Village Savings and Loan Associations: Update from Koro

Members of one of our Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) groups in Koro, located 20 minutes outside of Gulu, are in the final months of their saving cycle, and welcomed us to their meeting last week.

VSLA is an initiative where members meet weekly to save and loan money together. Each savings cycle lasts for 6-8 months. The money is stored in a lock box with three locks, the keys distributed to three different members of the group. The Koro community is in the midst of their third savings cycle that will end in December, when all of the savings will be returned to individual group members, along with each member’s percentage of the group interest.

During last week’s meeting, the group saved 102,000 Ugandan Shillings, and since the beginning of their saving cycle in February 2011, they have saved a total of 3.1 million UGX!

Check back in for more updates as the group approaches the end of another successful saving cycle!

-Juliana

Uganda: Photo Friday

A Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) community facilitator from Koro, a small town just outside Gulu, helps a group member with an arithmetic problem. Each group member is given the opportunity to complete a problem at the chalkboard and explain how they arrived at their answer to the rest of the group.

Taking into account years of interrupted studies for many in northern Uganda due to the LRA insurgency and lack of access to higher education, Invisible Children began its FAL initiative. FAL provides adult literacy training for participating Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) group members, focusing on numeracy, reading, and writing in their local language.

Schools for Schools essay winners are announced!

A few weeks ago, we blogged about the Schools for Schools (S4S) essay contest asking contestants: “A student who reads widely writes better English. Do you agree with this statement or not? Give reasons for your answer.” Students were tasked with answering the prompt in 750 – 1,000 words, with a proper bibliography, and use of at least one book source.

In total, 76 students entered the competition and 3 students won top prizes. Fred, a Layibi Secondary School student, emerged as the first place winner. While the contest only called for one book source, Fred incorporated the use of 8 sources in his essay, supporting his argument that, “… to be rich in vocabulary involves making reading a habit, not only to beat boredom, but to build an opulent vocabulary.”

Fred received a cash prize for his winning essay, followed by John, also from Layibi Secondary School, who received the second place. Third place honors went to Patricia from Sacred Heart School.

Schools 4 Schools, in addition to improving the “hardware”, or facilities, at it’s 11 partner schools, also aims to improve “software” by providing schools with things like teacher capacity workshops, curriculum development, and scholastic materials.  As a part of improving scholastic “software”, this contest was initiated in order to promote the growth of the reading culture in northern Uganda.

Due to the high participation in this competition, Schools for Schools is looking forward to holding another essay contest in the future!

Stay tuned for more S4S updates!

-Juliana

Legacy Scholarship Program: Students bridge the gap

This week, the Legacy Scholarship Program (LSP) held a day-long seminar for student leaders in each of Invisible Children ‘s (IC) 11 partner schools.  The goal of the seminar was to equip the students with skills and knowledge that would enable them to model and encourage good behavior throughout the student body at their respective schools.

The LSP provides a gateway to scholastic success to students from northern Uganda though a full-paid, merit-based scholarship, extracurricular activities, and mentoring. Acceptance into the program is based on a combination of academic performance and level of vulnerability.

The training covered the causes and effects of misconduct, as well as a discussion of tactics that students could use to manage such behavior amongst their peers.  Students shared their experiences, fears, expectations, and solutions with one another during sessions lead by presenters such as James Lomoro, a retired school inspector.  The presenters encouraged students to actively raise their hands and participate in group-work activities – allowing them to learn in an interactive format, which is an innovative teaching technique for the traditionally lecture-based style found in Ugandan schools.

“The aim of this seminar is to empower student leaders to manage discipline in their schools and to bridge the gap between students and administrators,” said Francis Onekalit, one of IC’s mentors. The goal is for student leaders to leave the seminar with increased skills that will allow them to function as peer mediators and role models.

Check back in for more LSP updates!

-Juliana

Mend: Check out what’s new

This past month, Mend welcomed Juan-David Quinones and Christian Denhart, our talented product designers, to Gulu.  Juan and Christian have been working behind the scenes in the U.S. to develop Mend’s new design and aesthetic. Luckily for us, they didn’t come to Uganda empty handed…the team brought out a few new production techniques and spent time teaching these new skills to the staff.

Juan remarked, “Introducing new manufacturing techniques and more complex bag construction was a bit of a gamble, but I’ve been amazed at how quickly the staff at Mend have picked it all up.  It’s exciting to see how all these women are setting new standards for Ugandan, and even African, soft goods manufacturing.”

Even with a long to-do list, Juan and Christian took time out to get to know the seamstresses.  They enjoyed tea and local food with the ladies, shared sewing techniques and chatted about their families.  After ten days in Gulu, they were part of the Mend family.

For more Mend updates, check out the Mend Tumblr.

Functional Adult Literacy: Students build valuable skills

Last week, we were able to visit a Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) meeting in Koro, a neighboring community just outside of Gulu.

FAL is an optional program now offered to each of Invisible Children’s (IC) Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) groups. Each group has a community facilitator who teaches adult literacy in the local language to their peers. The program began at the end of 2010, and is designed to provide adult literacy training focused on numeracy, reading, and writing in local languages.

“There are some people who couldn’t write 0 or 1 when we started, but now we can write our letters and numbers. We can even read a little. FAL is really helping us so much,” one of the group members explained.  Participating in FAL helps group members with everyday activities like reading signs, writing and reading letters, and performing basic arithmetic.

Last week’s lesson was focused on reading and writing numbers 1-20. Following a thorough review of the material, the facilitator offered a series of exercises, which encouraged individuals to demonstrate their skills by giving them an opportunity to write their answer on the chalkboard. Together, as a community, they completed each exercise – gaining excitement and learning from one another.

