July 28th
Written by Lori Acton, Fount of Mercy's International Development Director
It’s about a week into the big move to Uganda (I moved to Uganda to work for Fount of Mercy full time in country) and so far it still feels like a short visit. This is mostly because my time is spent with short-term volunteers. The transition is beginning to happen though – I saw my new apartment, started shopping for a refrigerator and checked out my internet options. The best part – reconnecting with people I’ve met from years past and meeting even more people that live in Uganda. I am really looking forward to developing friendships and getting involved with the community here. I am so grateful to be here, and I am looking forward to the adventure in store for me!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
One Phone Call
July 22nd, 2009
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy
During our first strategic planning meetings with TAOST's head teacher Francis, we quickly learned that one of the greatest hurdles TAOST Academy has struggled against in their attempt to offer quality education for the orphans in their community is curriculum. Over the last three years the Ministry of Education in Uganda has released new curriculum for primary 1, 2, and 3. Each year a new level of curriculum is released. Eventually all 7 primary levels will have a standardized curriculum. Each curriculum has three parts, the curriculum (what to teach and when basied around themes), a teachers resource guide and a teachers guide book.
When we asked Francis which parts of the curriculum he has, he produced two pieces out of the nine he should have. When I asked him if he and his teachers had been trained to teach around a theme (new Ugandan standard), he said no. Six out of seven of his teachers are new teachers.
One phone call later and we had the Ministry of Education's Teacher Training Center (TTC) Director in Francis's office and for only $25 we were able to purchase the remaining seven pieces of curriculum that TAOST needs to be teaching their students alongside the Ugandan standard.
The icing on the cake: The TTC director invited Francis to a future workshop that he will be conducting and sat with us dreaming up ways that Fount of Mercy can work with his department to offer professional development for teachers all over Jinja. Literally at one point he said, "I could easily have over 180 teachers available for one of your workshops." So exciting.
Next step is to prepare Francis and his teachers in using their new resources. Suddenly it feels like we don't have enough time :)
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy
During our first strategic planning meetings with TAOST's head teacher Francis, we quickly learned that one of the greatest hurdles TAOST Academy has struggled against in their attempt to offer quality education for the orphans in their community is curriculum. Over the last three years the Ministry of Education in Uganda has released new curriculum for primary 1, 2, and 3. Each year a new level of curriculum is released. Eventually all 7 primary levels will have a standardized curriculum. Each curriculum has three parts, the curriculum (what to teach and when basied around themes), a teachers resource guide and a teachers guide book.
When we asked Francis which parts of the curriculum he has, he produced two pieces out of the nine he should have. When I asked him if he and his teachers had been trained to teach around a theme (new Ugandan standard), he said no. Six out of seven of his teachers are new teachers.
One phone call later and we had the Ministry of Education's Teacher Training Center (TTC) Director in Francis's office and for only $25 we were able to purchase the remaining seven pieces of curriculum that TAOST needs to be teaching their students alongside the Ugandan standard.
The icing on the cake: The TTC director invited Francis to a future workshop that he will be conducting and sat with us dreaming up ways that Fount of Mercy can work with his department to offer professional development for teachers all over Jinja. Literally at one point he said, "I could easily have over 180 teachers available for one of your workshops." So exciting.
Next step is to prepare Francis and his teachers in using their new resources. Suddenly it feels like we don't have enough time :)
Working with the new Head Teacher
July 21st, 2009
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy
Today Bobbie and I meet with The AIDS Orphan Support Trust's (TAOST) head teacher Francis.
In the last year TAOST has made some incredible strides towards achieving their vision for their education program. One specific step in this direction was hiring a qualified head teacher. TAOST, as with most of the organizations we work with, target the most at risk children in their community. Since the children they work with can not afford education, TAOST does not charge school fees. This means that the school does not have an income and therefore is not able to pay their teachers. Since they are not able to pay their teachers it is very hard to attract qualified teachers. Francis is qualified and therefore is a valuable assets to TAOST Academy.
I have worked with Francis before in previous professional development workshops and found him to be incredibly driven, focused, professional and experienced. When I heard that TAOST had promoted him to be the head teacher of the TAOST Academy I was instantly behind the decision.
Meeting with him today only confirmed that thought in my mind.
Bobbie and I spent a lot of time today listening to Francis's vision for TAOST Academy, his understanding of his role as head teacher, the challenges he faces and how he would like us to specifically help him grow into his new role.
Over the next two weeks Bobbie and I will be meeting with Francis every morning to help him create a work plan to direct his teachers and lead TAOST Academy into "a competitive school." In the afternoons, alongside Francis, we will be leading workshops for TAOST's seven teachers on 'Child Centered Teaching' and Uganda's curriculum.
