Uganda: Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement Project

School Support

Currently, a total of 10,083 students are supported by RMF/WCF funding in nursery, primary, and secondary schools, including South Sudanese, Kenyan, Rwandan, Burundian, Ugandan IDP, and Congolese children/students. School fees for all RMF-sponsored students were paid at the beginning of the reporting period:

• Beth Cole Nursery School: 1,238 children supported
• Arnold Nursery School: 985 children supported
• Can Rom Primary School: 3,687 pupils supported
• Arnold Primary School: 2,987 pupils supported
• Panyadoli Self Help Secondary School: 1,186 students supported

Medicine and Human Resources Support

• During the reporting period, RMF/WCF provided medicine, as well as medical, laboratory, and cleaning supplies for the health centers in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. This was supplemented by medical supplies from Kiryandongo District’s local government and the UNHCR. RMF/WCF’s medical support benefits both refugees and nationals who come for treatment at Panyadoli Health Centre III, Panyadoli Hills Health Centre II, the Reception Centre Clinic, and Nyakadot Health Centre II.
• Recruited new staff members to work in the Operating Theatre (recently constructed at Panyadoli Health Centre III with funding from RMF), as well as other medical departments. This additional staff will eliminate the need for many referrals to other health facilities.
• Boosted the capacity of health facilities in the settlement—mainly Panyadoli Health Centre III, Panyadoli Hills Health Centre II, and Nyakadot Health Centre II—by recruiting additional medical and support staff and continuing to provide adequate medical and cleaning supplies.
• RMF/WCF funding also sustains data clerks in all the health facilities of the settlement so that all medical data is recorded and well organized.
• Salaries, wages, and top-up allowances for medical and support staff in the health program were paid in a timely manner.

Panyadoli Vocational Training Institute (PVTI)

We continue to provide financial support and guidance for the four departments at RMF’s Panyadoli Vocational Training Institute (PVTI). During this reporting period, the following accomplishments were achieved:

• The PVTI team conducted interviews to select candidates for the 14th intake, January–March 2018. 381 applicants expressed interest in joining the vocational training program. After the interview process and considering the institute’s financial capacity, 88 trainees were accepted.
• Of the 88 trainees accepted for the intake, 80 continued with their training and were registered for the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) examinations, which took place on April 25, 2018. Unfortunately, one Tailoring and Garment Cutting trainee died on the day of the examination. His name was John Taban Basilio, a male South Sudanese trainee who had been in poor health for some time.
• All four departments were provided with adequate training and examination materials during the reporting period, which helped PVTI to conduct training without interruption. Trainees were also provided with safety tools and uniforms.
• Due to the funding from RMF/WCF, the program is able to attract additional partners. During the previous reporting period, Panyadoli Vocational Training Institute (PVTI) received supplementary materials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). These materials supported training activities and the school office.
• Training sessions were effectively conducted and stayed on schedule.
• Instructors’ salaries were paid in a timely manner, which enables PVTI to maintain a highly motivated team.
• The cleanliness of the school’s premises was maintained by ensuring that the compound was mown and the training workshop and office kept clean.
• In order to promote the concept of democracy, trainees are encouraged to elect guild representatives. The activity makes the training lively, as different candidates try to win the electorate. This exercise took place on February 2, 2018, and the trainees are empowered to decide on the positions they consider vital to the institution.
• Follow-up visits were conducted for former trainees. In this way, the vocational training team was able to provide them with technical support on how to improve their businesses.

Kiryandongo Sports Development Program

RMF has continued to implement our sports development program, which is promoting psychological wellbeing, life skills, and cooperation among the youth. The program has helped diffuse some of the tension existing between different tribes from South Sudan. During this reporting period, the following activities were carried out:

• Conducted regular soccer trainings and organized matches both inside and outside of Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement.
• The team made a trip to Kampala, where they were hosted by the Airtel Rising Stars in Gayaza. This was a great opportunity for sharing experiences.
• The project purchased essential training equipment, including balls, sports bibs, uniforms, and cleats. This has led to easy identification during training and competitions. It has also attracted more participants to the program and created more confidence in the existing players because they are adequately facilitated.
• Maintained and greened the playing fields that are being used for practice.
• Conducted 2 dialogue sessions with the players to help build discipline and good habits among the participants.
• Throughout the reporting period, coaches of the different teams have been meeting together, which helps them coordinate the training activities of the program. During these meetings, the coaches are able to evaluate their performance, and this has become an important part of moving the program forward.

Precious Children’s Centre

RMF continued to provide financial support to the Precious Children’s Centre in Kawempe, Kampala, which takes care of orphans and vulnerable children. The funding from RMF is used to purchase of food for the children. This has helped to keep more children in class and to stabilize the center’s operations.

Support for a Young Heart Patient

Patricia Biira is a three-year-old girl who was born with holes in her heart. Thanks to RMF’s support, she underwent a successful heart surgery at the Uganda Heart Institute on August 16, 2017 and received emergency treatment a week later, when a new attack almost claimed her life. Patricia is now at home with her parents, and according to the medical review that was done in September, she is recovering steadily. Our team will check on Patricia’s progress again during the second quarter of 2018.