A special thanks to Nia Carol Cornwell for her help with fund raising and helping us reach out to churches and others.
Katongole & Moses in USA
Katongole and Moses are now home safely in Uganda after a whirlwind tour during which they spoke at a dozen schools and churches in four states: New York, Connecticut, Vermont and Pennsylvania.
The day after they arrived in mid January it snowed in New York and the recent high school graduates got to experience all the joys of snow (sledding, skiing and snowballs) for the first time. They also visited universities, attended the Global Kids retreat and were able to have some fun (after all it is NYC). photos above and below: Moses at The Putney School.
Not only were Katongole and Moses able to raise awareness for LEAD Uganda and Africa, they also were able to see the ins and outs of American schools. They made a lot of new friends while visiting: the High School for Global Citizenship, Long Island City High School, The Rudolph Steiner School, The Putney School, School for International Studies, Welsh Valley Middle School, High School of Telecommunication, Art & Technology, Talmadge Hill Community Church, Riverside Church, Saint Peter’s Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, and Forefront. All the schools promised to raise money for LEAD Uganda’s schoars.
Welsh Valley Middle School in Narberth, Pennsylvania has an extraordinary student body who are enthusiastic and were excited to see the boys.
“When they came to our school it was fly!,” Weronika Szarlej of Welsh Valley wrote on LEAD Uganda’s Facebook group. To which Adesh Dasani followed up, “It was MAD FLY!” photo above by Allison Moll: Moses at Welsh Valley Middle School.
Please go LEAD Uganda’s facebook group and JOIN. Cut and paste:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=82483290952
Katongole and Moses spoke to more than five hundred assembled 6th and 8th graders. They spoke of their experiences and the program and then the kids asked questions. After the assembly, two girls said they are so excited to start fundraising for the program and they hope they can raise more money than last year. Wasswa and Ronald (a former child soldier who received a prosthetic arm) visited Welsh Valley last year. The students remembered them and asked how they were doing.
The young men twice rode the subway up to The Bronx where they talked to the students at the A. Shomburg Satellite Academy andvisited Marsha Vernon’s class. Marsha wrote a free curriculum for schools to use to teach how AIDS, war, and poverty affect children in Africa. She sponsors the education of Nokrach, a former child soldier. Schomberg Academy students have raised money for our students the past two years. Moses and Katongole also attended three schools where Global Kids is active and took part in a Global Kids youth leadership workshop. photo: The Global Kids program at the High School for International Studies in Brooklyn.
Katongole and Moses spent two days at The Putney School in Vermont. They stayed at Director Emily Jones’ house. Friday morning they spoke to two hundred-plus students and faculty. They toured the campuses, visited dorms, and the school’s farm, cross country skied for the first time, and jammed with students. A high point was visiting classes. They attended Christopher Petrella’s “Democracy: People, Power, and Change” class, science labs, and the art studio. photos above: Katongole at The Putney School.
Saturday afternoon, we left Putney and drove to Darien, Connecticut to meet members of Talmadge Hill Community Church. The congregation sponsors Aringo Proscovia, who was abducted as a young girl by the Lords Resistance Army.
Moses spent the night with Thomas & Suzanne Dean and their three boys, Wesley, Spencer and Charlie. Katongole was hosted by Todd and Nancy Morgan and their children David, Emma, Avery, Eric. The Deans and the Morgan’s contributed one XO computer each to LEAD Uganda.
The next day, Sunday, we attended Talmadge Hill Community Church , where Pastor Mich Zeman graciously gave us his time during the service. Steve described the LEAD Uganda program. Then Katongole and Moses delivered the sermon — a message of hope, a vision of how they will use their education to help others in Africa.
After the service we ate lunch and talked with old friends Maureen Byrne, Regina Walsh, Mary Tilghman and met new ones such as Lauren Calahan, Janet Bailey, William Schroeder, Debbie Perron, and Jeff Norman. After lunch Katongole and Moses rode go-carts at the Dean’s house. (photos above.)
Members of Talmadge Hill Community Church with Moses and Katongole
after the Sunday service.
The boys went to services and discussed LEAD Uganda with Ministers Brad Braxton, Robert Coleman, Arnold Thomas of Riverside Church. They also talked with Jeremiah Kyle Drake and others in the congregation. On a rainy morning, Moses and Katongole met with Reverend Tyron Monro of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn.
Katongole and Moses shared the pulpit with Pastor Brian Moll at Forefront Church in Manhattan. ”I am very happy to be a part of Forefront Church,” Katongole stated before he shared his story. Both boys were amazing and so composed on stage in front of 350 people. Forefront has made a commitment to support LEAD Uganda and will be leading a missions trip to Uganda this coming August. Pastor Brian Moll and Katongole during the Sunday service at Forefront Church.