I am looking forward to the collaboration!!
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy
Today Bobbie and I meet with The AIDS Orphan Support Trust's (TAOST) head teacher Francis.
In the last year TAOST has made some incredible strides towards achieving their vision for their education program. One specific step in this direction was hiring a qualified head teacher. TAOST, as with most of the organizations we work with, target the most at risk children in their community. Since the children they work with can not afford education, TAOST does not charge school fees. This means that the school does not have an income and therefore is not able to pay their teachers. Since they are not able to pay their teachers it is very hard to attract qualified teachers. Francis is qualified and therefore is a valuable assets to TAOST Academy.
I have worked with Francis before in previous professional development workshops and found him to be incredibly driven, focused, professional and experienced. When I heard that TAOST had promoted him to be the head teacher of the TAOST Academy I was instantly behind the decision.
Meeting with him today only confirmed that thought in my mind.
Bobbie and I spent a lot of time today listening to Francis's vision for TAOST Academy, his understanding of his role as head teacher, the challenges he faces and how he would like us to specifically help him grow into his new role.
Over the next two weeks Bobbie and I will be meeting with Francis every morning to help him create a work plan to direct his teachers and lead TAOST Academy into "a competitive school." In the afternoons, alongside Francis, we will be leading workshops for TAOST's seven teachers on 'Child Centered Teaching' and Uganda's curriculum.
I am looking forward to the collaboration!!
White water rafting for those not ready to FALL IN
July 25th, 2009
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy
I have been traveling to Uganda for awhile now. Every summer many of our volunteers choose to go white water rafting up the Nile. With out fail there are always a few volunteers who after watching the rafting video choose to sit out of the activity. Who can blame them with 12 rapids, 8 of them being grade 5!! Some of you reading this blog have rafted the Nile braving the grade five current. Many of you have said "That was fun, but I'll never do it again!" Well for the past three years I have sat out. I like to think I have a health fear of the rapids.
Well this year the company we raft with added a grade three rafting trip! The goal of the trip is to experience the Nile and the rapids but at a comfortable pace (and without the fear of death...ha.
So three of us signed up and had a blast. I'll share two highlights:
1. Often in between the rapids there are long stretches of water. Instead of staying in the rafts, all of us jumped into the river (with life vests on) and let the current float us down (or is it up) the river. Since we were wearing life vest we were able to lay back, look up into the clouds and just let the current take us along. Truly relaxing and breathtaking.
2. For our last rapid our raft was feeling particularly brave so we asked our guide to take us through a grade four. He agreed, we prepared and through one wave we went. Success, we all stayed in. Wave two hit and we all fell out. Wave three and we all survived!! I am so glad I was able to experience falling out or into the river. But honestly once was enough!
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy
I have been traveling to Uganda for awhile now. Every summer many of our volunteers choose to go white water rafting up the Nile. With out fail there are always a few volunteers who after watching the rafting video choose to sit out of the activity. Who can blame them with 12 rapids, 8 of them being grade 5!! Some of you reading this blog have rafted the Nile braving the grade five current. Many of you have said "That was fun, but I'll never do it again!" Well for the past three years I have sat out. I like to think I have a health fear of the rapids.
Well this year the company we raft with added a grade three rafting trip! The goal of the trip is to experience the Nile and the rapids but at a comfortable pace (and without the fear of death...ha.
So three of us signed up and had a blast. I'll share two highlights:
1. Often in between the rapids there are long stretches of water. Instead of staying in the rafts, all of us jumped into the river (with life vests on) and let the current float us down (or is it up) the river. Since we were wearing life vest we were able to lay back, look up into the clouds and just let the current take us along. Truly relaxing and breathtaking.
2. For our last rapid our raft was feeling particularly brave so we asked our guide to take us through a grade four. He agreed, we prepared and through one wave we went. Success, we all stayed in. Wave two hit and we all fell out. Wave three and we all survived!! I am so glad I was able to experience falling out or into the river. But honestly once was enough!
Wifi!!!
July 20th, 2009
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy
So I know its not life shattering.... but we have wifi in our hotel!! I am so excited to have internet access. Not only has it make keeping in touch with loved ones so much easier it has helped me run Fount of Mercy's office while in Uganda.
Just one more reason to volunteer in Uganda!
Written by Michelle Averna, Executive Director of Fount of Mercy
So I know its not life shattering.... but we have wifi in our hotel!! I am so excited to have internet access. Not only has it make keeping in touch with loved ones so much easier it has helped me run Fount of Mercy's office while in Uganda.
Just one more reason to volunteer in Uganda!
