Depicted here is what has become the norm for education in the slum communities of Kampala. Uganda officially holds the world record for the longest school closures. These small classrooms have been popping up in different areas by the initiative of unemployed teachers. For about 75 cents per day, a parent can send their child to attend class to receive basic educational support. It often feels like an attempt to tread water to keep from drowning, but until January, it is the only option for these students.
The last two years have been a huge threat to our goal of ensuring that these students graduate from high school. The last few months have involved plenty of counseling to remind the kids of the importance of education. There is a temptation especially for our high school students to lose hope of going back to school. Many of them have found small jobs and now know the feeling of having money in their pockets, which can easily distract an adolescent from education.
These have not been easy times for us, but we are eagerly looking forward to the new year where things are set to go back to normal. We have done our best to take advantage of the time with the kids, especially in bible studies, counseling meetings, and utilizing these local tutoring classes. We are committed to seeing that none of these kids get left behind!
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