Back on December 3, we did a story and video entitled “The School with No School” (see archives). We told you about Pastor Charles and his little school of very poor and orphaned children that were meeting under a tree in Mukono, about 30 minutes outside of Kampala. Charles eventually found a beautiful piece of land that he could rent for about $125 for an entire year. Tim hired Wilbur, a local builder that has been helping us with various projects to set up in Mukono and begin construction on a large but simple combined church and school building. We were there this Monday and the building definitely needs some “Canadian tweaking” which Tim wants to do when we visit the site with our parents in March. Of course, Charles and the teachers and kids love it and think it’s perfect! 

 

A couple from Canada donated the funds to build a big open-air building for the families of Mukono and the students moved in for their first day of school just recently. Our deal with Pastor Charles was for us to build the structure, supplement them with posho and beans each month, and provide them with some basic school supplies. The families of the kids are responsible for supporting the 4 teachers with small gifts of money and food as their part in having a school. The food and supplies were also donated by you guys and we were privileged to deliver it for you this week.

 

There is lots of land at the school in Mukono and plans are underway to plant some crops and fruit trees as well as to build a large pen for several pigs as a sustainability project. We are going take Nurse Esther to Mukono a few times a month to keep an eye on the kids’ health and treat various issues like ringworm, malaria and infections.

 

When we were there, we saw the 40 foot deep, hand-dug hole that is ready to become toilets for the kids. The cement pad has now been poured and they are waiting on the bricks and iron sheets to build the outhouse buildings on top of the concrete pad. We have put this need on the Help the Kids page if anyone is interested in paying for a toilet. It’s not a glamorous thing to pay for but it will mean 80 kids using an enclosed outhouse as opposed to the ground.

 

Thanks for helping us work in the little village of Mukono. One look at the kid’s faces on the video will tell you that they say thank you also! Click on the youtube link to see the Mukono school.