Jonzun Radio Kids Interviews Julius, Monica, and Steve
Archive for the ‘Students’ Category
Jonzun Radio Kids Interviews Julius and Monica
Sunday, May 8th, 2011Our Students Publish L.E.A.D Magazine
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011The goal of L.E.A.D Magazine is to give you a chance to learn about Uganda through stories, poems, and opinions written by the students of L.E.A.D Uganda.
Click on the link below to read it.
Former street kid, Musa gets A on national exam
Saturday, February 19th, 2011Musa Ssekanjako, a former street kid, was one of 6 L.E.A.D Uganda students who received 1st grades or “A’s” on their 11th grade national exams.
Musa’s Story:
I grew up with my grandmother Nafuna Zaituni in the village. As she grew older, she could not even raise money for my books and school uniform. I dropped out of school and stayed at home helping my grandmother dig in her small garden. I felt I had been denied the chance to go to school. In 2002, I decided to walk to Mbale, a distance of 25 miles, to pursue my dream of a better life.
LEFT: Street kid (not Musa) sleeps in Masaka, Uganda. RIGHT: Musa.
I lived on the streets of Mbale for several days, at times with no food. Conditions got worse and worse. I decided to find means to reach Kampala, the capital city, because I thought life on its streets would be better. I helped traders carry their luggage in return for money, and when I had enough, I got on the bus to Kampala.
As a newcomer to Kampala, street life was not easy because the boys on the street were ruder than I expected. After six months on the streets, we were rounded up by the police and taken to a children’s remand (detention) facility, where an NGO that looks after street kids, bailed me out. I was guaranteed a daily meal. However my deepest desire was to go to school and study and be able to help my grandmother.
In 2004, L.E.A.D Uganda came looking for smart kids who wanted to go to school. Unlike the other NGO, L.E.A.D is an educational leadership program. I felt my deepest desire was finally met. I was taken to St. John Bosco Katende where I got an “A” in 7th grade. Because of my good grades, I was able to join Seeta High, one of the top high schools. L.E.A.D re-united me with my family, who I had not seen for three years.
I am so glad that they took me. I am now happy and fulfilled. I look forward to becoming a computer engineer after my studies. I also look forward to building my grandmother a house and buying her a big piece of land. I also want to rehabilitate and educate children who live on the streets, giving them food, shelter, and making it possible for them go to school.
Musa is looking for a sponsor.
Moses Kusasira Gets A on National Exam
Saturday, February 12th, 2011A’s – 1st Grades
Moses Kusasira got 21
LEFT: Moses (center) in 2000 with his sister Viictorious (left) and his Mom. RIGHT: Moses mentors Regius, a new L.E.A.D Uganda student.
I was raised by my mother, who is HIV-positive. My father died when I was a baby. I grew up asking my mom, Where is my dad?. I did not understand why I did not have a dad. One day (in 2000), my 13-year-old sister Victorious went for a blood check up. She was found to be HIV-positive. Within one year, when I was in 1st grade, my sister, whom I loved very much, passed away leaving me very sad.
Victorious’ death left my mother in disarray. When I reached 3rd grade my mother told me that she had no money for me to attend upper classes and also feed the family. We were living in a poorly built house on the outskirts of Makinde in Kampala. We were wearing rags and sleeping on the floor for many years.
Since I joined L.E.A.D Uganda, I live a happy life and am able to go to school. I am able to forget all the past bad moments. I now attend Seeta High, one of Ugandas top high schools. Besides being a top student, I preach at my church, and write and perform rap music. I wrote a rap for L.E.A.D Uganda that they put on the website.
In my life, I value education with all my heart. I want to be an accountant or a musician. I hope to be able to raise my nother’s living standards after I graduate. I also want to help children affected by HIV/AIDS. I will work to see that all children have a violence free childhood.
Moses is sponsored by Bill Cochran.
6 of 9 L.E.A.D Uganda students earned A’s on their national 11th grade exams.
Thursday, February 10th, 20113 got B’s.
We are proud of them all.
Monica wrote:
“Steve,
So far so good!
Moses, Musa , Madina, Nokrach, and Tony.
All the above S.4 candidates whose results are out have scored 1st grades (“A”s) in their S.4 National Exams (U.C.E) !!!!!!!! I am so excited!
Monica”
Ronald missed an A by 2 points. Maria and Kwere got B’s.
8 L.E.A.D Uganda Students Excel on National Exams!
Sunday, January 30th, 20116 of our 8 students taking their National 7th grade
Primary Leaving Examinations received 1st grades or A’s;
2 received high 2nd grades or B+s.
1st Grade – 6 students:
A+: Amos and Edward, A: Rahim, Kalungi, and Innocent, A-: Martha
Second Grade – 2 students
B+: Ojok and Shirat
All eight of our students were admitted to top high schools.
L.E.A.D Uganda has more students in top schools than any other NGO in Uganda.
