24 Graduate @ Rubanda Solidarity School

The 2011 school calendar ended with  24 students graduating from nursery to primary school at Rubanda Solidarity school premises. 

Congratulations to you all !

The first of December 2011 will always be an unforgettable and historical date at Rubanda Solidarity Nursery and Primary school and the entire community of Rubanda. Amidst jubilations and excitement, 24 of the Nursery Top students graduated to Primary one.

The colorful day was graced by various  guests with Ms Vastine representing the district's Education officer, District Inspector of schools as our guest speaker, Mr Ruhumuriza as the diocesan education secretary, parents of the graduands and others, the community members, school children, staff and administration were all part of the colours of the day. It was indeed a moving and an inspiring moment seeing to see these young and great men and women of tomorrow in colourful gowns, a symbol of hope and a bright future. "This is the foundation of all future gowns/degrees to better life", the director general commented.

This cute boy reads the graduands' speech

Stellamaris K. & Teachers join graduands

In his opening speech, the founder of the school Fr. Dominic Tumusiime,  reminded the community that Rubanda Solidarity school stands for the community development through quality education to children.
 
He emphatically said, "Children are a responsibility for all" and this school is in the realization of this universal and noble call inspired by the very words of Christ, "Leave the little children come to me and do not hinder them for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, Mt 19:14"

Students dance for graduands while parents & visitors watch

It seems, there is no way in modern times, how man can come out of poverty alienated of quality education which should be an integral development of a child. And nursery education has been curved to fill these gaps that children and the society would miss once not found in their families. Nursery education therefore is aimed at providing the backbone of education which our kids greatly need today more than ever before.

In their inspirational speech (see top right pic.), the graduands thanked God for giving them parents and guardians who  care unlike many kids who suffer and are not in school around their communities. For even some of these children's brothers and sisters are not in school because parents can't afford  the requirements or others even do not care at all of child education. They know of many of their friends still who are in public school and are not able to distinguish a from b even in grade two.

After their graduation the kids pointed at the future with a smile and hope

The graduands thanked the school administration for the good vision and mission " Improve quality of life through the provision of quality education to children". They hailed the commendable good work all their teachers, matrons and all staff are doing. When asked to mention one aspect of the good things teachers and all staff are doing, one kid said, " they teach us well in class and good manners". They also thanked the school  surrounding community (neighbours), for providing peace and security for them. 

With special gratitude, the graduands appreciated and thanked all their friends and school friends who partner with the school to make their life better and their school time an enjoyable time. "Thank you all", they conclude.
 Then, amidst cheers and laud acclamations from the  parents, visitors and the whole congregation, the graduands were matched to the high table for the last part of their ceremony where they enjoyed a delicious lunch before they left for their vacation in the company of their parents and guardians. That was a day to be remembered.

Some of the visitors who conferred certificates to the students 2011.12.01

This kid above handles her precious gown as she draws inspirations from the guests of the day into her own future carrier .  Let's wait and see what comes out of her as I remember being challenged by one kid who asked me, "Uncle, what's wrong with the adults of today? They do not give us advice, they only shout at us".

Certainly the society of today needs more role models that these kids can look at and rely upon to find a clear way into an easier but complex world.

Un inverno migliore (A better winter)

E 'un inverno migliore di quest'anno.

Quando si tratta di inverno in Rubanda, è davvero freddo, parruccone ma senza neve. I mesi di giugno ad agosto sono famose mesi secchi fornendo sole molto caldo durante il giorno e notti fredde esatto contrario e la mattina.

L'altro periodo dell'anno, ha mescolato se di aria calda e fredda che è sempre a disagio per i bambini a scuola. Come un dispositivo di riscaldamento bambini vengono prima impegnati in esercizi fisici per generare il calore del corpo su un assieme prima di poter entrare nelle loro aule.

Durante il vostro ultimo viaggio in Uganda, Terry e Cristina avete condiviso con la nostra parte figli di questo fatto e non si poteva credere quanto duri questi bambini subito la freddezza con i loro vestiti del tempo non amichevole opure non buoni per freddo. Grazie per essere venuto e condividere la nostra povertà e si avvicinò con un atto di carità a fare la differenza.

