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Budondo Primary School is the model government school of Budondo sub-county. The work we had to do here was minimal. The school has:-
Soft Power has done the following:-
Bufuula Primary School is one of the smaller schools within the sub-county. It is tucked off the road and down a track past mud houses and goats on the way to a sugar cane field. The school uniform is pink and the school grounds are awash with the colour. There is no shade, just a large empty field flanked by 3 government standard classrooms and then a mess of buildings looking like large brick sheds, but are infact classrooms. Hands of Help – a group of 16 medical students from Australia who had raised a phenomenal US$25,000 due to extensive fundraising efforts back in Sydney – including a dinner with the author and guest speaker, Bryce Courtney – came to Uganda to assist us in our refurbishment of government schools. They were keen to get involved at grass root level; mixing cement, breaking rocks, plastering, painting and working on health workshops within the community. With their help and donation we placed them within the school, living and working on site. Before Soft Power worked here the school had:-
With the funding and support received from Hands of Help and our team of Soft Power builders, the following has been done:-
Butiki Primary School Butiki Primary School. The pupils here wear a bright pink uniform. During the summer of 2005 we were assisted in our work by a group of 8 volunteers from Madventure. They lived within the community and worked for 5 weeks at the school. Before we came to Butiki the school had:-.
Soft Power has since done the following:-
As of the beginning of 2006, and with the help of 5 AV volunteers we have completed painting the exterior of the school and we have painted teaching aids on the inside of each classroom. A project completed by Soft Power with volunteers from Madventure. Soft Power has done the following:-
Buwenda Primary School Buwenda Primary School is on the edge of Budondo Sub-county, half way between Jinja town and Bujagali Falls. Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
With volunteers from Madventure and a large donation from The Rice family – aided by Fran and Collen - Soft Power has done the following:-
Buyala Catholic Primary School Buyala Catholic Primary School. This school has the largest population of pupils in the Budondo sub-county – 1,500. The government has provided funding at the school, so our work has been mainly the painting of teaching aids Buyala Catholic has:-
Soft Power has since done the following:-
Buyala St Pauls Primary School Buyala St Pauls Primary School is tucked away, 4 kms from the road, in an area surrounded by banana plantations, agricultural land and mud huts. Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
With assisted funding from Robein Groep and the support of fundraisers Catherine Ross and Sheri Brake, Soft Power has since done the following:-
Kibibi Primary School commands one of the greatest views over the entire sub-county. Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
A group of 14 volunteers, students from Leeds University who fundraised during the early part of 2004 and raised over £7,000 for us, worked on site alongside our local builders for 4 weeks in the summer of 2004 enabling Soft Power to do the following:-
Soft Power Education was approached in the summer of 2005 by MTN, the telecommunications company. They had seen examples of our work around Jinja and were keen for us to support them in their venture of refurbishing local community schools. Knowing what we know about budgets, school refurbishments, water catchment tanks and building materials it seemed a great opportunity for us to work in partnership with MTN. Just 4kms from Jinja stands Kimaka Guardian School. It has a 560 children at primary level. On behalf of MTN and with their funding, Soft Power has built a 3 classroom block and painted the insides with teaching aids with the help of volunteers Geoff and Heidi Garner and a group of MTN employees. We have also installed an 8,000 litre water catchment tank and new school benches. The official handing over ceremony took place on Thursday 16th February 2006. The King of Busoga was the official guest of honour –dancing and singing went hand in hand with smiles and speeches. Soft Power were thanked and we were given an impressive certificate by the school as well as a goat, which was last seen being carried away on the back of a moped taxi by our site forman, Stephen Kifune! Kyabriwa Primary School is right in the heart of Kyabirwa village, close to the river Nile – in between banana plantations, agricultural land and local mud huts. This community have gifted us land for our Education Centre site as well land for our second pre-school, Kyabriwa Community Centre. Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
With the assistance a group of 14 students from Leeds University, who had fundraised more then £7,000 during the summer of 2004, Soft Power has done the following:-
Kyomya Primary School is situated at the back of a large open playing field, dotted by trees. This school is unique in the sense that it has embraced children from the community with special needs. Hence they have a qualified special needs teacher who communicates and teaches the children, of which there are 18. In the beginning Kyomya had very few government standard classrooms, resulting in overcrowded classrooms and lessons being taught outside. Soft Power has worked at this site off and on for the past 18 months. It is now finished. The staff and pupils are calling it their ‘university’! Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