We are so proud of them. Please join us in congratulating them for their hard work.
Amos: A+ / 1st Grade: 5 aggregates – Admitted to King’s College Budo
Amos received a score of 5. He was the best in his school. Amos, who lives in Kitgum and is orphaned by the war in the north had one of the highest scores of children from his war-torn rural district. The newspaper came to Amos’ school to interview his teachers for a story about Amos.Amos was admitted into high school at the legendary Kings College Budo, one of Uganda’s top schools.
Edward – A+ / 1st Grade: 6 aggregates – Going to Namugongo
Edward is a double orphan who lives in a Kampala slum. He has been in and out of school due to money problems. He applied to L.E.A.D Uganda last year. Monica told him if he did well on his 7th grade PLE exam, we would take him. He studied hard and did spendidly.
Edward was admitted to Namugongo, one of Uganda’s top high schools.
Edward is a hard worker. He is persistent. Even though we told him we could not decide until after the exam results were in, he come by our office two or three times a week during his school break to wash dishes and clean the compound. That is the attitude we look for in students: determination and a willingness to help. We are delighted he has joined our family.
Kimbowa Elected
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010Kimbowa Elected Education Minister
Kimbowa, whom the students call “Obama” because of his oratory skills, was elected Education Minister at Seeta High Schoo. He gathered 70% of the votes against two competitors. “The students liked him most because he is composed and smart. He voluntarily led prayers before the campign, so the students were familiar with him,” says Sanyu, his L.E.A.D Uganda sister.
PHOTO: Kimbowa’s campaign poster
Kimbowa transfered to Seeta High after getting a 1st grade on his 11th Grade / “O” Level National Exams. He was Head Prefect (Student Body President) at his former school. He chose to run for Education Minister, rather than Head Prefect so he could concentrate on his studies. Kimbowa hopes to earn a Government Sponsorship to university next year.
An email from last year: “It is such a great excitement to me to write to you again. How have you been since we last spoke?
Just to let you know about what I have been up to this term in school. I am now in my final year in ‘O’ level (11th grade). I have just handed over my office as the school’s Head Prefect. I have to do this because I need to concentrate on my studies and score highly on my final exams at the end of the year.
I am proud of my service to my school as its Head Prefect. In my time as head prefect, I managed to improve on the discipline of the students. Being Head Prefect enhanced my public speaking skill. Before, I was a very shy student.
This term we had an exhibition at school with the theme ‘Maximize Your Potential’. It was aimed at helping my school, the community and our dear parents and guardians to create opportunities from locally available resources like grass, trees, land, and animals. 32 clubs were involved including; the Agriculture, Red Cross, Debate, and Art Clubs. My club demonstrated how to make shoe polish from old, used up batteries. We also made banana ice cream, soap, and tea from dried and pounded lemon. We gave the parents a little taste of what we produced: tea made from lemon skin, crushed jackfruit seeds and cocoa seeds. You should have been there. You missed!
I oversaw the whole program. I supervised my fellow students. I showed them how to explain what was going on to the visiting parents. You know, I was dressed like a laboratory attendant! I really enjoyed the appearance, though my friends were amused. I can tell you that all went well according to plan. It was a great day.
Thank everyone for their help keeping me in school. Their support has really helped me to ascend to great heights. To be a club president is no small feat for me. I can not forget that before I was a child worker, making and selling envelopes for pills. I was out of school. Now I am becoming a leader.
I will work very hard so that I make you proud of me by scoring excellent grades. I now need to sign off. I must attend my biology class.
I covet your prayers, Kimbowa
Sanyu elected to student government
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010Sanyu Elected Uniform & Language Minister
Sanyu Nakyeyune, was elected Uniform and Language Minister at Seeta High after a three-way race. According Mrs. Kagoda, Seeta’s Headmistress, Sanyu is “is mature and knows what she wants. She demostrated the confidence and intellectual capacity to take on the ministerial role.”
Sanyu is the elder sister of Joseph, who was recently elected Head Boy of Budo Jr. School. At 10, Sanyu was head of the household, taking care of Joseph and Sarah. She has come a long way inthe past few years with the help of generous people like you and the L.E.A.D Uganda family.
PHOTO: Sanyu (right) in the computer lab.
Sanyu says, “My father died of AIDS when I was 4 years old. My mother died the next year. She left us in great sorrows with a 11-month-old baby, Sarah, 3-year-old Joseph. I used to stay home alone, as head ofthe family, and look after them when my elder sister and brother went to a boarding school
It was really hard for me to look after my little brother and my baby sister when I was 10-years-old. Can you imagine a 10-year-old girl looking after her sister and her brother? I had to to wake up very early in the morning to collect firewood from the forest, and fetch water from a borehole that was 1 km away from home. I had to travel a distance of 3 km to school every day on foot. After school, I dug in people’s gardens and washed people’s clothes to get money for food and to buy milk for the baby.