Ringraziamo tutti voi che hanno dato con generosità ai nostri figli di avere i ponticelli per la freddezza agghiacciante. I ponticelli bella calda che ha fornito loro non solo hanno mantenuto la freddezza via del loro corpo, ma ha aggiunto migliaia di sorrisi tonnellata loro volti.

Sappiamo quanto si formano una buona squadra di entrambi i coordinatori e sostenitori di Ospitaletto con Francesca e Villa Carcina con Terry e Cristina.
Ricorda, qualsiasi cosa fatta per i poveri con amore porta gioia perenne e trasforma i cuori.

I vostri figli si inviano un sacco di gioiosa gratitudine e vi auguriamo un felice natale. Essi sono dovuti andare per la loro vacanza dicembre 1 / 2011 fino a gennaio 6 / 2012.

Possa Dio continuare a benedire voi fino a quando ci incontreremo di nuovo.


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It's a better winter this year.

When it comes to winter in Rubanda, its really cold, fogy though snow-less. The months of June through August are famous dry months providing very hot sun during the day and very opposite cold nights and mornings.
The other period of the year has mixed whether of warm and cold air that is always uncomfortable for children in the school. As a heating device children are first engaged in physical exercises to generate body heat on an assembly before they can enter their classrooms.

During your last trip to Uganda, Terry and Claudia you shared with our children part of this whether and you couldn't believe how tough these children endured the coldness with their non weather friendly clothes. Thank you  for coming and sharing our poverty  and came up with an act of charity to make a difference. 

We thank all of you who have given generously to our children to have jumpers for chilling coldness. The beautiful warm jumpers you provided them have not only kept the coldness  away of their body but added thousands of smiles ton their faces.

We know how much you make up a good team of  both co-coordinators and supporters from Ospitaletto with Francesca and Villa Carcina with Terry and Claudia.

Remember, anything done to the poor with love bears everlasting joy and transforms the hearts.

Your children send you plenty of joyful gratitude and wish you a Happy Christmas . They are due to go for their vacation on December 1/2011 until January 6/2012.



May God continue to bless you until we meet again.

 A study Trip through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest of

Western Uganda.

"Quality Education" Is Our Key Mission to "Improved Quality of Life"

 It was on 12th November that our children of Rubanda Solidarity Nursery/Primary school made their first historical study trip to "Bwindi impenetrable forest" in western Uganda. The students were eager to learn but much more than that, they wanted to see what nature still holds in store for them and their nation. Below, see this amazing forest from one angle snap.


Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Western Uganda 2011



Students study causes of rains and waterfalls 2011



Like Sr Beatrice we hope these children will make a difference of Rubanda.

These students are just fascinated at nature

"The day was long for the kids because it was rainy, long drive, cold snacks,  walking through wet jungles, fear of wild animals though in tight security by game rangers. They also  returned to school quite late and tired", the projects coordinator acknowledged.
But for the kids things seemed different. " It was fun traveling far away, spending a day in the jungle tracking elephants and Chimpanzees, Baboons and Gorillas,  eating packed foods, listening to the birds and animals singing in the jungles and finding shelter under trees against the rains amidst thunder storms fears", one of the students narrated.The pictures tell it all.



students navigate through the humus jungle

It was a real study trip for kids. Have a look through the pictures and get inspired of the beauty of nature in Uganda and much more of the future generations to conserve it. These children are a big hope and we need to invest in them with a knowledge that is creative and world loving.

They get inspired while walking through the jungle and seeing its richness in spite of how much devastation and harm humanity has been done to it in their surrounding communities.



Rubanda Solidarity school-grades 5 &6 2011

 Rubanda Solidarity school believes in  "improved quality of life. And we hope that these children's  quality education will enable them to make a difference in life and conservation of our environment in to improve live in  very near future.


From its bare eroded hills and valleys, Rubanda is almost understood that more than 70% of its  green carpet has been destroyed through deforestation and reclamation due to acute need for fuel and land that have increased with population pressure. These issues among others have not only left these hills and valleys bare but run out of natural resources and highly threatening as dangerous future social economic hazards to the entire community and nation.

