We have done it!! With your incredible generosity, the three projects of my last email (screens for boys and girls dormitories, football boots and uniforms and Jon's water project) have all been funded. In fact, the current amount raised has reached $1600!! I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for these people that I love so much. The entire community of Bethlehem Parents' School sends their heartfelt thanks and blessings.
When I approached the Director, Mr. Fred, with the funds for the screen project, the tears in his eyes and the smile on his face were evidence of the decade he has toiled (and the utter exhaustion he faces at the ongoing barriers to creation of a quality, safe, healthy educational setting) to make his community a better place for disadvantaged children. His gratitude for YOUR generosity was a humbling experience for me. It is important to me that you know that these children will now face less of threat from mosquitoes carrying incapacitation diseases because you have opened your hearts and your wallets to these deserving and wonderful children and the adults that look after their well-being.
After delivering to good news and the funds for the screen project, I was fortunate to be your spokeswomen of even more good news...when the girls (and assistant coach/head teacher Ronald) were stretching for our daily training, I asked for a moment to talk about how we were going to progress as a team. With brown faces and pink smiles, the girls sat in the dust, huge, dark eyes full of questions as to what I was going to say. Then, with my heart bursting and joy seeping out of my pores (and eyes...okay, I admit it, I am a big softie...cried the whole darn time!), I shared the news that we would be getting boots and uniforms! How do I describe what happened next?? The hooting and hollering, the tears, the giggles, the jumping up and down, the hugs, the disbelief, the blessings...these exclamations were only outdone during the official presentation of a full uniform (jersey, shorts, socks, shin pads, boots...the whole nine yards!) to each girl footballer. At this assembly (held outside under the shade of banana trees that are scattered around the compound), nearly 600 children and staff went officially nuts! So many of the adults came up to me afterwards and thanked me for telling the good news of Uganda. They worry that people in the rest of the world only hear about Uganda when something bad happens. They were trying to wrap their heads around the idea that I sent word to friends and family about their very community and that people who received my messages responded with such kindness. Many of the male teachers (footballers since birth and very interested in the school team) told me that even though they had been playing football for years, they had never even see a shin guard up close and in fact, they did not know how to tell the girls to put them on. Amazing things are happening for these exceptional folks because of all of you. As I shared earlier, the ownership of a pair of football boots was a new and mind-blowing reality for the girls. We spent about an hour on the second practice day after giving out the equipment just learning how to lace and tie the boots. Although I should have realized it, the girls did not know that there were shoes with laces and of course it follows, they did not know how to tie 'their very own shoes' that had complicated, long and mysterious laces to be managed. Humbling, indeed.
Again, I am taught the true meaning of gratitude by young people and adults who take nothing, NOTHING for granted. May we all walk through our days with a tenth of their awareness of good fortune.
As the donations began to exceed the initial amount that I laid out in my last email, I looked through my loooong "to do" list of all things related to my experience here and my future plans for Genda Mirembe/Go In Peace Foundation. At the top of this list is a young man, Richard Kisutu. I have included an excerpt of an email that I sent to my parents about this great friend of mine below:
Upon arrival, all those months ago in October, one of the first people to greet me was Richard Kisutu (pronounced chee-soo-too). Richard was there from the early start of day one, smile ready, eyes sparkling, enjoying the work he was doing and giving his best to each client that came in the door. He appeared tireless and lit from the inside. As I got to know Richard, I learned of his story: Richard Kisutu is a twenty year old Ugandan who has just completed his secondary schooling, with a diploma focused in psychology and counseling services. Richard was orphaned at a young age due to the HIV/AIDS endemic that nearly wiped out a generation of people (the majority were Richard's parents age) and found himself living with his aging grandfather on his subsistence farmland. Literally having no money with which to pay school fees, Richard walked from his grandfather's village into the larger town of Kyotera (where I live now) and went to every organization he could find looking for someone who could help him find work (he was seven at the time!) or sponsorship so that he could go to school. From a very young age, Richard realized that education was going to be his driving force. He has spent every day, since that fateful encounter with a generous sponsor in Kyotera who funded his primary and secondary education, giving back. Richard believes that his life was changed for the better through education and support (emotional, physcological, religious) that he received as a beneficiary of other's good deeds. As he continues on his path towards a university degree in counseling and social work, Richard is determined to achieve a level of education that the vast majority of Ugandans (let alone orphans in Uganda) ever realize. After obtaining his degree from Markerere University (in Kampala), Richard wants to return to Rakai District (within which Kyotera is situated) and offer support, counseling, and mentoring to vulnerable youth (many of whom find themselves in the same difficult situation that he did as a young boy). He envisions a future where he will lead by example...in his words, "Look at me kids. I am Ugandan. I am an orphan. I have achieved greatness through education and success by returning to my community to help others. You can too." Distilling his future dreams to that level made me understand the meaning of the word 'faith' in a way that I hadn't yet thought about. Richard has unequivocal faith that he WILL continue to university and he WILL walk across the lawn at graduation and he WILL return to his home village and he WILL help kids just like him. He believes so earnestly, that I cannot help but be inspired to try and help him along the journey. These are the starling statistics related to education that make me shake my head in wonder at the odds that were (and are) stacked against Richard's dream coming true: Roughly 75% of primary school graduates drop out and never go on to secondary school; About one fourth of first year students (in secondary school) drop out, and, by the fourth year of secondary school, only a small percentage of the entering class graduate; Upon graduation, less that 25% are eligible for university; Of that 25%, annually, about 10% are able to enter university upon satisfactory application, acceptance and fee submission. Richard would be one of about 9,000 Ugandans each year who are able to make it to the first day of class at university. The time commitment, lack of role models, family expectations and duties, costs and complicated and often convoluted administrative issues are just so incredibly prohibitive that it is a wonder that even that many folks make it to university! For Richard to attend Makerere University, he needs to come up with $3700 (USD), to completely pay for his three years of schooling. Although this may not seem like a great deal of money, it is an amount that is impossible for Richard to even imagine, let alone raise himself. Having grown close to this exceptional young man, seen his mud and brick house, dug in the fields with him and his grandfather, eaten on the dirt floor of his home, and been privy to his concerns and worries, his hopes and beliefs...I can say, without hesitation, that if we can raise enough money for this one young man to go to university, we will be impacting an entire community. Richard is one of the finest, most earnest, hardworking, joyful people I know. He would give you the shirt off his back if you were in need without taking the time to even blink. Although I cannot truly understand what life has been like for Richard thus far, I can see clearly into his bright future -- he WILL make life better for countless others. I am writing about my friend and colleague because I feel compelled to try and help Richard achieve the greatness for which he is destined. I am asking for your help in this quest. Please share my short musings on my friend Richard with whomever you like. Please encourage folks to give whatever they can...every single cent will get Richard closer to his dream and every cent will go directly towards his educational expenses.
So, as you can tell, I believe in this young man and his ability to make good things happen. With your permission, I would like to use the additional funds to go towards Richard's anticipated registration with Makerere University this spring. He will begin his university education in August of 2009. He is very interested in offering his services to Genda Mirembe/Go In Peace Foundation after obtaining his degree. This young man doesn't just want to fulfill his own dreams, he want to help others fulfill theirs. I am hoping that my request to use the additional funding to facilitate Richard's entry into university is agreeable to all who have donated money thus far. As always, if you are interested in helping further, please do not hesitate to let me know! (You can mail donations to my father: Paul Ridgeway, 271 Strawberry Circle, Windsor, CT 06095)
As the Foundation that Barbara and I are starting is taking shape, I will update you on the progress and potential program initiatives. Thank you for your interest, your time and your open hearts. You really are helping to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
I have attached photos that show the progression from barefoot, skirt-clad lady footballers to uniformed and booted sportswomen that my young ladies (They informed me that I was now their "Ssanga (Auntie) Julie" and that they were my "daughters" as is the local custom of calling nieces and nephews your daughters and sons! Who knew I would end up with thirty daughters in less than one year?!) experienced because of YOU. Also, please find the photos of the boys in the dorm windows and the screening material arriving by bike to the compound (Here, you can get a live cow delivered by bike, so a couple dozen yards of screen mesh and twenty or so two-by-fours was no sweat to transport!) attached as well.