Aisha
July 19th, 2009
Written by Tara Hawks, Director of Sewing Hope (a Fount of Mercy program)
This is Aisha, one of our MOHM women who is simply lovely. She has a quiet and sweet spirit, and a surprising ambition. Although I have met her in the past, this year was the first time I was able to sit down with her and learn more about her life. The basics are that she has a household of 11, which she supports on her own because her husband cannot work due to illness.
She took an idea of Sarah's (MOHMS Vocational Tailoring Director) and has run with it, turning it into a little business for herself. Basically, she can go to the market and purchase a blouse for 500ugs, around 25 cents in our money. She takes it home, and cuts the sleeves off, takes it in to be more fitted, puts elastic in the waist, opens the neckline using the sleeves as a facing, and can resell it for 1000ugs, doubling her money. As long as the blouse is 30" long, it can be a dress, or she can use the sleeves or a bedsheet to lengthen it also. These are popular among young women or teenagers in the villages. It is a creative and cost-effective way to make a new product, one which most of Sarah's students never latched onto. But Aisha has. It is so satisfying to see that after 2 years of classes, virtually all of the women are using their skills to make money! Aisha is only one example.
Written by Tara Hawks, Director of Sewing Hope (a Fount of Mercy program)
This is Aisha, one of our MOHM women who is simply lovely. She has a quiet and sweet spirit, and a surprising ambition. Although I have met her in the past, this year was the first time I was able to sit down with her and learn more about her life. The basics are that she has a household of 11, which she supports on her own because her husband cannot work due to illness.
She took an idea of Sarah's (MOHMS Vocational Tailoring Director) and has run with it, turning it into a little business for herself. Basically, she can go to the market and purchase a blouse for 500ugs, around 25 cents in our money. She takes it home, and cuts the sleeves off, takes it in to be more fitted, puts elastic in the waist, opens the neckline using the sleeves as a facing, and can resell it for 1000ugs, doubling her money. As long as the blouse is 30" long, it can be a dress, or she can use the sleeves or a bedsheet to lengthen it also. These are popular among young women or teenagers in the villages. It is a creative and cost-effective way to make a new product, one which most of Sarah's students never latched onto. But Aisha has. It is so satisfying to see that after 2 years of classes, virtually all of the women are using their skills to make money! Aisha is only one example.
The Labirynth
July 26th, 2009
Written by Tara Hawks, Director of Sewing Hope (a Fount of Mercy program)
One surprise highlight of the day was entering Jinja's central market for the first time today. Basically, it is a labirynth of booths in the middle of Jinja, surrounded by a wall. It can be a little scary. But, assured that we could find knitting needles inside, we bravely entered like we had done it a million times. Unfortunately, the first section we came to was the butchery/meat section. I averted my eyes from the tables of guts several times until we came upon shoes...a section I was MUCH more comfortable in. After asking several times where to go and wandering a bit, we found a woman, who low-and-behold, was actually knitting!!!!!! We begged her to tell us where she got her needles and she said that we can't get them here....she had made hers out of a coat hanger! ha! She was really cool....after leaving her and deciding maybe we can find something else that will work for us, we stumbled upon the spice section....my favorite. That was such a cool place with bags and bags of great smelling curry's, all types of beans, some barks and rock salt, etc....so cool. We then went to the paper section and bought some cement papers to make more patterns for our class tomorrow, and eventually made it out the gate. So cool....it actually brought my spirits up quite a bit after such a draining day.
Being able to find the things you need in a new town and a different culture is one of the things that is most empowering to me. So, finding yarn and machine needles, combs, and pattern paper was really fun. It is a comfort.
Written by Tara Hawks, Director of Sewing Hope (a Fount of Mercy program)
One surprise highlight of the day was entering Jinja's central market for the first time today. Basically, it is a labirynth of booths in the middle of Jinja, surrounded by a wall. It can be a little scary. But, assured that we could find knitting needles inside, we bravely entered like we had done it a million times. Unfortunately, the first section we came to was the butchery/meat section. I averted my eyes from the tables of guts several times until we came upon shoes...a section I was MUCH more comfortable in. After asking several times where to go and wandering a bit, we found a woman, who low-and-behold, was actually knitting!!!!!! We begged her to tell us where she got her needles and she said that we can't get them here....she had made hers out of a coat hanger! ha! She was really cool....after leaving her and deciding maybe we can find something else that will work for us, we stumbled upon the spice section....my favorite. That was such a cool place with bags and bags of great smelling curry's, all types of beans, some barks and rock salt, etc....so cool. We then went to the paper section and bought some cement papers to make more patterns for our class tomorrow, and eventually made it out the gate. So cool....it actually brought my spirits up quite a bit after such a draining day.
Being able to find the things you need in a new town and a different culture is one of the things that is most empowering to me. So, finding yarn and machine needles, combs, and pattern paper was really fun. It is a comfort.
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