I have just returned from a two week visit to Uganda.

During my stay there I spent a lot of time with Peter Kisirinya, Director of Isaac Newton High School, and with Moses Kamya, Director of Mustard Seed School. I was able to spend a few days in each school and talk to staff about the progress of the schools and needs for the future. Attached are detailed reports on each school:

Isaac Newton High School Visit Report February 2015

Mustard Seed Secondary School Visit Report February 2015

My visit coincided with the start of the new school year and, only a few days before, the Primary Leaving Certificate results had been published. So the schools were actively recruiting the new first-year intake. It was clear that the scholarships provided by UHST supporters were helping them to attract some of the brightest primary school leavers. Competition for scholarships was attracting students with their families to see the schools and to demonstrate their enthusiasm to become students there.

In view of the large distances that students have to travel in these rural areas, the existence of good boarding facilities is important to families. They like to know their children will be coming to a caring and a safe environment where they will have good study facilities and a range of activities to give them worthwhile things to do when they are not in lessons. On Sunday, in particular, the schools offer a range of sports, board games, including chess, music, films and opportunities for religious observance for the few who want this. Families were impressed that both schools had very high quality hostel accommodation and washing and sanitary arrangements for boys and girls. The new boys hostels were at the final painting stage so both schools were expecting a further boost in student numbers in 2015. Both schools were planning to split the Senior 1 class to create two parallel streams.

Both school sites were being spruced up for the start of term. The grass was cut, the grounds were being tidied, classrooms and hostels washed out and all furniture was being dusted down and cleaned. There was a general sense of purposefulness about both schools which are turning into self-confident institutions as they move towards becoming self-sustaining.

The former Fair View School at Mbute, which had been transferred to the ownership of Isaac Newton High School two years ago, is facing a challenge from the previous Director, Deo Ssekitooleko. The school, which had been founded as a joint venture between IHEU and UHASSO (the Uganda Humanist Association), had closed after failing two inspections while under Deo’s management. Deo found a job in Rwanda and for the past two years the school has undergone a renaissance under the competent management provided by the Isaac Newton team, led by Peter Kisirinya. However, Deo has returned and attempted to take over again and the school is currently closed while a lawyer employed by IHEU attempts to sort out the legalities. We are hoping the problem will be solved quickly so that students at Mbute will be able to resume their education as soon as possible.

We have received the following report from Moses Kamya, Mustard Seed School’s Director, of a life changing trip to Rwanda for the Mustard Seed girl scouts…

Students had a sleepless night on the night of 25th December eager to set off the next morning of 26th for the East Africa zonal scouts’ Jamboree and competitions. Early in the morning after breakfast, we set off to Jinja first to be hosted by a prominent radio station (Baaba fm) and to bid farewell to the parents and the community. By 10:00am, we set off from Jinja occasionally having bites enroute. We got lunch with Peter Kisirinya, Isaac Newton High School Director, at Nabbingo on Masaka road. Thereafter we proceeded having a stopover at Kayabwe for a picture at the Equator (picture).

We continued with the trip that had turned into a learning tour packed with fun. At Mbarara, we got two tyre punctures in our hired bus which was quite scary; after repairs we continued, reaching Kabaale at night proceeding to Katuna border crossing point into Rwanda. It took us about two hours to clear immigration’s bureaucratic red tape on the Uganda side to cross the Rwanda side where we were subjected to an Ebola test ; by good luck none of us had Ebola. We then began trekking roads with hair-pin bends over steep precipices. We could not exceed 30km/h as we climbed steep hills and the bus consumed far more petrol than we had budgeted for. This was a first time experience for all of us nearly resulting in heart attacks for fear of sliding down steep chasms. By 4:00am, we had reached Kigali. Led by a Boda-boda cyclist, we drove a 20km journey to Ndera where the camp site was located, a place with Eucalyptus trees all over. Girls were given a classroom to sleep in at a nearby school with their female teacher while I, a scouts trainer, driver and co-driver had to sleep in our bus.

Next day was 27th the beginning of the camp (see picture of our scouts’ kit inspection), unfortunately my camera lost the battery, some of the other pics I may have to download from the trainer’s later. We met scouts from Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania. The camp was supposed to end on 2nd but was cut short to close on 30th in the morning. Our scouts did well in the competitions and emerged in the 3rd position in the junior category.

Needing two new tyres and given the high petrol consumption and other expenses the trip cost far more than we had budgeted for. We would have been stranded in Rwanda with insufficient money to get home but for the generous additional help from our UHST supporters, who sent us an emergency transfer of £500 by Western Union in Kigali to enable us complete the camp and return home.

