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Letter from Uganda
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Uganda Mission Update: Pictures of Progress
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St. Clare of Assisi Uganda Mission Update
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We would like to begin this update on the St. Clare of Assisi “Our Uganda Mission” with a message from the children of Mary Hill Primary School who you have so generously supported since 2020.
Our hope is that, after reading this update, you will have a better understanding of the life changing impact of God’s grace, your prayers and overwhelming generosity are having on this precious community.
First some background:
Founded and directed by Moses Kasozi, Mary Hill Primary School is a community project aimed at lifting the standard of education for the poor and orphans in the area, providing them a pathway out of poverty towards self-sufficiency and independence.- 49% of the population they serve are fourteen years or younger.
- 68% will not make it through primary school.
- 26% of children in the area they serve are orphans (12.3% in the country)
- 34% are poor.
- Some children in the district become heads of their homes and bread earners of their families at the age of nine years or older as many of their parents have died from HIV/AIDS.
- Mary Hill is located in Kanoni, Bukomansimbi district of Uganda.
Many children were unable to attend primary school because they could not afford tuition and/or the long travel distance to many of the schools. As a result, Moses and the community realized the need for a local primary school specifically set up to meet the needs of poor families and orphans.
The school was established in 2017 but was later transferred to a larger site on eight acres, comprised of five acres that were purchased with donated funds and three acres that were donated as a gift. In 2019, Fr. Martin and a small contingent from St. Clare first visited Uganda. At that time there were 4 classrooms completed supporting 250 students enrolled across preschool/Kindergarten and grades P1 and P2. Fr. Martin and the entire group was tremendously moved by their experience - the faith and passion of Moses, the students, the Mary Hill community, and the overwhelming need they observed. Upon their return, Fr. Martin wanted to establish a more formal relationship between Moses, the Mary Hill School community, and St. Clare of Assisi.
In January of 2020 the concept of the “Our Uganda Mission” for the parish was formed and the first initiative of support for the school and community from the parish began during Lent with donations that came from the Lenten Giving Cross for Uganda.
IMPACT of St. Clare of Assisi Support:
When we first started back in February 2020 (the start of the new school year) there were 291 pupils supported by 12 teachers and 8 support staff. Because of your overwhelming generosity for Uganda from the Lenten Giving Cross and the Advent Giving Tree from 2020 – 2022, Mary Hill Primary School currently has eight classrooms built, supporting over 500 students enrolled across preschool/Kindergarten, P1, P2, P3 and P4. They have completed the first floor of a girls’ dormitory that will eventually house 200 young girls who would not be able to attend school otherwise. In addition, they have established a sustainable food program on site to help feed the community, built a government required fence around the school and were able to provide critical food to vulnerable families during the height of the pandemic.
The following pictures and bullet points will provide you a visual timeline of the life changing impact your prayers and financial support is having for these children and their families.
From 2020 Lenten Giving Cross
- Completion of 4 additional classrooms of school to support growing enrollment.
- 291 students at beginning of School year February 2020
- Subsidized tuition, books, uniforms and supplies for students.
- 40% of students cannot afford all costs.
- Subsidized teacher’s salaries impacted by school closure in April due to pandemic.
- Teacher’s salary is $1350 a year.
Critical Food Provided to Families struggling during Peak of Pandemic
in May of 2020 and June of 2021
- 2 tons of rice purchased and distributed to over 200 families
- Packages of food distributed to multiple families at Christmas 2020
From Advent Giving Tree 2020
- Funding to build fence around school that was required by government due to pandemic.
- Fence was completed in time to re-open school in February 2021
- Continued subsidized tuition, books, uniforms and supplies for students.
- Enrollment now around 318 and climbing.
- 157 people and orphans fed a Christmas meal.
From Lenten Giving Cross 2021
- Funding to begin phase one of building dormitory to house 200 girls during school year.
- Continued subsidized tuition, books, uniforms and supplies for students.
- Enrollment estimated to be around 400 for 2022 school year beginning in January.
From Advent Giving Tree 2021The Future – Moving Forward
- Funding for phase two of building girls’ dormitory
- Purchase of desks and chairs for growing enrollment
From Lenten Giving Cross 2022
- Funding for sustainable food program
- Students growing maize, beans, and sweet potatoes on site.
- Continued support for construction of girls’ dormitory.
From Advent Giving Tree 2022- Addition of teachers
- Over 500 students currently enrolled
- 16 teachers total
- $1,700 current annual salary
- 2 administrators
- 10 support staff
- Continued support for girls’ dormitory
- Completion of first floor
- Currently housing girls
- Child support program for vulnerable students
- Tuition
- Uniforms and supplies
- Meals
- Completion of first floor
The work is not done as the school is currently not large enough for all the students enrolled. The next phase is for the addition of 4 new classes to be completed to support grades P5 through P8. The plan is to complete these classrooms in 4 years - adding 1 class per year. In the future Mary Hill anticipates having 1000 students. Mary Hill Primary School is committed to empowering the lives of the poor and underprivileged by creating an environment of learning that will enhance the intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual development of the students.
Moses has humbly shared that the relationship with St. Clare of Assisi parish over the past 3 years has been an incredible blessing to the children and their families. In his words, “We just bring our loaves and fishes and make ourselves available and God does the rest”. You, the parishioners of St. Clare of Assisi are part of the “rest” that God is doing for the children in Mary Hill Primary School.
Thank you for your generosity and truly living out the gospel of Matthew!
Matthew 25:34-40
Then the King will say to those at his right hand, Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?” And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”