Thanks to the international and national conservation  efforts that have enabled to sustain Bwindi impenetrable forest as a remaining home hundreds of the remaining animal and bird species and maintained the security of the jungle to continue to provide leaves, roots, tree back skins and herbs, the local pharmacy. It also provided a platform for birds and animals music as they always enjoy jungle recreations. Here you can find the most unseen species of the world white elephants, Chimpanzees and so on. 


The teaching staff team discussing their study findings 14th Nov. 2011

Its amazing to see how many children of Rubanda today  have not had a chance to see animals, birds and tree species that their teachers talk about in class or read about in books in look. One of the students  exclaimed as he saw an elephant in the jungle, "now I will not forget the ivory that the African slaves were forced to carry during the slave trade because I have seen two on the elephant", she narrated. Yet another boy "Oh, those beautiful fresh waters that I stood by get a snap, I will never fail that exam", he affirms to the teacher.

The Head Teacher and class teacher give kids confidence as the water roars.

Yes, this is the objective of our mission that draws its foundation from the quality education we provide. An education that provides life skills, academic and religious impact on a child for a better tomorrow. So, we are in pursuit of this quality education in season and out of season. And the administration is very grateful to the parents and the community who have actively inserted themselves with them to achieve their goal.

The administration, knows how much trouble and sacrifice parents go through squeezing from the very meager resources and biting chronic poverty to build up a better future for their children and the nation.

May the good Lord continue to bless your generosity and provide you with a ability for more esteem  and hard work..

 On a rainy morning, more than fifty children were flagged off by their fellow students to the jangles with their eyes and ears raised high to see the unseen in their history. They always heard of animal like elephants, monkeys, baboons, buffaloes, cheaters, bush backs, lions and the famous Ugandan Chimpanzees but had never seen one of them. This was an exciting day for them including their teacher.   

The school Management Committee under the Leadership of Sr. Stellamaris  after their 3rd annual meeting Nov.2011

The last picture above is the School Management Committee that plays a very significant role in the school's management and  development. Its composition is amazing: Founding body, community representatives body and local government representatives.

Ugandan kids dance at their 49th Independence Day

Ugandans  are proud of  their country's independence, 49 years ago on October  9, 1962.  

Gaze at the picture of proud Kids of the Pearl of Africa as they represent the nation to invite you to join them in the match to equip them for the tough years a head of them.

Ugandan children joyfully dance at the nation's 49th independence Day celebrations in Lira Oct. 9th 2011

Below, enjoy the Google Uganda Logo created for the Day celebrations as well, Published on: Monday, October 10th, 2011

"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".

African smiles begin as early as a rising sun!!

These kids are learning how to make an African smile. They are cute. They are  proud because of their chance to early education knowing quite well that there are many visible and invisible children out there who starve of similar  smiles. Their great eyes and smiles invite you to a tireless defense of their rights. Your tender hand could hold them a candle that leads to the sun rise. 

In Rubanda community, we have many kids who become parents at an early age. When kids lose both or one of the parents, kids get unwanted new name " orphan". From then, they become parents to themselves and to their siblings. Its sad but real. Within acute and chronic poverty environment, these kids start parenting each other at an early and tender age for both personal and family survival. You could imagine what they will not search for. That's what an orphan child goes through in Rubanda. And the order of their parenting skills follows the order of their seniority. The older become fathers and mothers to their younger. Why all this? HIV/AIDS is the greatest factor adding to the rising family and cultural social breakdown.  To know more on  the invisible children look at the picture below from the Uganda New Vision news paper and read the story among many that compels thousands of kind and generous hearts to act the way they amazingly do for children.

Facing Death at the hand of a spouse

Elsie Kamire's grandchildren. They were abandoned when their father killed their mother before hanging himself. PHOTO BY Johnson Mayamba. 

By Johnson Mayamba.

Posted  Monday, October 17  2011 at  00:00

In Summary

According to a review on gender based violence in Sub Saharan Africa, Uganda ranks number one with the highest percentage at 60. Unless efforts are made to deal with the problem, the country will experience more deaths of especially women and children.

On April 5, 2011, residents of Terere Village, Nkokonjeru Sub-County in Mukono District were shocked to find Shamim Nyunjimana brutally murdered by her husband who later hanged himself in the near by bush.