With the assistance of various individuals – Sheila McCormick, John and Jon, and group volunteers from Madventure and AVA’s Soft Power Education has done the following:-
We are about to start painting the dormitory block so come back soon to see the progress! This is how it currently looks... Lukolo Primary School is on the brow of a hill, between schools Kyomya and Lukolo Muslim. Lukolo was one of the worst schools within our group of 20 - they were in desperate need for more classrooms. Those condemned classrooms were in a dangerous condition and several were being used for hosting lessons, as the staff had no alternative. We wanted to make sure we had enough funding before starting at this school as we didn’t want to have to pull out half way through. Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
In the early part of 2005 with the help of various individuals as well as volunteers from AVA’s and a group of 8 college students from the USA led by student, Meg Moulton, Soft Power has done the following:-
Mpumwire Primary School hangs on the boarder between the Budondo and Butagaya sub-counties. The school itself sits on a hill, overlooking the communities and dusty red paths below. Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
During the summer of 2004 Madventure volunteers living locally within the village, helped us on site . Soft Power Education has done the following:-
Mutai Primary School is a 45 minute drive from Jinja town. The main road carries you past agricultural land, small trading centres, over large speed humps and through enormous pot holes. The school stands proudly adjacent to its playing field, next to the road - Soft Power’s logo jumps out at everyone who passes. It was the first of the 20 government schools that we helped and this was as much to do with the dire state of the school as well as Hannah’s friendship with the Headmaster, Mr John Bosco. John had been the head teacher of Kyabirwa Primary School and no sooner had he effectively turned the school around he was transferred to Mutai, a school that needed a supportive and inspiring head teacher. Unfortunately the school also needed a school. Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
To date, we have done the following:-
In January 2006 the Jackson Kayaking Team came over from the USA. Not only did they come to kayak the Nile, but Emily Jackson (a 15 year old professional kayaker) came to help Soft Power having saved up some of her prize winnings to donate to the charity. With her funding we have been able to complete the refurbishment of the last block of classrooms. It’s inspiring to see what one young woman can achieve through the support of her family and friends.
Nawangoma Primary School is another of many schools that commands a fabulous view over the green hills of Uganda. Regarding building work the school’s classroom were in good condition, but the toilet’s weren’t. Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
Soft Power Education has done the following:-
Nsuube Primary School. This school is on the same road at Mutai Primary, next to a gum tree forest. Nssube is a large school, and what strikes you as unusual is that the school is actually split into two areas. The younger classes are taught on one side of the school field – the older pupils are taught about 500m away in another set of classrooms. Apparently this is because of a disagreement, many years ago, between a teacher and parents….only in Africa! Before Soft Power Education worked here the school had:-
Along with a fantastic donation from Robein Groep and the support of volunteers Steve and Mel and newly weds, Kor and Ingrid (who asked for money instead of wedding presents and donated it to Soft Power)! Soft Power Education has since done the following:-
Swidiiq Muslim School is next to a mosque and close to Budondo trading centre. The children are a uniform of green – the girls wearing headdresses to tie in with their religion. Swidiiq came to Soft Power Education for help. It’s a small community school – so not within our remit of 20. However, last December their pit latrines collapsed, leaving them with dreadful sanitation problems. Having been approached by the school we had to do something…..
Wakitaka Primary School is a vast school hidden off the main road. The school has a wonderful headmistress, Milly, who used to be the headmistress of another school where Soft Power has worked, Kibibi and a huge population of pupils. The school classrooms have been built on top of a hilly compound where a cool wind blows. With the tremendous support and return of one of our ex-volunteers, Bob the Girl - who has fundraised over £4,000 via friends and family back in the UK – we have been able to get the Wakitaka project off the ground. A huge amount of work has been completed in a short space of time. Before we came to Wakitaka the school had:-
Bob worked as site fore-woman over the first three months of 2006 and Leeds lived on site during the summer months. With their help Soft Power has done the following:-
In the next sub-county north of Budondo, Butagayia, Soft Power, with a large group of volunteers from Madventure, revamped this school in the early part of 2005. The school can be accessed by a variety of paths, boarded by a large community. Soft Power has done the following:-
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