Perhaps the greatest honor was an invitation to the Ugandan Mission to the United Nations to celebrate the arrival of Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, the newly appointed Ugandan U. N. Ambassador and Security Council member. The more than 250 people there were so welcoming and hospitable to the boys. As soon as they arrived and people started speaking Luganda, their tribal language, Katongole said “I can almost taste the Equator, I feel like I am home.” Photo by Andrea Smith: Katongole and Moses with UN representative Dr. Rugunda.
The excitement and joy on their faces was evident when they got to shake hands and talk with Dr. Rugunda, the Honorable Rukia Nakadama, Minister of Gender, Labour & Social Development, and Ms. Winnie Byanyima, Gender Director for the United Nations Development Program.
Katongole and Moses were guests of honor at a fund-raising cocktail party at the home of Joseph Baio and Anne Griffin in March. They spoke eloquently and captivated the guests. Photo, above and below by Andrea Smith. Above: Minister of Gender Nakadama talks with Clare Karabarinde of Clifford Chance and Stephen Shames. Below: Joe Baio introduces Steve Shames as co-host Anne Grifin looks on.
The college-bound students toured the international law firm Clifford Chance, which recently sent 12 boxes of clothes, books, school suplies, and toys to our students in Uganda. Moses and Katongole had a private meeting with Craig Medwick, Managing Partner, whose son John is a pen pal of Moses and Katongole’s brother Ivan. Moses, who plays baseball in Uganda discovered he and Mr. Medwick share a love of the game. The boys also met with Clare Karabarinde, Diana Koshel, Teresa Schieller, and other Clifford Chance lawyers.
photos above: Julianne Nicholson and Jeff Goldblum with Moses and Katongole on the set of Law & Order: Criminal Intent
It was not all work and no play for the boys. Shawn Willis, who works for Law & Order: Criminal Intent, gave Moses and Katongole a behind the scenes look at the hit show. They sat next to director Bill D’Elia and producer Mary Rae Thewlis, who explained what was happening, as the show was filmed. They talked with Jeff Goldblum and Julianne Nicholson, the stars of the show afterwards. Shawn, who visited Uganda last summer and shot some documentary footage of our program, just completed his first feature length film, the indie production Walking to Maryland . Congratulations Shawn! We can’t wait to see our film.
The students had a blast going to a Knicks game as the guests of Kendyl Wright and Pia Mara Finkell of CRT/tanaka, a public relations firm, who arranged for them to go early and sit on courtside for the team practice before the game. photo, left: Katongole sleds.
Katongole and Moses got to sled and enjoy winter beauty in the Berkshires with Cole, and Theo, sons of David Fenton, when David and his girl friend Sylvie Erb hosted the boys for the weekend at their country house. The Fenton’s sponsor LEAD Uganda students Serugo Ivan and Nalubwana Shakira. In addition, David’s firm, Fenton Communications, does pro-bono work for LEAD Uganda. photo right: Katongole and Theo sled.
They visited Niagra Falls and the University of Buffalo with Forefront Church Community Outreach Minister Jacob Lange and his wife, Omotomi. Katongole and Moses ascended to the top of the Empire State Building, bowled (they did better than President Obama!), and visited the Chelsea Piers batting cages.
Rahim is Class Prefect
“Hi Uncle Steve, Good news. I was elected as the Sanitation Prefect and I am also class monitor. I think joining Facebook is cool. I am going to join right now. bye, Rahim” (photo, left: Rahim)
Stephen Elected President of School Club
Stephen was elected the president of the Omweso Club in Uganda Martyrs Namugongo. Omweso is the African traditional board game, which shares much in common with the present day Chess.
Stephen, who formerly worked in a quarry with his brother Ntege, to pay for their schools fees before being enrolled into LEAD Uganda remarked, “I believe that success in everything, begins with knowing and accepting oneself. Playing Omweso is a talent that I have. Each one of us is born with a treasure within. My background is really rough to comprehend but that doesn’t mean that I have to wallow in self-pity. I take the responsibility for where I want to be.”
Frank Gets 1st Grade on PLE Exam
Frank (photo, right), who grew up in a child-headed family after his parents died from HIV/AIDS in 2000, received a 1st Grade on his Primary Leaving Examination, scoring 8 aggregates. In February, he joined St. Henry’s College Kitovu, a top high school.
When asked how he did it, Frank answered, “I always desired to be among the best, so I set my target to excel. I worked hard.” Frank adds, “I wanted to put up a challenge for the kids in LEAD Uganda by scoring highly, so that they will work hard to achieve my scores.”
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
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