Letters from my students

 When I met the Board Members for my project in October, they suggested that we have all of our students, in 6th grade & above, write a letter about themselves.  These letters are now starting to filter in and I was really moved by one today.  I am reminded, time and again, how much most of my students struggle to keep their head above water in a tough education system.  This young man inspires me to keep going, even when it seems like we're not making as much progress as I'd like. 

13-Dec-2012

Dear HOPE Project Board members,

                How are you? I hope you are fine.  I am a 16 year old boy. I am honest, respectful and punctual.  I learn in a nearby school called St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School. I am in form two but I will be in form three next year.  We are three children in our family and I am the last born. My hobbies are playing football and visiting friends but I also like listening to music.

                I hope to be a doctor in future because I like to know more about the human body and I also like biology.  I also hope to increase my performance both in grade and marks because I have been reducing in performance this year.  I performed very well in form one term three because in form one the things which we had been taught was not so much. But since I entered in form two, I have been dropping slightly in performance, one of the reasons for this was because the syllabus was increasing in content.  In form two term three I also dropped in performance, I think this is because of the term being short and also there was a teacher’s strike which was on for three weeks. When the teachers returned to school for the third term, they were rushing to cover and finish the syllabus.  We had to work extra hard in order to cover what we did not cover during the strike and to complete the syllabus.  There was also need to spare some time for revising and writing notes in subjects which we write on our own. The challenges which I have is that in my time table, I have one subject at 3:30 am but I don’t always wake up to study the subject.  Another challenge is that I lack a light which is good for my health in which I can use it to study at home because the one I am using produces a lot of smoke and soot.  Another challenge is that I lack a table in which my knees can go under it so that I can study in a good posture.  What I have to change to reach my goals is lazyness in order for me to wake up at 3:30 am and study my morning subject.  Another change is to move to a house having electricity so that I can read and study comfortable without any health effect.

                I will like the hope project to continue helping in paying my school fees, buying me a new pair of uniform. I thank HOPE project for the assistance they have given me like paying for my school fees, buying me pairs of uniform and offering us with revision textbooks and a place for studying.  I am so grateful for HOPE project. May God bless you.

Amani (Note from Mary: His name means peace in Swahili)

 Wishing you and our world Peace this holiday season.

HOPE Theatre

This week we had visitors at HOPE Project.  I asked my students last week what they'd like to do when they come and the resounding answer was drama.  Skits are very popular here as a part of story-telling, competitions or part of events where drama groups get paid for sharing a skit with a certain message. 

These skits often have serious subject matter, although they can also have a bit of comedy.  What I find interesting is how the students' drama reflects what they experience.  Violence is portrayed as a way to resolve disagreements, which I suppose is all too common in Western entertainment as well.  

The two drama performances had the themes of the dangers of drug use and the importance of education. I was impressed with the number of scenes the children came up with and the layers of issues that came up in the performances: trust, respect for elders (or lack of it with elders without formal education), student bullying and even students' hygiene!

The Primary Students' Performance - Scene 1 - Unknowing parents give money to their children for drugs

Scene 4 - Crying about being misunderstood

The closing scene - All ends well when a neighbor pays the fine for the children.

Moving to our second drama, by the high school students.  "Fredrick" right, faces off with his father.

Some issues are not easy to resolve in a 15 minute play...

The other students were captivated.

Our stage is the foyer outside the project office (and the restrooms).

The drama included a Parent-Teacher's meeting - which revealed a lot about how my students perceive these meetings - and their relationships with their guardians.

Overall, it was a good show!

Our last performance was a beautiful solo about how far education will take you.

 
After the drama performances, we divided into groups to have reading circles with our guests - as all took turn reading aloud and learning new words - one of the techniques we are using to help improve our student's vocabulary and reading confidence.

Mary helping two of our girls choose which book to read.

Shirley sharing a story about Patch, a horse.

Jane reading about Junie B. Jones' adventures.

Fr Bill and the boys read a story about smugglers!

We then divided into two groups to visit the homes of two of my students.

We had an encore performance by one of my student's younger sister.

A family I am proud to have supported.

Thanks to our visitors for coming and reading with us!

I'm happy to report that the books that our visitors helped us start are continuing in our daily reading circles.  I have six recent high school graduates who were supported by the project and are now volunteering with us.  They are even helping the students with new words and spelling words!  I love it!  And I hope it helps our young ones learn to love to read.