Stay tuned to keep up with their progress!

-Juliana

Teacher Exchange: Meet Elizabeth

Elizabeth has been teaching the English language to students in northern Uganda for 30 years. “I enjoy it so much, especially teaching grammar,” she told us recently. “It helps in composing stories. Once you understand grammar, composition is much more easy,” she explained.

Growing up in Gulu, Elizabeth decided that she wanted to be a teacher while in secondary school. Now, over 30 years later, one of the things that brings her the most joy is seeing her students become responsible adults in their communities. Currently, Elizabeth is teaching English at Sir Samuel Baker School.

Elizabeth has participated in the Teacher Exchange Program for three years in Uganda. The program, started in 2007, brings international educators to Uganda to team-teach in Invisible Children partner secondary schools for six-weeks, and takes a group of Ugandan educators to the U.S. every winter for three weeks. With the aim of enhancing present educational models and establishing long-term learning opportunities for all participants, the program lets educators engage in team teaching, information sharing, and skill-building conferences. In this round of the Teacher Exchange, Elizabeth and five other Ugandan teachers will travel to the U.S. at the end of the calendar year to team teach with U.S. educators.

Elizabeth can’t wait to interact with students and teacher in the United States. “I am looking forward to meeting the teachers in the U.S. and hearing about how they handle teaching the English language,” she said. “I also want to see how they encourage reading among the students because that can be so difficult and I see reading as one way to really improve knowledge of the English language.”

“I’m longing to meet them, I’m ready to meet them,” she smiled.

-Malorie

Legacy Scholarship Program: Students plan to give back

Last week I had a chance to stop by Gulu High and spend some time with a group of our Legacy Scholarship Program (LSP) students who are in their last year of secondary school.

The LSP provides a gateway to scholastic success through financial assistance, extracurricular activities, and mentoring. Acceptance into the program is based on a combination of academic performance and level of vulnerability. Each LSP student receives a full-paid, merit based scholarship, and is assigned a mentor in order to ensure academic accountability, encourage scholastic achievement, and foster leadership skills.

While I sat and talked with the students, I heard about their future plans to become lawyers, teachers, and economists.  And after talking for just a few minutes, it soon became apparent that I was sitting with a group of students who are dedicated to giving back. When asked where they would like to work in the future, each and every one of them told me that their main priority is to first enrich their communities, and then to reach out to other areas of the world. Without a doubt, these students are eager to contribute positively to their communities.

Joyce, who is currently the LSP’s top performing student at Gulu High, left us with a gracious send off message in which she thanked all of those who have contributed to making her education possible and encouraged us to continue our support. I have no doubt that Joyce and her classmates will go far.

Check in for more LSP updates.

-Juliana

Teacher Exchange: Meet Joseph

Joseph was all smiles when we had a chance to talk about his upcoming trip to the United States.  As one of six Ugandan teachers who will be traveling to the United States at the end of the year, Joseph will team-teach with an international partner teacher for three weeks.  Joseph is traveling as a participant of the Teacher Exchange (TeX), an Invisible Children program designed to help both Ugandan and international teachers improve their teaching methods.  It aims to energize Ugandan teachers and their international counterparts by expanding their skill sets through bringing 20-30 secondary school teachers from abroad to teach and interact with Ugandan teachers for six weeks each summer, and sending a group of Ugandan teachers to do the same in the U.S. each winter.

Teaching geography at Layibi Secondary School for six years, Joseph decided to become a teacher because, “It gives you a wider knowledge, and the ability to be a role model in society.”  Now, with 22 years of experience under his belt, Joseph is more than excited to embark on his journey to the United States to continue widening his knowledge and experiences in life.

Joseph has been involved with the TeX in Uganda for two years, and tells of the students’ excitement when they see teachers from another culture in their classroom.  He cannot wait to travel to the U.S. to learn more teaching methods, and to share the students’ excitement.  He is also eager to learn about discipline management, and U.S. administration systems to help improve the operations at his school.

Joseph is ready to take on the challenge of teaching students of a different culture and background. We wish you the best of luck!

-Juliana

Teacher Exchange: Get ready, America – Churchill is coming!

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Churchill, Head Teacher at Sir Samuel Baker School. Churchill is one of six Ugandan teachers who will be traveling to the United States for three weeks to co-teach with an international partner teacher at the end of this year. Churchill is traveling as a participant of Invisible Children’s Teacher Exchange, a program designed to help both Ugandan and international teachers improve their teaching methods. The program aims to energize Ugandan teachers and their international counterparts by expanding their skill sets though bringing 20-30 secondary school teachers from abroad to teach and interact with Ugandan teachers for six weeks each summer, and sending a group of Ugandan teachers to do the same in the U.S. each winter.

Churchill decided to become a teacher to continue his father’s legacy – to carry on all of the good things his father had done for their community as a teacher. After attending Sir Samuel Baker as a child, Churchill later became an educator and taught history and geography before becoming Head Teacher.  He began teaching 27 years ago, 12 of which have been spent at Sir Samuel Baker School.

Helping students succeed in life, and guiding them to be good members of society is what drives Churchill most in his teaching. However, he has encountered many challenges such as inadequate facilities that make both teaching and learning difficult.

During his time in the U.S., Churchill is most looking forward to getting, “The insight of what takes place there [in the U.S.], and how we can adapt, and practice it here [in Uganda]”.  He is excited to share the knowledge he has, and also to gain knowledge from his international partner school that he can impart to his colleagues in Uganda.

Good luck, Churchill!
-Juliana