First a big thank you to all our donors. Without you, all nothing could happen. With your help, many lives have been changed and hope given to so many. We have just received the Annual Report from the Jinja Organisation of Parents with Deaf Children. If anyone would like to have a copy, please ask, and we will send it to you.
It is a very encouraging read and covers so many of the things being tackled by Sebastian and his helpers.
Education Support with 22 children with disabilities (CWD’S) now getting an education and one graduating with a degree of BA in Education. He wants to teach special needs children.
Sight recovery project with 145 treated since the start in 2017.
Awareness creation in the villages. JOPDC research found that so many families stigmatise and discriminate against CWD’S and refer to them with derogatory names. Many are seen a divine punishment and are denied education and often locked away and not thought about. JOPDC has done a lot with radio and village meetings to try to change these perceptions.
As a result, many parents are seeking advice on schooling for the children.
A malaria prevention programme bringing mosquito nets to nearly 500 children,
A programme to help Girls Remain in School with reusable sanitary products being made and given to teenage girls.
Children who have perhaps been denied any schooling are being given vocational training in things like tailoring, shoemaking, carpentry and knitting so that they have some chance of creating a livelihood.
In January we aim to start building St Francis de Sales School for Deaf Children.
We visited St Zoe’s Primary and Secondary Schools and given a warm welcome. The schools are doing well with about 400 pupils.
We visited Good Shepherd Special Needs School for the tenth anniversary of its opening. The school and St Gabriel’s Children home were very impressive, and the entertainment and speeches were excellent.
Then on to Asili Girls Secondary School, where we met a very inspirational group of teachers and leaders. The school has only been in existence for about five years, and the progress is good.
Time and distance prevented us from visiting Little Shepherd School at Rtunguru or St Therese’s School in Rukira, Rwanda. Maybe next time!
But let’s not forget the great Christmas Song which Denise inspired and which two choirs in Uganda and one in Marple all coordinated to sing and which Richard carefully put together. It has raised a lot of money, and this is helping to improve the living conditions for one of our sponsored children and his mother.
And the Mubende Choir led by Natiigo Daniel has inspired him to write more music.
Helping Uganda Schools - HUGS 