"Let the children off the cross"

A dedicated religious nun feeds vulnerable kids at school

 Providing quality education is providing all a kid needs for good development: Food, shelter, clothing, good sanitation, safe and drinking water, security and protection, healthy services, school education, religious formation, care and love is all they need.

Like in all communities, children in Rubanda community are commonly refered to as the beauty of a family or a community while actually they are the most vulnerable, voiceless and worst victims of today's social, political and religious breakdown.

Its a amazing when you closely look at what children go through in Rubanda community and indeed every where on the global map. In Rubanda community, most kids go to bed with empty or half  full stomachs. Early morning they wake up to go to school  with little or no time to wait for a delayed or non existent breakfast because the school is far away.

Kids recreate as they build their muscles at  their new school

With a chronic poverty environment,everyday is a struggle for survival,  each day has its own cross to carry. Where there is no firewood there may be no water, when there is water there may be no food to put in the pot or even no match box to start a fire. All this needs time and the kid hasn't time for the teacher on duty may have no time to listen to the litany of each household each kid carries along.

What's the lesser evil? The kid decides to trek the long distance to the school with empty stomach. He arrives at the school, panting, more hungry, late and punishable. Whichever punishment is given to him does not make sense to him because it does not convince him to be wrong neither does it encourage him to narrate his story. He then silently submits and goes on and on until he can't bear it any more. He drops out of school or even runs away and joins the street community.

A sports teacher carefully develops kids skills 

Look, in the class, he can hardly concentrate, he is hungry. He starts yawning, dozing, skin scratching, head aching, going and out. And during break, normally there are some school games  and other inter school competitions as well of which it may happen that this same kid is good at.
He likes athletics, for example and is good at it because he does run each morning to and from  the school that is kilometers away from home. And regardless of that and his empty stomach, he is always picked number one by the sports teacher to run in the school competition. He really boosts the name of the school and everyone at the school is proud of him.

However, as time for lunch approaches, this tired and empty stomach kid starts imagining what to do next. Go home, what's there? Spend lunch hour at school, how will be my afternoon hot classes? He can't find a better answer than time dictates it.

On certain days, he risks and decides to go home for lunch thinking some food has bee prepared but to find none at home and the little house closed. And for the orphan kids, its much more frustrating because it all depends on how the  extended family relates to the kid. Its a different story and a different cross to mention later.

Other times, this same kid hesitates to go home because he knows that the available little food, prepared in the middle of the day is not even enough for the young brothers and sisters who are not yet the age of school and are at home. So he makes the lesser time wastage choice,to remain at school until the school classes close in the late afternoon.  That's it.

It was amazing that unpublished research by a team of three students from the Roma Tre University, Rome-Italy, conducted in 2005-2006 in Rubanda, revealed that lack of sufficient food in households was the major cause and factor for kids resenting or dropping out of nursery and primary school.

All kids are the same in beauty but life treats differently

Its common to find kids in Rubanda enthusiastic for school but only for a short while or none. Its a common phenomenon that just after this little experience for this kid going to school, one starts noticing strange changes in the kid's behavior. The kid starts resenting school, fabricating stories and lies, creating excuses for absent-ism and complaining of all sorts of things at times even escaping from school.

Lastly, when the kid can't fight or cheat any more and is culturally afraid of saying it all, that he is always hungry, then he creates a kind of self implication mechanism like, "my head is dull, I can't grasp anything in class, I do not want to be the last in class always, I have no books, ...", and so on. Some parents try to help and understand their kids when they start noticing some change in the kid's behaviors but unfortunately a big percentage keep pressure on these kids that eventually does more harm than good into the child's pscho-socio development and in the society as a whole.

Many kids, finding themselves in such an environment, they  start to think and curve ways of escape to find better environments and better understanding people. Others run or want to run away to find freedom and better space from the daily noise at home or with neighbours.With many other reasons, these could be some of the reasons why we are have the community of the street kids is rapidly growing.

Kids faced with all sorts of social- economic-political and religious crisis, they thing out there may be better. They run away from their biological  family and friends to find a new world of friends and homes on the streets. It has been noticed that rehabilitating a street kid requires much energy, simply because this kid has no one he trusts when a deal is made to re-unite him with his family and friends.