Webale nyo means "Thank you very much" in Luganda. I do not have enough words (in any language!) to adequately express my appreciation to you (and your family and friends who responded when you forwarded them my email) for your kindness, your caring, and for the conscious actions that you have taken to help others.
Much peace and love to you and yours,
When I approached the Director, Mr. Fred, with the funds for the screen project, the tears in his eyes and the smile on his face were evidence of the decade he has toiled (and the utter exhaustion he faces at the ongoing barriers to creation of a quality, safe, healthy educational setting) to make his community a better place for disadvantaged children. His gratitude for YOUR generosity was a humbling experience for me. It is important to me that you know that these children will now face less of threat from mosquitoes carrying incapacitation diseases because you have opened your hearts and your wallets to these deserving and wonderful children and the adults that look after their well-being.
After delivering to good news and the funds for the screen project, I was fortunate to be your spokeswomen of even more good news...when the girls (and assistant coach/head teacher Ronald) were stretching for our daily training, I asked for a moment to talk about how we were going to progress as a team. With brown faces and pink smiles, the girls sat in the dust, huge, dark eyes full of questions as to what I was going to say. Then, with my heart bursting and joy seeping out of my pores (and eyes...okay, I admit it, I am a big softie...cried the whole darn time!), I shared the news that we would be getting boots and uniforms! How do I describe what happened next?? The hooting and hollering, the tears, the giggles, the jumping up and down, the hugs, the disbelief, the blessings...these exclamations were only outdone during the official presentation of a full uniform (jersey, shorts, socks, shin pads, boots...the whole nine yards!) to each girl footballer. At this assembly (held outside under the shade of banana trees that are scattered around the compound), nearly 600 children and staff went officially nuts! So many of the adults came up to me afterwards and thanked me for telling the good news of Uganda. They worry that people in the rest of the world only hear about Uganda when something bad happens. They were trying to wrap their heads around the idea that I sent word to friends and family about their very community and that people who received my messages responded with such kindness. Many of the male teachers (footballers since birth and very interested in the school team) told me that even though they had been playing football for years, they had never even see a shin guard up close and in fact, they did not know how to tell the girls to put them on. Amazing things are happening for these exceptional folks because of all of you. As I shared earlier, the ownership of a pair of football boots was a new and mind-blowing reality for the girls. We spent about an hour on the second practice day after giving out the equipment just learning how to lace and tie the boots. Although I should have realized it, the girls did not know that there were shoes with laces and of course it follows, they did not know how to tie 'their very own shoes' that had complicated, long and mysterious laces to be managed. Humbling, indeed.
Again, I am taught the true meaning of gratitude by young people and adults who take nothing, NOTHING for granted. May we all walk through our days with a tenth of their awareness of good fortune.
As the donations began to exceed the initial amount that I laid out in my last email, I looked through my loooong "to do" list of all things related to my experience here and my future plans for Genda Mirembe/Go In Peace Foundation. At the top of this list is a young man, Richard Kisutu. I have included an excerpt of an email that I sent to my parents about this great friend of mine below:
Upon arrival, all those months ago in October, one of the first people to greet me was Richard Kisutu (pronounced chee-soo-too). Richard was there from the early start of day one, smile ready, eyes sparkling, enjoying the work he was doing and giving his best to each client that came in the door. He appeared tireless and lit from the inside. As I got to know Richard, I learned of his story: Richard Kisutu is a twenty year old Ugandan who has just completed his secondary schooling, with a diploma focused in psychology and counseling services. Richard was orphaned at a young age due to the HIV/AIDS endemic that nearly wiped out a generation of people (the majority were Richard's parents age) and found himself living with his aging grandfather on his subsistence farmland. Literally having no money with which to pay school fees, Richard walked from his grandfather's village into the larger town of Kyotera (where I live now) and went to every organization he could find looking for someone who could help him find work (he was seven at the time!) or sponsorship so that he could go to school. From a very young age, Richard realized that education was going to be his driving force. He has spent every day, since that fateful encounter with a generous sponsor in Kyotera who funded his primary and secondary education, giving back. Richard believes that his life was changed for the better through education and support (emotional, physcological, religious) that he received as a beneficiary of other's good deeds. As he continues on his path towards a university degree in counseling and social work, Richard is determined to achieve a level of education that the vast