The latest report on Isaac Newton High School’s Mbute Campus at Mpigi gives a largely upbeat account of the progress the school is making under its new management headed by its Director, Peter Kisirinya. UHST is working closely with IHEU, the school’s founders with the Uganda Humanist Association, to bring the school towards a sustainable future.

Since the start of the year the site has been transformed. IHEU has funded the construction of new toilets for boys, girls and staff. UHST supporters have funded a new kitchen with efficient wood-burning stoves. The main buildings have also been refurbished and repainted. These new developments have lifted spirits in the school and there is a growing pride in the site, which is being kept neat and tidy. The students are also proud of their new Isaac Newton School uniforms.

In order to help the school to cover its running costs UHST allocated 32 scholarships to the school in 2013. However, scholarship and local fee income together still fail to cover the costs of staff salaries and day-to-day consumables. On a full year basis the school has required an additional £4000 to it to cover its running costs. Infrastructure improvements have been funded independently of this.

The pictures show the newly painted buildings, students relaxing near the Jack Fruit tree, and laboratory stools under construction for science.

For more information download the full November 2013 Report on Isaac Newton High School’s Mbute Campus, Mpigi.

Lylah is a little girl of 7. She lives in Montgomery, Illinois in the United States. Recently she accepted a challenge from her father to devote some of her time to helping less privileged children by raising funds for Uganda Humanist Schools Trust. Her targets are: $1,600 to provide 4-year scholarships to enable two bright but needy children to attend Humanist schools in Uganda and $1,000 for classroom materials, so that all children in the school may benefit by having a fuller learning experience.

Her father Marion writes: “Lylah saves money all year to buy toys for kids for Christmas even though we are a Secular Humanist family.  This year we have asked her if she would like to sponsor kids for school in Uganda. She typically will save $400 dollars on her own, but this year she will go out to get sponsors.”

Lylah has set up her own website www.kidsheartkids.com

The website explains her aims, why she chose to support children in Africa through Uganda Humanist Schools Trust and it says a little about Lylah herself. She has a blog where well-wishers can express their support and good wishes and there is a link for donations.

At UHST we are delighted and grateful to Lylah for her initiative. We wish her well in her quest and feel certain that she will gain many friends and supporters from the work she is doing.

Thank you also Lylah from the many children in Uganda who will be helped by your efforts.

We heard last week of the sudden and unexpected death of Farouk Lusira, the Fine Art Teacher at Isaac Newton High School, Katera. Farouk was one of two members of staff who had been there since the school opened. He has laboured with few art materials to develop the drawing skills of his students. Using just pens and pencils, under Farouk’s guidance, students at Isaac Newton, demonstrate high standards of drawing, which surprised and delighted art students from Newcastle College, Staffordshire when they visited the school for International Friendship Week in July 2012.

Here is some of the work produced by his students:

Farouk was a keen sportsman. As well as teaching Fine Art, he helped to coach the school football team, which this year won the local league and reached the knock-out stage of the national finals.

Farouk was a practising Moslem and, being of very liberal outlook, he embraced the International Humanist principles which underpin the Isaac Newton School. He died at the age of 37 from a strangulated intestine. He leaves a wife and no children.

In recognition of Farouk’s immense contribution to the school, UHST would like to raise funds to refurbish and equip the art room, which will be dedicated in Farouk’s name. If you would like to help us in this endeavour, please mark your donation “Farouk Art Appeal”.