Instead these kids turn to things like, drugs, alcohol, hooliganism and  the a like because they sought of to be the ideals of the new world, new friends and new life, unlike the previous noise, stress, enslavement and all staff they have gathered from their homes.They go out on streets to find a family, a society that more a parent, a teacher and a friend to them which unfortunately makes matters worse.

Its from this deep concern that Fr. Dominic Tumusiime wanted to contribute to the well being of children in Rubanda community and initiating a Day and Boarding nursery/primary school program that above all else, will struggles to establish and offer a "school feeding program" which would provides to both kids with a three meals a day,(Breakfast-Lunch and Supper).

Fr. Dominic then initiated a study class in 2004 and in 2005 a school was born as Rubanda Solidarity Nursery/Primaryschool for both girls and boys with current enrollment standing at 260 kids.

With this school, things have become different for Rubanda Kids and the community. Some kids come every morning and join the boarders for breakfast, lunch.Its amazing to hear the testimonies of some of the parents who used to have hardest time with kids refusing to wake up to go to school.  When asked by their parents why they were going very early to school, little kids respond,"We do not what to find breakfast over".

Since our school started we have not registered a kid who has dropped out of our school program because of food or hunger.
 
A healthy child has a true life investment; better growth, better services, less health spending and graceful aging.
And in  jointly creating a good, safer and healthy child development environment we shall have succeeded in enhancing life, human resource, development and peace at both family, community, national and global   communities.

Lets all do all we can in the interest of our kids and our future generations

Please for more information and contact, just post your request in the comment box provided below, click enter and wait for a while and we will meet you.

18 Children struck by thunder storm @ Ugandan schools

 Imagine being struck by these electric fires!

Thunder storm hits Western Uganda: June 2011

Last month of June has been a hard time for children in Ugandan schools.

Just on one trick alone 17 pupils and their teacher; 15 girls and 3 boys were killed in western Uganda by a thunder lightening. The thunder storm has hit the region as its said by the experts from the international and Uganda meteorologists that Uganda lies in the pron area.

The children were struck as they sheltered in their classroom against heavy rains that interrupted their lunch time . Its said that in some other places, other people and animals have been killed with over 36 people left injured  and hospitalized in various hospitals and clinics in the affected areas.

In the past years, the government alerted all public institutions especially schools to install thunder arr-esters against this natural disaster. However, until now one wonders how many schools have done this due to the simple reasons ranging from meager financial resources, lack of prioritization and perhaps ignorance and cultural myth surrounding thunder lightening and stricking.

Rubanda Solidarity Nursery/Primary school shares this problem as its geographically located within this pronebelt. The administration and our kids spend sleepless nights and days as soon as rains start preparing to pour. The institution that accommodates over 260 children of whom 180 are boarders has only been able to install one of its wings arresters that covers about 10% of the total structures we have.

When the skies begin to form rainy dark clouds, heavens start to bang, kids start to scream. They resist to go to sleep in their beds in case it rains at night and they are struck unaware.


Its the administration's concern to actively and aggressively  respond to the government's precautions against this natural disaster prevent fears, preventable infirmities  and death by installing the thunder arresters but not until we have enough funds.

Its a a serious and urgent problem that threatens the children safety and so needs the support and concern of everyone close aware of impact causes to children and the community living in such an environment and fear of being struck by thunder fires at any time.

Please, for more information, updates or support of any kind just post to us a comment using the window box provided below and we will reach you soon.
God bless.

Marriage, a covenant across generations

Rogers and Apophia surounded by their friends

 Rubanda Solidarity congratulates Mr. Rogers and Ms. Apophia and Kevin, their son upon their first anniversary in their family life.

The 18th September 2010 will always be remembered by Rubanda Solidarity as a day they actively participated to crown the exchange of covenant rings between Mr. Rogers and Ms. Apophia that took place at Christ the King-Kabale-Uganda. The long awaited day was preceded by enthusiastic preparations from the two families and friends.

Sweet but cheaper with friends

In spite of the joy that hovered over the two, Rogers has never forgotten the stress and upsetting trips he made to find dowry and other finances to make the day great even for by-passers. 

Like guided by love, the confusion bore him a new idea." Now that things are getting off hand, I will invite all my friends and together we sit for a solution", Rogers recollects. 