PHOTO: Sanyu in class at Seeta High, one of Uganda’s top high schools.
At that time, I thought my baby sister wouldn’t survive. There is a time when she got sick. I had no money to board a taxi and take her to the hospital. I didn’t have money for bills at the hospital and neither did I know what she was suffering from. I really lost hope.I thought my baby sister was going to die. Luckily she got better all by herself.
But God is great L.E.A.D Uganda came into my life. Ever since I joined L.E.A.D Uganda, everything has changed. L.E.A.D Uganda saved me from the sorrow of darkness.
Joseph is 1st From a Poor Family to Be Elected Head Boy at Budo Junior, Uganda’s Elite Primary School.
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010“I feel like I am a hero,” says Joseph, “This is a school for (cabinet) minister’s children and so on. They come from rich families, but I am their leader.”
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO OF
JOSEPH BEING SWORN IN AS HEAD BOY
PHOTO: : Josepi takes the oath of office.
“My parent’s death caused many tears for me,” says Joseph whose parents died of HIV/AIDS when he was three, “I really loved them. I really miss them. Whenever I thought about them something bad would happen in my mind. I would burst into tears.
But my peers at L.E.A.D Uganda comforted me. They helped me stop thinking about my parents. Now I think about my future. Where I come from you only find poor people. The the only job is farming. Now I can be whatever I want.
PHOTO: 3-year-old Joseph (2nd from left) at the funeral of his mother in 2000.
“L.E.A.D Uganda has given me a very large family. I have many sisters now and many brothers, And we all are doing well. If they weren’t there, where would I be? L.E.A.D Uganda showed me the right way to behave as a leader, how to stand in front of other people, not fearing them. I was proud today when I saw myself in front of the other students, praying for them.”
Joseph, who is nicknamed Muwa, received 632 out of 870 votes (73%) in a three way race.
“Muwa is friendly to others,” relates Budo Junior’s Head Master Kavulu Ernest, “He listens to them. He is empathetic. The other children have confidence in him. They want him to lead them and they are happy about it.”
Joeph leads morning prayer at school.
“I have known this school since 1981 and this has not happened. Joseph is the first boy from a very poor family to become Head Boy,” says Budo Junior Head Master Kavulu Ernest, “What is unique about L.E.A.D Uganda is you have gone several steps higher than those other NGOs.”
The new Head Boy with Budo Juniors Head Master Kavulu Ernest and the newl Head Girl.
“You pay a lot of money to have your children in first class schools where leadership is valued,” continues Budo’s Head Master. We have hopes that Joseph can become an MP, a President, the manager of a bank, a very important person in the country. We have no doubt about that.”
“What other programs do may be wrong. It is not enough to help a child go to school if the child does not benefit a lot from the school. Others take children to poor schools. I’m saying poor because the (academic) presentation in these schools is not enough. So the drop out rate is very high.
UGANDA FACT: Only 47% of students complete 7th grade. The majority of those who drop out are girls.
“L.E.A.D picks vulnerable children from rural areas. Uganda has very many of these children. They have brains but they can not access education that can tap their talents. The gap of having no parents must be filled. Emotional strength comes from parents and those who take up the responsibility of parents, like L.E.A.D Uganda. You visit them. You joke with therm. You play with them. They tell you their problems. You help them get strong emotionally. Every need of the child is met from a small pencil to the biggest book.”
In class.
“L.E.A.D gets value for its’ money, concludes Mr. Kavulu, “When you see the fruit of your labor — a person like Muwa — when he leaves this school and you see him in a responsible position, you will be very proud of him.
What I would request of you and the community in the United States that supports you, is to lift as many children as you can from rural areas. Take them to the best schools so these children can get the right education and then they will become important persons in the country. That will be very good for this country and, of course, the world at large.”
Teenager Eric Niles Helps Teens in Uganda
Thursday, June 24th, 2010L.E.A.D Uganda received a $3,600 award from The Foundation For Jewish Philanthropies Teen Tzedakah Fund.
The effort to have L.E.A.D Uganda receive a donation was led by participant Eric Niles, who is the son of Dr. Charles and Ellen Niles. Eric has been aware of his parents’ involvement with L.E.A.D for a few years, and he wanted to do something on his own. Eric’s excellent presentation on behalf of LEAD resulted in the leadership program receiving the largest amount to a single agency.
The Teen Tzedakah Fund is a program designed to teach Jewish teens to embrace charity as a lifelong value. The seventeen teenage participants allocated $15,000 to Jewish and Non-Jewish agencies. Each participant gave a presentation to the entire panel regarding their favorite charity. The entire group then voted for the most deserving agencies, and how much money would be given to each.
Eric also collects used and new books from friends and family members, and sells them online in a bookstore he has created on Amazon.com. He has donated $450 from those proceeds to L.E.A.D Uganda. Eric is an outstanding young man, and we are proud to have him as a supporter.
