Wetaka
“I am enjoying every moment being in school and knowing that my dreams are too close to reality. This term we also sat for mid –term exams and the results were good because I managed to maintain my grades in the exams. I got 9 in all the 8 subjects. In school we had football competitions and my team won, we celebrated by roasting a goat, it was fun. I take this opportunity to thank you for your great efforts towards my education. I am indebted to your love and care. Thank you.” (photo: Wetaka)
Olweny
“I have just finished my course and I’m now volunteering as a teacher of photography and digital video editing at Christian Orphan Children, a newly founded organization based in Gulu. The organization helps to support war and AIDS affected children and orphans in northern Uganda. I am now called teacher which I was not expecting in such a short time. I have also applied for a job at a television station in Lira, one of the towns in northern Uganda. I will work for them as a photographer. I am also looking forward to setting up my own Digital Video Editing Studio after working and saving some money .”
Hilda
“My academic term this time round has been characterized by a lot of activities like inter house music, dance and drama festivals, inter-school archdiocesan music festivals, in which I participated as a lead soloist. The school also organized a “careers Day” for each class where we are guided on how to make choices for future careers. I also got a chance of being among the 14 students who represented the school in a one day leadership workshop about, self drive and self-esteem. Indeed this workshop was fruitful for it helped me attain more leadership skills that I, together with my friends used to reprieve the wildlife club, a club that had totally collapsed in my school. I am now the internal co-coordinator wildlife club in my school. Our motto is, ‘Embrace Nature’.”
(photo: Hilda fetches water.)
Sylvester
“This term I was elected as the Education and Information Prefect for the year 2009-2010. This post was a challenge at first because there were two opponents who were old boys of the school, but I proved resilient and confidently campaigned and won them. After the counting of votes I had won by 63%. My campaign slogan was ‘Change We Can Believe’. This worked for me, till the final day of voting and lastly I was the new prefect. I am called a honorable for the first time and this makes me glad” says Sylvester, “I was also elected as the internal and external co-coordinator of the debating club.”
This former street kid enjoys leading others. “In the future I would like to be a web and graphics designer. I have always had interest in information technology. My role model is Bill Gates. I am working hard to achieve my goals. I performed well in my mid term exams although the results are partially out. I managed to score an A and B in History and entrepreneurship respectively and I also expect good grades from the remaining two exams.” (photo: Sylvester)
19-year-old Sylvester joined LEAD Uganda in 2004, after spending two years languishing on the streets of Kampala. At 13, Sylvester dropped out of school because of school fees. He started grazing cattle earning two dollars a day. He lost that job and left his village for Kampala in search of a better job. His ambition failed him since no one was ready to employ a 13 year old. He found himself on the streets.
“I suffered while on the street, until one day when a good Samaritan picked me up and took me to an organization that helped street kids. That NGO provided food and accommodation to us but not education. I met Stephen Shames and he took me to LEAD Uganda. I believe God has put an open door in front of everyone and it’s upon us to go on and go through it. When I realize the life situations I have been through, this appointment as the school’s Education and information is a great achievement. Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty believe in them and try to follow where they lead”.
(photo: Sylvster & Stephen)
Stephen
“I participated in a play called ‘Justice should be fought for’ and my house had the best presentation. I would like to put this play into practice after school because my career choice is to become a lawyer. This is because justice in Uganda is dying away because of corruption. Only the rich win courts cases at the expenses of the poor. Seemingly, all lawyers are on the side of the rich. I think this evil has to stop mostly in my generation.”
Rahim
“I have two pieces of good news: we won the debate and I am going to read news on UBC, a television channel.” (photo: Rahim and Sarah)
Kwere
“Each day I thank God for you. He has made you the wind beneath my wings. I now can climb higher than an eagle.” (photo below: Kwere)
Dorothy
“We did our mid term exams and they were not so difficult because I had read my books well. I performed well and attained a first grade. (an “A”) We also had football competitions at school and our house was the winner so the school is preparing a bull roasting party for us.”
Maureen
“In the girls soccer games, I played as a winger at number seven and I scored a goal during the penalty shoot out. My team took the 3rd position after we lost to the eventual winners. My team Oxford won the netball competition where in the finals we beat Harvard 20 goals to 4.”
Fahad
“Let me humbly send my greeting to you and your entire family. Hope every one is fine. I am fine too and I am happy for the support towards my education because it is the most important thing in my life. I have credits in all science subjects, math, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Agriculture and I know that I will have a first grade in this term.
We are going to have sports competition at school. I will try my level best in football so that my house Cambridge wins the trophy. I am a good striker and I will strive hard so that I score not less than 5 goals. If our house Cambridge wins the trophy they will give us a goat for roasting.” (photo: Fahad)
Victoria
“I am very happy because I was the first in the whole class again. My teachers were very pleased with me because of my performance.”
Juliet
“I have joined the football club this term since I realized I was capable of playing football, I have found the club so interesting. We also joined an interact club in school. Students participate in activities like dancing, modeling and miming songs. The club provided the school with sodas, cakes, and different kinds of food. The school administration provided us with a music system and we had a nice social evening. ”
(photo: Juliet)
Derrick
“I feel blessed always to be sharing with you my experiences and the wonderful things God keeps doing in my life. We are still in school in our second term, we have few months left to our final exams. I am reading hard and keeping focused to achieve success in both of the exams. This term, we also had football competitions at school and our class, which I captain was crowned victors.”