On the day he gathered his friends, Rogers could not believe his ears after finding that the answer was not far away but in the hearts of his friends, next to him. " Lets us contribute generously as we can for his day", one of the members commented. They unanimously supported his suggestion but added a new idea. "With this opportunity, to be able to come together, Lets start an association to support many more youths who are in the same trap", they resolutely passed the motion.

Marriage, a trans-generation institution

Thus a group that gathered for a one occasion's wedding   ceremony, bore a anew association/group known as "Rubanda Nyekundire" group to support generations.Its an association of Volunteers to assist each other come out of the existing chronic poverty through daily life support projects.

In a culture that has a long way to provide freedoms, justice and alternatives to better life, youths struggle to find ways to cope up. The Rubanda Nyekundire association was born to bring youths together, empower them to support each other even as they tackle the increasing problem of dowry and expensive marriage ceremonies. 

Some of these expensive ceremonies  leave the two newly wedded couples in tears, stress, more poverty or even separation as they are overwhelmed by fears over the aftermath debts and their consequential image on their family life.

From the saying, " Trouble is the mother of invention", Mr. Rogers surrounded by a sack of  darkness and fear of losing his loved honey Apophia for failure to pay required dowry and make a befitting banquet, an idea to gather all his friends for a solution secured him his honey.

The friends gathering bore a new group called "Rubanda Nyekundire" group that has since seen itself growing from strength to strength.  Its members now are able to organize their life events; celebrations and ceremonies for each other. Its a new experience in the community of Rubanda that affirms that marriage,the oldest institution in human history continues to grow and develop in spite of many obstacles and corruption around it. 

Together with Apophia and Rogers, we congratulate all of you who have and are doing a wonderful job of sustaining the family bonds to other generations to come.

To know or share more just post a comment to us and we will be grateful to receive you in our new hope line.

African Drums speak to Kids

African kids listen attentively to drum's voice and make up an African dance. Listen to the beats and video: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvltjF-v0xE&feature=player_profilepage#t=165s

These kids enjoy African dance even in church,  to God

This young lady  enjoys the beats of an African drum

Conducting music is an early talent

Dr. Bruce at Rubanda Solidarity children's ministry

Hello Dr. Bruce, Welcome!

Rubanda Solidarity school kids welcome Dr. Bruce

 Kids of Rubanda Solidarity Nursery/Primary school kindheartedly welcome a Grants Pass and American citizen, Dr. Bruce at their lovely school in Rubanda-Kabale, Uganda.

Dr. Bruce's sweet heart meets the hearts or our kids as they interact

An enthusiastic Dr. Bruce has just returned from his mission trip in Africa. After his return Dr. Bruce who is a medical doctor practitioner says, " I am not a rich man but I love to serve with what God has given me.

God has blessed me so much that I need to give him back as much as I can", he softly smiles.

 In Mid May, Dr. Bruce left his beloved home and tight schedule to Africa. He found himself serving the DRC and Rwandan refugees in their camps near Mbarara town,  western part of Uganda. 

Inspite of his tight schedule and healthy demands in the camps, Dr. squeezed some little time for another experience.

He visited  the kids of Rubanda Solidarity Nursery/Primary school in Kabale district, further south west, near the board with Rwanda. 

This School is an initiative of Fr Dominic Tumusiime since 2002 as his efforts to share his gospel values with the vulnerable children, the primary victims of chronic poverty and HIV/AIDS pandemic of Rubanda community mandated by Christ's words that he came so that all may have life and have it in full.

Camera view of lake Bunyonyi

Fr. Dominic is currently serving as parochial vicar at St. Ann's Catholic Church here at Grants Pass.  

Going through the narration Dr. Bruce comments that the projects is amazing. Its currently delivering services to more than 260 kids as Day and Boarding school programs. 

Another fascinating aspect of this project is that, its unique. It operates a school meals program to the kids unlike many other schools in the area including those under the government support. 

Fr. Dominic says, " to change the chronic community attitudes of poverty one has to invest in children's quality education. When a kid receives quality education, has implicitly received life; quality services, relevant earnings, bank account, balanced deity, good sanitation, healthy insurance, food security and lastly, he/she has improved the standards of living". This is our mission.

Rubanda provides a hilly land scape with Lake Bunyonyi in the center of its hills providing the most fascinating beauty, see the scenery photo above.