Education for Poor Children!

Dear friends,

First, COVID-19 has not left anyone happy!

Background.

The school had a very difficult start, next to impossible to build any permanent classrooms. We began this dream to help vulnerable children in 2010 with only one female student. I the founder was the teacher then and I was joined by two other female teachers when the number of children increased to 5 in the whole school.

We had no structure to use as a class, we asked to use someone's prayer shade, and he granted us permission. It wasnot very good and pleasant leaning environment. The room was dark and we had no place of convinience for both the children my self and the two female teachers.

In 2011, we got 10 more children joining the school and we had no enough room to accommodate the increasing number of rural children who didn't have any opportunities to go to school.

In 2012, I asked to meet the community for help and a meeting was arranged and the locals appreciated the construction of more grass classrooms and this was done within a month. We built 2 grass classrooms with partitions to accommodate 3 classes. We also constructed one toilet, and urinal, all shared by the staff and the student's.

Life began here and the most pleasing was, the children were very happy and playing with locally made fiber ball's. But we didn't have any learning materials, teachers had to borrow from far schools, ride bicycles to look for teaching notes. Everyday this had to be done, you return a text and borrow another next day, it was very tiring experience. We have no school library then and now.

2013, The number of staff increased 5, and now the new challenge was paying the teacher's monthly salary, accommodating, and most importantly, feeding the children who were now happy to be getting education.

It's at this point that I thought of other help, I contacted a friend form Canada, asked him if he was willing and happy to help the school get money to build better classrooms, we told him the school would be named after him if he got the support, he said he was not in position, so we got very demotivated and frustrated. The number of children continued to grow and we had no support of any kind.

One day I decided to bring my computer and generator, to a friend''s shop. he gave me free room to use and here I stared teaching some grown up village students computer skills, simply how to start the computer and switch off and then open word program, and type his or her name, this was very exciting to the children especially using word art, to pick up designs to type their names. This project was good for rural education, the only challenge, we had one computer for now more that 300 children and 10 teachers and one instructor, Charles Olupot SHARE NGO Director now.

Next I gave the 2 female and 1 male teacher the opportunity, for the teachers, I had a modem, put up in a peg, pole, we had poor internet connectivity but we were able to get internet access, and data was a problem since our school didn't have funds or any support.

I started teaching them typing skills, launching a word application, create table's, reports and later each created an email, learning how to create, send and read. The other lesson was to create power point and using excel spreadsheets to practice record keeping. They also practiced making classlists and register for their individual classes. Coming from very poor households and background, these young teachers were very much motivate even though they had no hope of ever getting a monthly salary paid regularly.

One night, at around 3 am, I didn't get sleep so I turned on the generator, worried how to get the teachers continue teaching with no pay, and the children learning with no food at school, this were killing thoughts on me. 

I sent an email to one contact on GlobalGiving, how did I even know about GlobalGiving, My Canadian friend had told me to try global Giving organization to raise funds, so I googled and saw very strange figures, organization money pages so I found one and got an email of man called Quiros.

He was nice he wrote back saying Charles I don have the money to help you but I will give you the email contact of a family in America who is good and has helped many people and organizations, can you try to email them I will also write too them about your work. This was heart breaking to get donor support.

This man was very nice and good, he did write to the Hammerslag family and they quickly wrote back to me and gave me a donation of 1300 dollars at once, this was a big shock of my life, I got so confuse, it seemed like a dream, not true.

In the morning, I told the good news to my teachers and asked how we can plan together, they suggested we improve the classrooms, and make some locals sits, the children were sitting on the dust floors. We made these provisions and also hired local cook and life was now changing.

We bought teaching materials, scholastics for the disadvantaged children, teaching books for the teachers use. But we didn have a place to keep these text tbooks, we had to be taking them to a neighbor house, including all the plates and source pans we had bought, school chalkboards etc., Pick them next morning for school use dive days aweek, up to the end of the term. The construction of one permanent class help work as a school store for the safety of all the school property, learning materials.

GlobalGiving organization invited us to register and take on full fundraising efforts, we did and the Hammerslag family were fully engaged with the school and also needs of the children. They gave support, we purchased Land, build our first permanent class, and this was very big news in the Community. Step by step we were able to improve our school environment with thier help. Our community, children now had a place to study from.

However, new challenges came during this exciting moments, news went around that the small grass SCHOOL has gotten donor support, and everyone was directing needy children to us, we got overwhelmed, and yet our support was truly very small, basically to build a small class which we manage to do.

Everyday, new needy children joined, new teachers came but feeding, payment and accomodations remained a challenge up to now. After construction 9f one permanent class, we got 36 boarding children sleeping in. No light at night, it was a nother challenge, I had never kept child staying in the dark, giving them food, and helping them to use the toilet, this experience was making me mad actually.

