New school building opens in Uganda

A new school building sponsored by the Woy Woy Rotary Club has opened in Buwampa, Uganda, on Monday, February 5.

The new Divine Mercy School, situated on a hilltop overlooking Lake Victoria in a poor rural area of the country, will accommodate 300 students in Nursery and Primary 1-3

More than 2000 people, including students, teachers and parents, attended the opening.

Woy Woy club project director Ms Sue O'Neill was among them.

"The opening of the school began with a youth marching band from the local church," said Ms O'Neill.

"They led the students and their parents from the school to the town market centre, maybe two kilometres away, and back again, in the sun and 30-degree heat.

"The mayor, the local Member of Parliament and community leaders delivered inspiring speeches on the importance of education," Ms O'Neill said.

"The local ladies aided in the preparation of uniforms for the students and formed a group they call Pure Joy.

"They wore their special matching shirts, provided dances and the catering.

"They performed a small play on how empowering it was to belong to Pure Joy.

"The catering team learnt how to maintain their aprons and hair covers and looked splendid in them. "A bull was slaughtered the day before.

"They made matoke (a dish made from cooked bananas), rice, greens, beef, beans and gravy.

"Everyone was fed.

"Each family contributed to the school.

"Students had to bring 12 rolls of toilet paper, one bundle of firework, 5kg of maize for porridge in the morning and a straw broom.

"This was before the uniforms were issued to them on the day before school opened.

"The parents have paid a small school fee of 20,000 Ugandan shillings (about $7) towards the teachers' salary.

"Having a new building has attracted a very professional group of teachers, all an absolute delight," Ms O'Neill said.

SOURCE:

Newsletter, 13 Feb 2018

Jayne Mote, Woy Woy Rotary Club