Nyunjimana who was eight months pregnant had been married to Ezekiel Masente for close to two years. When her mother Maria Kabanyana gave her away at the age of 16 to a 53-year-old man for a kilogramme of sugar and a bar of soap, she did not know that she was giving her away as a sacrificial lamb. Some people blame Kabanyana for her daughter’s death.

Elsie Kamiire, 76 years and Nyunjimana’s mother-in-law accuses Kabanyana of forcing her daughter to get married to Masente. She says that when Kabanyana realised that her daughter was in love with Masente, she forced her to demand an introduction from Masente which he was not ready to do at the time. It is alleged that Kabanyana then demanded that if Masente could not pay everything at once, he should first get Shs500,000 before taking her daughter, which Masente agreed to do.

Masente then bought a kilogramme of sugar and a bar of soap which he gave to Nyunjimana to take to her mother to get permission from her to be his wife. Kabanyana who admitted to have received the items and gave her daughter a go ahead, said this was Masente’s initiative and that she did not ask for the items but money from him. “That was Masente’s own initiative. He agreed to pay Shs500,000 before taking my daughter. When he sent the items, I thought he was serious, that is why I gave her a go a head,” Kabanyana said.

It is said that few months later, Nyunjimana got pregnant which prompted her mother to recall her from her husband’s place saying the man had not paid everything and that it was wrong for her to carry his child.

Nyunjimana then started spending most of her days at her mother’s place and would only go back to her husband’s place at 7pm till 6am. This became a problem according to Matia Ntagganila, a neighbour to the deceased.

Ntagganila says that Masente stopped providing for the family as he accused Nyunjimana several times of cheating on him with other men. “This is what caused the quarrel on that fateful night prompting the man to cut his wife into pieces,” Ntagganila said.

Nyunjimana’s death is one among many. In fact, on that same night, in the next village, Tom Ramech, 35, beat his wife Harriet Nabibu to death on allegations that she was dating other men for money. At Lugazi Police Station on April 7, Florence Kedodi, 40 years, had come to report her husband. She says he had promised to kill her.

Kedodi says that when she fell sick, her husband Sam Katerega, 50, abandoned her with their four children at Mulago Hospital. “He sold all the property at home including the house we had built and married a younger woman leaving me with nothing. When I complained, he said he will kill me,” Kedodi narrated. The stories of such women abound everyday in different parts of the country.

The three kids in the above story is one among many where children are forced to parenthood at ab early age in Rubanda. 

The Rubanda Solidarity's mission is to make a difference and provide hope to these kids. Because we are convinced that helping these visible and invisible kids to cope up with their new realities is all what their smile is about and deserves. 

Please, if you feel to join us in this mission, just post your comment and request and we shall reach you soon.

He died so young, just @ eight

Funeral Mass for Avitus Ainesaasi 30/9/2011

Children and staff of Rubanda Solidarity Nursery & Primary School  and the community of Rubanda are mourning the death of Avitus Ainesaasi.

Ainesaasi died on 28/9/2011 at the age of eight years at Rugarama hospital in Kabale.

Prial to his death, Avitus spent the whole day at school learning and playing normally without signs of healthy discomforts.

In the evening, as usual, Avitus joined other kids to the assembly and as the school closed he joined his friends, brother and sister going home.

After dinner, he joined his brothers and sisters to play and later went to sleep.Early in the morning as it was his habit, Avitus did not wake up raising fears among his parents who went to check on him. To their dismay, they found he was in bad shape and only fit for hospital emergency. With the nearest hospital at a distance of more that 20 kilometers away and with none existent ambulances, he was rushed to a nearby Rubanda healthy center who found that his health condition had deteriorated and referred him to Kabale hospital where he died shortly after arriving. The  cause of his death is not yet known with certainty.


More than the staff, his fellow children miss him a lot. However, they have been  assured and consoled by Rev.Dominic Tumusiime, the founder of the school, that at the tender age Ainesaasi has met his death, blameless as he was, has gone to God in heaven as the first saint from the school and is praying for all of us.

Ainesaasi, your family, your sponsor, our school and the whole community of Rubanda will  miss your smiles and love. However, as we all feel the pitch of the deep hole you have left behind, your death at that tender age is your blameless journey to behold the eternal life.

We will miss you but hope to see you once again when our time comes.

Good bye.

Rest in Eternal Peace.