Good moments continued to come, lots of support from a single Hammerslag family, new toilet was constructed, teachers were able to get some little pay, another organization, good neighbors brought in food donations, ha it was good relief.

After a journey of some year together, our main donor, mother Loretta is not in good health, her support has stopped. This is happ at time COVID-19 hit all our community, school and Country, everyone is trying to get back to it's feet, schools bare starting to reopen and the children who had stayed home for two years now hoping for education opportunities, seem to be very painful to imagine how to get the right donor to take their place.

The school is named after them, for the great contribution they have made to this stage. This is a school that began with only one student, one teacher Charles Olupot, 2 female teacher's

I started the school at time I had very big health challenge, I had no job, so I thought of how I could help my community as a struggle to get good medical expert to help. Instead of sitting home until I got better. I started with one class in the community. Now a school.

Fortunately, I had training as a professional teacher trainer (tutor), so I had the required skills, knowledge of teaching teacher's, this could help me teach children too. This how it all began. Inwas engaged and not feeling much the ear problem during school time, I would only feel the pain later when I rode ba home, I was riding 5 kilometers everyday. My mother was concerned about my health, but I told it's not good for me to wait to die at home than to do something for the disadvantaged children. I lost hope in life, looking at my condition, so I wanted to leave a lagacy behind. I am proud this will happen now, now that something good is happening to my community, and country. I still have hope one day I will get Samaritan to help with health challenge.

I am very thankful to the Hammerslag family in America for believing in me and the community, the great work we have done together and the hope they have given to us, no reward can be given by man except from God.

They have given all they could, we now ask , invite new donor's, volunteers, interested to join our team and move this work to the next level. The foundation has been built by the Hammerslag family. We need to continue with the good job well done .

I would like to recognise the big contribution from all those who have been donating, till they had no more, thank you, and our new donor's, lets keep the fire burning, and those who wish to come back, please you are welcome, we have a warm heart for you

Jenna, for entire fundraiser, she has been there for our community, the school and the children, mother Loretta, we have no other mother except you, we love you so much and most sincerely. Mr Gary, you are the best Dad everyone would like to meet, you are now a father of nations just like Abraham. God bless you and entire family forever! Amen

Not forgetting, the Australian missionary who helped give our page good write up, English before Jenna stepped in, we were able to bring donor interested because of that effort. Thank you so much .

We have more work to do, classrooms are not enough, student and teachers have no accommodation, and school meals and health is not covered, we have children from the streets, and school dropout youth groups after COVID-19 declines. These all need help. Your monthly reccuring donation's of just 50 dollars.

We can not do this alone, our presence and availability is everything and evidence that we are committed and ready to work for the good of our community and country Uganda.

For God and my Country!

Email from a friend who introduced me the Hammerslag family in America.

Dec 17, 2015, 00:57

Dear Charles:

Thank you for your informative note about the construction of the classroom. I am very happy to see that you were able to get the classroom and restroom up. It really does look very nice. Lets hope you can continue to raise more funds and finish your project. I have passed the information to those who helped last year in hopes they will also do the same this year. I will also help a bit too. Continue your good work.

take care, Oscar

Oscar E. Quirós, Ph.D. 

Email from Mother Loretta

Sep 14, 2015, 23:32

Hello Charles,

Sorry I did not respond earlier. I have just returned back to America after living overseas in Europe for the past 2 and half years. 

We are getting settled back into our home so am a bit busy with moving. 

Thank you for the kind words. I am very happy you have reached your goal.

I am especially happy you will get a classroom and a toilet to start. How exciting

People like you make a difference in a community. 

God Bless you,

Loretta

Email from Jenna. Oct 2, 2015, 18:49

Charles,

Thanks for the speedy reply. These numbers should be fine as long as they are NONPROFIT registration numbers. If you have the certificate of Nonprofit registration you can send that as well. Otherwise please let me know if the number you provided is equivalent to a nonprofit tax identification number in the US (Known as a EIN--not TIN). I ask because the MM foundation only gives grants to registered non profits. I hope this all makes sense and I look forward to hearing from you.

-Jenna

Charles,

I noticed the report got submitted, so I assume it finally worked on your end. It seems the pictures zoomed in, but it should be fine when donors click on them. Anyhow, I am off for the holidays so will have limited email access, but if there are any other urgent needs, let me know. 

Cheers,

Jenna

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/action-for-development-of-rights-adr-uganda/

Friends!

Our organization is fundraising to Build 2 Classes this Year 2023. 

We’re very excited to involve you. In order to meet our fundraising goal, it will truly take a village. Are you able to support this incredible cause

Any amount you can contribute will make a difference even - $5.

https://www.globalgiving.org/donate/26531/share-ngo

Donate Now. Thank you.