Uganda: Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement Project

School Support

Currently, a total of 9,756 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. Second term school fees were paid in all sponsored schools:

• Beth Cole Nursery School: 1,128 children supported
• Arnold Nursery School: 975 children supported
• Can Rom Primary School: 3,589 pupils supported
• Arnold Primary School: 2,888 pupils supported
• Panyadoli Self Help Secondary School: 1,176 students supported

Medicine Delivery

During the reporting period, RMF/WCF provided medicine and medical supplies to the health centers in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. This was supplemented by medical supplies from Kiryandongo District’s local government and the UNHCR. These supplies helped to save lives during the continued influx of South Sudanese refugees.

Salaries, wages, and top-up allowances for staff members delivering health services 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:

• 75 new students were admitted for this intake.
• The process of admitting new students was initiated through advertising the opportunity in the community. This led many prospective students to apply to PVTI.
• Many students applied, but only 75 were accepted, as PVTI’s financial support is not enough to support all applicants.
• All students went through PVTI’s interview process, and the selection criteria were based upon passing the interview. All partners implementing activities in the settlement were invited, but only the OPM, UNHCR, Kiryandongo District Local Government, Community Leaders RWCIII, RMF’s coordinator, and PVTI instructors attended the interviews.
• 156 applicants were interviewed, but only 75 managed to pass interviews.
• All training materials were provided, which helped PVTI to conduct training without interruption. Trainees have been provided with safety tools and uniforms.
• Training sessions were effectively conducted and stayed on schedule.
• Instructors’ salaries were paid in a timely manner, which kept their motivation high.
• On June 20, 2017, the program hosted a high-level delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), including JICA Senior Vice President Hiroshi Kato. The delegation toured all four of PVTI’s departments and discussed possibilities of partnership in supporting vocational training for refugees.

Precious Children’s Centre

Throughout the reporting period, RMF continued to provide the Precious Children’s Centre with funding for food. Because the children have enough to eat, they are staying in school and are able concentrate on studying.

Kiryandongo Sports Development Program

RMF has been able to establish a 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.

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 financial support, Patricia is receiving treatment at the Uganda Heart Institute. She will undergo an operation in August 2017 at the Uganda Heart Institute, which RMF will also pay for. During the reporting period, RMF ensured that Patricia was able to see the cardiologists for her appointments.

Visit from RMF’s Founder and CEO

RMF Founder and CEO Dr. Martina Fuchs visited Uganda for two weeks, April–May 2017, to tour RMF Uganda’s program sites and encourage our teams. In the course of her visit, Dr. Martina Fuchs stopped at the Panyadoli Vocational Training Institute (PVTI) in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement and led an interactive session with the trainees. She visited all four departments and had the opportunity to talk with trainees and instructors in their respective departments. Dr. Martina Fuchs also visited RMF-supported health centers in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, interacted with medical and support staff, and inaugurated 3 new buildings that had been constructed with RMF funding and the generous support of LDS Charities.

During RMF Founder and CEO Dr. Martina Fuchs’ visit, RMF Uganda was able to purchase a small SUV to support our main office in Kampala. As our project sites continue to expand, the vehicle will help strengthen field support and supervision.