hospital where he now works and this is where he carries out his dentistry skills

Mike left and Bosco right with their mum Monika who we persuaded to come back home where she is no longer under threat

Elder brother Mike has a job working in a restaurant in Iganga, a big town in Uganda, and always travels to see me on a Monday, his only day off. He is now head of the family since his big brothers Alex and Robert moved away.

Paul, you will have heard me speak about a lot, as I spent several days helping him deliver mosquito nets in the very poor and inhospitable environment of the outskirts of Kasozi where he had surveyed the area previously.

While I was in Uganda Paul received his long awaited A Level results and we were so pleased he had passed them all, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Agriculture and General Paper. Incredible! These results qualify him to go on to university to study his chosen course of Clinical Medicine & Community Health, so long as he receives the financial support necessary.

In 2008 when Godfrey, a very good friend of mine who I depend on for advice at every corner, found Paul hungry and alone in the homestead, he could not read or write and certainly couldn’t speak any English. Amazing to see what a little help from us and his own hard work over the last ten years has achieved!

Without financial help none of the young people I talk about would not have had the opportunity to gain a decent education. With this help they have been lifted out of the never ending circle of poverty. The boys as I still call them, though most are now in their twenties, are all so so grateful as you can imagine! It’s been a privilege to be with them as they took their different paths knowing we had a small but very important part to play.

Lastly there is step brother Emma (Emmanuel), who we only started helping last year, with help from another kind donor. Emma is a bright boy and I’m sure with the love and care from his family and a little help from us, he will do well too. I enjoyed spending a few hours visiting him at school during my stay.

Visiting Emma at school with his mum and big brother Paul

I was helping Emma to read a letter from his pen pal Josh whose mum Helen is helping us with his school fees. His English is getting better helped by big brother Kasenke Paul during the long school holidays. Emma managed to write a letter back and I’m sure Josh will be thrilled to receive it!

Mum Monica is very proud of her sons and grateful to the help from friends in the UK

Taken from a post by Paul on Facebook: You might have something that seems minor to you but when you grant it to another person, it means a lot to them. Gerry Hambridge, it has been my pleasure working with you, and to all those that have made it possible. Thank you so much, may the Lord God reward you for spreading smiles across this beautiful pearl of Africa.

When Paul wrote this he was referring to the mosquito nets but this quote can be used in many contexts where giving is concerned. For the price of a new coat or pair of shoes that we probably don’t really need or the cost of a few meals out we can all help a child gain a valuable education. I’ve loved and still love going without that coat!

Almost back to normal!

March 30, 2019April 2, 2019Leave a comment

Almost back to normal!

I’ve taken my final antimalarial tablet, eaten the last of the green oranges the children of Brain Trust PS gave me as a farewell gift (I helped eat the cock that I was supposed to bring back to ‘Father Norman’, the night before I left Nawanyago!) and shared out with family and friends many of the g-nuts given to me, though every time I pass the box in the kitchen I somehow navigate towards it for the last few!

The colours and gentle warmth of the UK Spring are still putting a smile on my face after the sight of limp water-starved crops suffering in the excruciating heat of the continued drought in Uganda.

I’m not quite used to driving a ‘proper ‘ car yet, even today I found myself forgetting my seatbelt and had difficulty getting our car into gear after the heavy wrenching manoeuvres needed for the Land cruiser and pickup truck I drove in Uganda!

I’ve not quite finished sending out posts and photos from my wonderful (mostly!) four weeks in Uganda but already started my 2020 list for my next visit!

The very good news is that Innocent is now in contact once again thanks to my lovely friend Marie and my wonderful hubby who clubbed together and bought him a phone, a replacement for the one that was stolen when he was viciously mugged a week before I returned home. Innocent has now recovered from that terrible experience and from the two seizures that followed and is busy looking after his farm and family, and eager to help with my projects whenever I ask.

I hope you’ll continue your interest and support for the help we offer people in Uganda and look forward to hearing from you along the way. X Be back soon!

My Family in Uganda

March 21, 2019Leave a comment

The youngest English footy supporter in Uganda! Meet six month old Norman Reginald, son of Innocent and Betty, grandson of Judith. Norman was a constant companion while in Uganda. He is named after my wonderful hubby Norman who I will hopefully be seeing in a couple of hours.