We left Kigali by 1:00pm on the 30th December, first touring Kigali city concluding with Kigali international airport. Kigali is a fine modern city built on a grid pattern with many sky scrapers. Inside Kigali city, we were surprised by the high level of cleanliness, nobody drops litter all streets are tarmaced. Taxis only stop at specific stages. Boda-bodas (motor-bike taxis) carry only one passenger, who must wear a helmet. Policemen act professionally and never accept bribes. This is not the case
with Kampala. Actually it’s the opposite. We were fascinated by the meandering roads on top of cliffs.

On our return journey we slept at Isaac Newton High School in Masaka. This enabled us to visit Nabugabo Lake to allow some relaxation on the beach to relieve us of the stress of the journey. Scouts had fun at the beach taking photos dancing, taking sodas and the tasty fish of this lonely lake without tributaries. On the morning of 31st, we set off for Kamuli. After Kampala we used Kayunga road to enjoy the ferry ride (see picture of students on the Nile ferry) in Mbulamuti enroute to Kamuli. We had to stop at Kayunga town for lunch. We arrived at the Mustard seed school Busota at  5:00pm. All scouts were in good health condition except for one Zaina who had developed malaria in Mbarara on the way back but was treated. Thanks to the experience of our driver, one Jafari who drove us professionally and safely to and fro.

At school, the District scouts Executive committee arranged a function where the DEO was the chief guest to receive the scouts ceremoniously. A series of journalists from local radio stations and national print media were available to cover the occasion. After speeches and drinking a few sodas, we had a wonderful dance celebration (right). It was generally a very wonderful experience for all of us, getting out of Uganda for the very first time. This trip has earned the school  tremendous publicity.

Some of the scouts had this to say about the trip to Rwanda;

It was fun moving on mountainous roads and seeing mulit-storeyed buildings in Rwanda, meeting new friends and going to the beach for the first time. Thank you  Director and all who have made this trip a reality. (Joanex Christine Mukisa-Scout leader)

I was very happy to travel outside Uganda for the first time, something even my parents have never experienced. I have seen lots of other people, different from my tribe the Basoga, my outlook is now
widened. (Gloria Mukyala)

I thank the Mustard seed school for taking us outside Uganda to Rwanda to camp with people from other countries, I have learnt the way different people in Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda behave. I have come to appreciate different cultures. (Evalyn Aketch)

And the District Executive Officer for Kamuli District Scouts urged the scouts to even higher achievements in their academic work: You scouts should know that what you have learnt in scouting can lay a foundation for your future career. Stick to those good values in scouting and no doubt you will be successful. If you could defeat others in scouting, why not in your academic work?

We are very grateful to the National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (The AHS: http://ahsstudents.org.uk/) which has raised £2,794.60 to help the Humanist Schools in Uganda. Each year AHS runs a Non-Prophet Week that encourages member societies in universities in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland to raise money for a charitable cause. Uganda Humanist Schools Trust was their chosen charity for 2014. Student groups affiliated to the AHS undertook a wide range of sponsored events in the week of 20 – 27th October. Activities included, among other things, a solo static line parachute jump, sponsored cycle rides and walks and the money has rolled in over the weeks that followed.

Martin Smith, the Executive Secretary of AHS, said: “We decided to support UHST because they symbolise the practical aspect of Humanism and represent an excellent cause that sends a clear message to the student community of just how committed AHS is to the practical expression of Humanist values. We liked the fact that Uganda Humanist Schools Trust helps a number of schools in Uganda to provide a liberal secular education to needy children irrespective of race or faith.

An education is something we are all fortunate enough to have. We were born into a country that could supply that education, in some cases pay for that education too. We are all humanists, and I absolutely believe that being a humanist means taking an active part in improving the lives of our fellow humans across the world. Humanism is after all, ‘for the one life we have’.

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to organize a fundraising effort for a cause that touches the hearts of so many people, as is clearly demonstrated.”

The number of students in the Humanist Schools in Uganda is expanding rapidly and UHST has been finding it difficult to keep pace with the need for additional learning resources. As Humanists we believe strongly that students should learn in a resource rich environment so that they can acquire the skills needed to become independent learners and learn to evaluate information from a range of sources before making up their own minds on issues. The substantial amount of money raised by AHS will be used to restock the Humanist schools with books and science materials. When the money is sent to Uganda in the next few weeks it will go in the name of AHS and the schools will relay to AHS their own personal thanks for the huge efforts that have been made on their behalf.

A final word from Martin Smith: “It has been so incredible to see so many people moved to fund raise in many different ways, and it is always wonderful to hear that the money will be used in such a terrific way.”