Uganda: Mama Kevina Comprehensive Secondary School Project

Students learning about slum life at one of the landing sites at Lake Victoria

 

Project Goals:

• Provide funding for education for underprivileged children at World Children’s Fund Mama Kevina School.
• Cater to operational costs for World Children’s Fund Mama Kevina School
• Support the school administration in payment of staff salaries and the daily running of school programs.
• Supply of school text books, laboratory and chemistry equipment for science practices
• Supply of computers to equip students and staff with computer skills and knowledge
• Fund the students’ extra-curricular activities to allow them to participate in sports, regional games and inter-school competitions to enhance the performance of the students and the school in the region, as well as music, dance, and drama competitions, all geared toward enhancing talent development of the students.
• Support the school to feed the students of World Children’s Fund Mama Kevina School a balanced diet that enhances the health and growth of the children. 
• Provide food supplies for the students of World Children’s Fund Mama Kevina Comprehensive Secondary School and support the local youths in the surrounding slums.
• Support the school with medicines and medical supplies so that the school nurse can treat the children within school premises.
• Support the school’s gardening project so that the school can produce its own food as a way of reducing food costs.
• Support of the Nurse’s Office for students’ medical needs; decrease in cases of malaria among school staff and students.
• Support school with costs for candidates sitting for Uganda National Examinations.

Project Objectives:
 
Support World Children’s Fund Mama Kevina School with the following:

• Food supply for the students and staff
• Support of the school garden: food crops to supplement food supplies and trees for fire wood
• Anti-malarial medication and mosquito net supplies for the students and staff
• Support of the school clinic with medicines and medical supplies
• Payment of staff salaries
• Support computer purchases to teach IT skills
• Purchase of text books and other school teaching supplies and instructional materials
• Purchase of office equipment supplies like photocopier, printer, and office furniture
• Facilitate participation in educational activities at district level, community outreach and inter-house competitions with music, dance, drama, regional games and sports held in partnership with the Tororo District.
• Support infrastructure development of the school.
• Support children that need specialized medical treatment
• Support John Ochwo with medicines, medical supplies and medical consultation at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala for heart disease before taken to India for heart surgery and after return to Uganda.

Summary of RMF/WCF-sponsored activities carried out during the reporting period under each project objective (note any changes from original plans):

• The school purchased food for the students and teachers during this reporting period.
• Staff salaries and wages for the support staff members were fully and timely paid.
• The school was able to conduct the annual inter-house music dance and drama competition and reward the winning house. The theme of the event was: “Conserving the environment is everybody’s responsibility”.
• The school was able to conduct a joint party in honor of bidding farewell to the senior four candidates who will be completing their ordinary level in November this year as well as welcoming the senior ones who joined the school early this year (this is a highly exciting event for the students because it is the only day that students are allowed to dress in non-uniform while at school and be free to dance and be happy, and are being served with good food and drinks).
• The school facilitated the senior four candidates for geography and agricultural tours at the tea estates in Lugazi and the slums on the shores of Lake Victoria. This is a pre-requisite for the National Examinations Board.
• With the funding from RMF/WCF, the school has been able to purchase single-sitter desks which are a requirement for the Uganda National Examinations Board.
• The funding from RMF/WCF enabled the school to purchase props and costumes which are used during music, dance and drama.
• The school used the funding from RMF/WCF to beautify the school compound and to create “a talking compound”.
• The school purchased curtains and a curtain rail for hanging the curtains in the Multipurpose Hall
• Purchase of stationery to prepare in-house exams for assessing the learners (beginning of term exams, midterm exams and end of term exams).
• The funding from RMF/WCF enabled the school to purchase medicines and medical supplies to treat children who fall sick during the term.
• Payment of utility bills and electricity
• Purchased furniture for the bursar and secretary‘s office.
• The school participated in the National Athletics Competition and one of the girls, Gloria Ajobilo, senior one, was among those who represented the Eastern Region at the National level.
• The school hosted experts in Literature, in English and Fine Art from Makerere College School for a one-day seminar to give special technical guidance/ questions/ approach to the students in those fields.  This aims at enhancing good academic performance of the students.