majority of Ugandans (let alone orphans in Uganda) ever realize. After obtaining his degree from Markerere University (in Kampala), Richard wants to return to Rakai District (within which Kyotera is situated) and offer support, counseling, and mentoring to vulnerable youth (many of whom find themselves in the same difficult situation that he did as a young boy). He envisions a future where he will lead by example...in his words, "Look at me kids. I am Ugandan. I am an orphan. I have achieved greatness through education and success by returning to my community to help others. You can too." Distilling his future dreams to that level made me understand the meaning of the word 'faith' in a way that I hadn't yet thought about. Richard has unequivocal faith that he WILL continue to university and he WILL walk across the lawn at graduation and he WILL return to his home village and he WILL help kids just like him. He believes so earnestly, that I cannot help but be inspired to try and help him along the journey. These are the starling statistics related to education that make me shake my head in wonder at the odds that were (and are) stacked against Richard's dream coming true: Roughly 75% of primary school graduates drop out and never go on to secondary school; About one fourth of first year students (in secondary school) drop out, and, by the fourth year of secondary school, only a small percentage of the entering class graduate; Upon graduation, less that 25% are eligible for university; Of that 25%, annually, about 10% are able to enter university upon satisfactory application, acceptance and fee submission. Richard would be one of about 9,000 Ugandans each year who are able to make it to the first day of class at university. The time commitment, lack of role models, family expectations and duties, costs and complicated and often convoluted administrative issues are just so incredibly prohibitive that it is a wonder that even that many folks make it to university! For Richard to attend Makerere University, he needs to come up with $3700 (USD), to completely pay for his three years of schooling. Although this may not seem like a great deal of money, it is an amount that is impossible for Richard to even imagine, let alone raise himself. Having grown close to this exceptional young man, seen his mud and brick house, dug in the fields with him and his grandfather, eaten on the dirt floor of his home, and been privy to his concerns and worries, his hopes and beliefs...I can say, without hesitation, that if we can raise enough money for this one young man to go to university, we will be impacting an entire community. Richard is one of the finest, most earnest, hardworking, joyful people I know. He would give you the shirt off his back if you were in need without taking the time to even blink. Although I cannot truly understand what life has been like for Richard thus far, I can see clearly into his bright future -- he WILL make life better for countless others. I am writing about my friend and colleague because I feel compelled to try and help Richard achieve the greatness for which he is destined. I am asking for your help in this quest. Please share my short musings on my friend Richard with whomever you like. Please encourage folks to give whatever they can...every single cent will get Richard closer to his dream and every cent will go directly towards his educational expenses.
So, as you can tell, I believe in this young man and his ability to make good things happen. With your permission, I would like to use the additional funds to go towards Richard's anticipated registration with Makerere University this spring. He will begin his university education in August of 2009. He is very interested in offering his services to Genda Mirembe/Go In Peace Foundation after obtaining his degree. This young man doesn't just want to fulfill his own dreams, he want to help others fulfill theirs. I am hoping that my request to use the additional funding to facilitate Richard's entry into university is agreeable to all who have donated money thus far. As always, if you are interested in helping further, please do not hesitate to let me know! (You can mail donations to my father: Paul Ridgeway, 271 Strawberry Circle, Windsor, CT 06095)
As the Foundation that Barbara and I are starting is taking shape, I will update you on the progress and potential program initiatives. Thank you for your interest, your time and your open hearts. You really are helping to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
I have attached photos that show the progression from barefoot, skirt-clad lady footballers to uniformed and booted sportswomen that my young ladies (They informed me that I was now their "Ssanga (Auntie) Julie" and that they were my "daughters" as is the local custom of calling nieces and nephews your daughters and sons! Who knew I would end up with thirty daughters in less than one year?!) experienced because of YOU. Also, please find the photos of the boys in the dorm windows and the screening material arriving by bike to the compound (Here, you can get a live cow delivered by bike, so a couple dozen yards of screen mesh and twenty or so two-by-fours was no sweat to transport!) attached as well.
Webale nyo means "Thank you very much" in Luganda. I do not have enough words (in any language!) to adequately express my appreciation to you (and your family and friends who responded when you forwarded them my email) for your kindness, your caring, and for the conscious actions that you have taken to help others.
Much peace and love to you and yours,
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