"Kick Mosquitoes out of our school"

Students receive their new Mosquito nets: Oct. 2011

At last mosquitoes are being kicked out of Rubanda Solidarity Nursery and Primary school.

For many years mosquitoes have been the biggest trouble to our kids in our school. A month ago a curious visitor made a risk to ask the kids to mention to him the three good things  they are enjoying at their school and make Rubanda Solidarity school unique.

One of the kids said, '' studying well", another mentioned "eating three meals a day" yet  another said, " here we do not work too hard".

Pausing another question, the visitor asked the  kids to mention three things that trouble them most. With no hesitation, one jumped up to say, " at night we do not sleep because mosquitoes hummer us hard". It's amazing to see how all the children's answers are so innocent and clear to the point. They are what goes on at their school.

Kids excited learn how to prepare their beds: Oct. 2011

Let me say something more on what they mentioned as troubling them most (mosquitoes). Since the school started in 2004, we have seen kids come and go through one class to another. Many fall sick and recover with services from the nearby Rubanda healthy center that offers quality services amidst out numbering  patients to to being the only healthy facility in the community. Its well known that most of our kids get sick of malaria which is also the most common killer disease  in the community. Hence, the kid's last answer hit  right to the point.

Amazingly, May this year,  Dr. Bruce Murray from Grants Pass  Oregon, -USA, working with a team of doctors without borders, had paid a courtesy visit to this very school and looked in their dormitories noticing no single bed having a mosquito net. Wondering whether the community was exceptionally immune of mosquitoes, on his return, Dr. Bruce asked Fr. Dominc Tumusiime, who is a netive and founder of the school, if Rubanda community had mosquito problems like the rest of other communities do in Uganda. Knowing quite well that malaria is the first killer disease in the community, I confessed immediately with a yes.

Kids can't believe that they can be inside with no mosquitoes to bite

Through our discussion, I notices as if Dr. Bruce  seemed to be asking me if the lack of mosquito nets was lack of knowledge. This prompted me to say "no, actually the mosquito nets project is one of our major priorities in the school needs plan but its down  to the bottom due to greater priorities on our list with minimal funds from the community contribution".

It's amazing to see how much and swiftly Dr. Bruce has worked hard since then. He has been contacting his friends, finding time to narrate the beautiful and horrible experiences he saw and his friends have responded generously to his program, "Kick mosquitoes out of the school". Its targeting to raise about 4,000 dollars to buy 309 new mosquito nets for 309 students.  The photos in the article show a batch of kids who have benefited from the project's first circle. Each mosquito net costs about 12$ including other items, transport and labour.

"I have no enough words to express the happiness from these kids  and the entire community. These days, early in the morning, one notices serene faces unlike in the paste when kids would be seen sleepy right away on the first activity on assembly throughout the day", the head teacher recalls.

Look at the pictures to see how things have changed and how much happiness is revealed on the faces of our kids. They say, " mosquitoes are now history". The question now  is how about those kids who have not yet received?. You could be the next generous friend to add to the list and serenity.

"Thank you Dr. Bruce Murray for visiting us in Rubanda from all the way and donating  a big difference; healthy, life and a new smile to our community", the school directness Sr. Beatrice writes. Your mission to Uganda was real and as you once mentioned it to me, you are giving back to God what he has given you in life. Especially your energy and love. And special gratitude to all your friends and our partners.

To you all, our kids send special greetings to say, "you mean a lot to us", the projects coordinator Mr. Rogers noted on the ceremony of handing over the new mosquito nets to the kids.

We all  say, " Thank you and Welcome to Rubanda".