On the Ground: Ugandan teacher heading to the US of A!

Ongiya Calistus Nyeko, one of the most positive, energetic teachers we work with in Uganda.

He approached me, and beaming from ear-to-ear, shook my hand and repeated, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”  After a few minutes, I finally found out what he was talking about:  Calistus had just received news that he was heading to the US to participate in Invisible Children’s Reciprocal Teacher Exchange (TReX).

While the other participants had had time to process the news before they met with me for a blog interview, Calistus’ excitement and reactions were raw.  Still on cloud nine, he floated through the halls of IC Uganda’s Gulu office, smiling at everyone he passed.

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Calistus’ Acholi name Ongiya means “keen one,” and his eagerness—about teaching, about getting to know you, about life—is something you can pick up on from the second you meet him.  He shakes hands emphatically; genuinely interested in what you have to say, he smiles and looks into your eyes as you speak.  He has the spark of a teacher within him.  And he should:  Calistus has spent the last 25 years of his life in the classroom.

He joined Keyo Secondary School in 1999, after the school had already been displaced to a temporary school site.  (Just as conflict can displace families, it can displace institutions as well, pushing them from the countryside into safer areas closer to town.)  Only three years after starting at Keyo, Calistus was promoted to Head Teacher.  In his new role, he acted swiftly, restructuring management and seeking advice from students and teachers.  “In order to make the school better,” he explained, “I needed everyone’s help.  I humbly knew I could not do it alone.”

Now, almost 10 years later, Keyo SS has experienced a rebirth.  In 2008, students began returning to the school’s original site.  Up from 120 students in 1999, the school is now home to 725 students.  It’s a remarkable transformation, particularly when you consider that all of it took place under the guidance of one passionate individual:  Calistus.

It’s clear that improving Keyo SS fuels every decision he makes, which is why he encouraged Alex—a science teacher at Keyo—to participate in last year’s TReX program.  “When Alex came back, he was a changed man,” Calistus said. “He improved his teaching and motivated our colleagues.  After witnessing this, I knew I also wanted to apply [for the TReX].”

Calistus is excited to go to the US and bring back new lessons and ideas to Keyo.  “I want to learn how to best motivate my teachers and keep Keyo’s morale high.”  Since taking the role of Head Teacher, Calistus’ work schedule is often filled with administrative tasks.  As such, he’s looking forward to returning to the classroom, both as a teacher and as a student.

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With his motivation and energy—and with the inspiration we know he’ll draw from his TReX experience—Calistus will continue chipping away at his dream of turning Keyo SS into one of the top schools in northern Uganda.  All of us at IC Uganda would wish him luck, but we know someone with his tenacity doesn’t need it  :)

–Jessica