Results and/or accomplishments achieved during this reporting period:

• Teaching and assessment of the students continued smoothly and without interruption.
• Planned co-curriculum activities as per school calendar were conducted. These included Music, Dance and Drama inter-house competitions, Athletics, inter-school Football and Netball competitions, and parents visiting day.
• Throughout the reporting period the students were fed on a balanced diet. This is part of the reason why the learners look healthy.
• The annual inter-house Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) competition was conducted and the winners rewarded with a trophy and a bull.
• The school hosted experts in Literature, in English and Fine Art from Makerere College School for a one-day seminar to give special technical guidance/ questions/ approach to the students in those fields.  This aims at enhancing good academic performance of the students.
• Timely payment of staff salaries and wages; this has enabled the school to have a dedicated teaching and support staff.  
• The school was able to purchase props and costumes for the MDD, to purchase curtains for the Multipurpose Hall.
• Improvement of the school compound (making it a “talking compound”)
• The school has purchased single-sitter desks that are recommended by the National Examinations Board.
• Geography and Agriculture field studies for the candidate class were conducted during the reporting period.

Impact this project has on the community (who is benefiting and how):

• The Eastern Uganda World Children’s Fund Mama Kevina Secondary School has become the number one choice for many parents and children to study at.
• The school has become a driving factor for extending other social services to the area. The district local government upgraded the road going to school. This benefits both the school and the community. The road is now passable even during rainy season.
• This school has stimulated positive academic competition among other secondary schools in Eastern Uganda. When this school appeared in the national newspaper as the 2^nd best in Tororo District, the other schools felt their popularity was at stake, thus they started to work hard to maintain their positions. This has positive impact on education in the whole of Tororo.
• Graduates from World Children’s Fund Mama Kevina Secondary School easily secure vacancies in powerful schools for advanced level. Generally other schools have confidence in our students both in terms of discipline and academic competitiveness.
• Student teachers from different Tertiary Institutions of Learning now prefer to come to the school for internships because the students are well disciplined and ready to learn and the school has a very conducive environment for teaching.
• Local youth in the surrounding slums who used to loiter around the slum have reduced. This has impact on reduced crime rates in the area.
• The school has positively changed the face and value of the area. The area which used to be a feared slum has gained high market value because of the presence of the school. This is an advantage to the entire community of Tororo and Uganda at large.
• Purchased medicine to treat children who fall sick during the reporting period; they are treated by our nurses on school premises.
• John Ochwo who was supported for heart treatment has tremendously recovered and has finally completed a certificate course in journalism and is waiting for graduation.

Project Photos

WCF Mama Keving School 2015 candidates on a geography tour in tea estates in Lugazi, Central Uganda

Students watching the process of harvesting tea

A student trying the process of harvesting tea

Teaching the students about the topography of the land

Watching the process of loading and transporting the tea to the factory

Senior 1 and senior 4 students, class 2015, at their farewell/welcoming party — it is the only day students are allowed to put on non-uniform clothes while at school

Opening the 2015 music, dance and drama inter-house competition: singing the school and national anthem

The winning house receiving a bull from the guest of honor, Ajassa Robina, Tororo District Education Officer

Jubilation after winning the 2015 MDD inter-house competition

Assessing the academic ability of every student so teachers are able to consider individual differences

sample of talking compound

The new look of the secretary and bursar's office

Stage curtains for the multi-purpose hall

Gloria Ajobilo, the girl who represented Tororo District at the National Athletics Competition in Gulu, Nothern Uganda

The school netball team and athletics team 2015

School football team 2015 (this team lacks playing boots)

Food security at the school

Part of the food stock purchased during the reporting period