Checking in on Anaka Secondary School’s library

At the end of last year, Invisible Children commissioned a fully stocked library at Anaka Secondary School through our Schools for Schools (S4S) program.  We recently visited to find out how they’ve been using the facility, and were excited to find students walking into the library, even during their free time, to take a quick look at available books.

While there, we spoke to the head girl, Pamela, about the library:

“I’m surprised that even though school only resumed a week ago, desire to acquire knowledge is already high. Whenever it’s time to go to the library, you either go there early or you can’t find space to sit,” Pamela explained.  “It’s always very busy.  If the students want to do research, that means they are interested in pursuing their studies.  This library is helping us a lot,” she added. (more…)

Mentor: more than a title

In the year 2005, Invisible Children (IC) started the Legacy Scholarship Program (LSP), that supports post-primary education in northern Uganda.  The program accepts students based on academic potential and need, giving special consideration to children who are orphans, heads of their households, formerly abducted returnees, students infected with HIV/AIDS, or child mothers.  Each student in the program is paired with a mentor – an IC employed Ugandan community leader.  Mentors help our scholarship students jump academic hurdles by regularly meeting with their teachers and guardians, and acting as a role model for the student.

Komakech Geoffrey is a mentor to 26 secondary school students.  Last week, I traveled with him to visit the home of Thomas, one of our LSP students, and his mother. (more…)

Raising up future doctors, educators, and leaders

Invisible Children Uganda (ICU) is excited every time we commission a new building at one of our Schools for Schools sites.  But, we’re even more excited when we’re able to sit down with the students and find out what they think about it.

Recently, we commissioned a library at Anaka Seconday School in memory of Nate Henn. Surrounded by desks for studying and shelves teeming with books, we met with a few of the students to hear their take on the new library.

“This library is going to help us do research, a thing that was hard before in past,” said Michael, a student at Anaka SS.  Michael is studying hard to become a teacher.  His dream: to help raise the level of education in northern Uganda.

Iyan, an aspiring doctor, echoed Michael’s sentiments. “Our school was not so good in terms of infrastructure,” he said, “but ICU has really helped us.  This library will help us so much in our studies.”  Looking up at a photo of Nate Henn, which hangs at the entrance of the library, he continued by saying, “I praying that Nate’s soul rests in peace because he was really trying to help us.”

In northern Uganda, education is treasured.  A fully stocked library gives students access to information that will help them excel in their studies, and as a result, impact their communities.  Thanks to everyone who is continuing Nate’s legacy and contributing to the efforts at Anaka Secondary School – your work is helping to raise up future doctors, educators, and leaders!

-Malorie

On the ground: Teacher Exchange comes full circle

For the last nine years, Otto Ben Kasule has been teaching at Anaka Secondary School, a school out in rural northern Uganda.  Ben attended Anaka for grades S1—S4 [the equivalent of 7^th—10^th grade in the US] and credits the pride he felt for the school as his motivation for returning as a teacher.  Since his years as a student at Anaka, Ben has spent almost a full decade passing on the same pride and respect to his students that his teachers had instilled in him.

Due to the conflict in northern Uganda, Anaka was displaced to a temporary school site in 2000.  With the help of Invisible Children and other NGO’s, the school was able to return to its original site in 2008.  Since then, the school appears and feels “different,” as Ben explained.   Having overcome a difficult situation, everyone—teachers, students, and staff, alike—feel triumphant.  “There is now a higher morale and more motivation to help the school,” he said.

(more…)