Ntege
“Next year, I will be focusing solely on my three A’ level subjects: Chemistry, Biology and Math. However, at the end of my first year, I managed to get an A in Math, and B in both Biology and Chemistry. I am looking forward to applying to U. S. Universities and colleges early next year.”
Sanyu
“I took over the part of the poem in Luganda (Our local language). I applaud my self for that because in poetry I have a magic touch. I also had the best grades 9 in 8. I improved in all the subjects and I will keep working hard for an 8 in 8.” (Students take eight subjects. The best grade is a 1. Sanyu got seven 1′s and one 2, an A+ grade.)
(photo: Sanyu)
Sanyu gets soccer-mania
Sanyu captained her schools girls’ soccer team. Under her leadership the Seeta High School Five Stars reached the quarterfinals of the recently concluded Coca-Cola schools tournament.
“We fell out on the quarterfinals, but we received a big applause being our first time in the tournament. We received the honor of being the most disciplined team, and we won Coca-Cola jerseys” Sanyu notes.
“The school’s head coach Mr. Ali and the Manager Mr. Obo Allan showed interest in me after I participated in the inter streams competitions were I scored three goals” says Sanyu (photos above and below by Wasswa Charles of Sanyu playing soccer.)
“At the pitch I play no.6 just like Cesc Fabregas my favorite player of Arsenal my favorite club. I like his style of play and because he has a mild temperament. No.6 keeps the mid- field, helps no. 8, continuously passes to no. 7 and does not allow the ball to cross the center. He is versatile and makes hard tackles and instills fear in the opposition to make no more attacks. Sometime I play No.7, who keeps the wing and remains in contention with no.2 of the opposition. He also gives passes to the strikers. He must be very athletic, strong and a quick thinker and that’s why I was chosen to play there. I like soccer because it builds my confidence and it upholds teamwork and this has helped me live successfully among my peers”.
Orach
“I am happy to tell you that my ability and hard work is improving every day because I know that my background is not rich. I am working hard to become a useful person to my community and help change lives in the future.”
Jjuko and Kimbowa In National Debate
Kimbowa and Jjuko from St. Joseph’s Nagalama participated in a national inter-school debate on that took place on May 8th at Nsambya Sharing Hall in Kampala. (photo: Jjuko studies with Ibrahim)
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Kimbowa says, “I developed goose bumps when I was informed that I would represent my school at a national level debate. I have never stood before a big gathering, most especially the best debaters from top schools in the country. I am a prefect at schoo. One of my duties is to speak to students. Standing before 700 students was a great opportunity for me to enhance my public speaking skills. (photo: Kimbowa translates the sermon at his church)
Aloysious Does Well on National Exam
Aloysius was almost speechless when he got the information that he had scored 14 aggregates in 8 subjects on the 11th grade Uganda Certificate Examinations. Aloysious, an18-year-old AIDS orphan from a small rural village in Rakai District, attributes his success to hard work and encouragement and support from LEAD Uganda.
“My son has always excelled,” remarked Aloysious’ mother, Kasiita, “When LEAD Uganda put him in St. Henry’s Kitovu, that was a dream come true for him and the family, because it’s a good school, and you do not expect a kid in a top school to fail. He has made me proud.” (photo: Aloysious and his mom)
The composed and joyful Aloysius will study Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, and Art at Advanced Level at St. Joseph’s Naggalama, another top school. He wants to a be a doctor.
Donate
LEAD Uganda has two premium contribution levels: Sponsor and Patron.
Sponsors and Patrons receive a photo, letters from
their student, and progress reports from us.
Sponsors pay all costs for one child — $150 a month.
$150 a month — $5 a day pays for
everything a child needs to succeed: school fees, books, clothes, medical care, workshops in math, science, computers, and leadership, emotional support, counseling, and a family.
Sponsors are assigned a student. They receive monthly letters from their student, and progress reports from us. They may also receive photographs, drawings, and other materials.
Patrons donate $50 or $100 a month.
$100 a month – $3 a day - pays school fees (tuition), plus room, and board, books, and uniform at one of the best high schools in Uganda.
$50 a month – $1.50 a day – covers school fees for one scholar at a top school.
Patrons receive letters from students and progress reports from us. They are not assigned one student.
Please give what you can. Every donation helps.
$25 a month covers workshops in leadership, video, science, and writing, transportation home during school breaks, school visits, and staff support for one student.
$10 a month buys school supplies. clothes, shoes for one child.
$5 a month provides medical care and books for one student.
Please help a child achieve his or her dreams.
All contributions make a difference.
LEAD Uganda is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Donations are tax deductible.
Photography except as noted: © 2009, Stephen Shames / Polaris
ALL EVENT PHOTOS: ©2009, Ron Jautz
Newsletter Editors: Stephen Magezi & Wasswa Charles
Please feel free to distribute or forward this newsletter to friends, co-workers, and anyone else you think would like to know about LEAD Uganda.