LIFE @ RUBANDA SOLIDARITY SCHOOL-UGANDA

The vacation time that saw Paul and Wini Benvenuti accompany Fr Dominic Tumusiime to Uganda is over and we are all back safe and sound  to our daily routines. The journey that started on February 30th 2013   was full of excitement for both of us. While Paul and Wini wished to the difference between East Africa and West Africa and see the realities of Rubanda and Children in Rubnada Solidarity School, I was more taken up by my family and school children. The one month vacation that seemed enough time to do all we had on our plan just rushed like water on hill slopes. However, we managed to capture some of our activities in pictures and video clips that we feel honored to share with you. You will also see Dr. Bruce who joined us a week later from the DRC refugee camp in Kisoro-Uganda.

Paul entertains kids on their Thanksgiving day Feb. 23rd 2013

Post the celebration  kids are going through the experience of a beautiful thanksgiving day

A happy mother of four kids is so happy because she found a place for them.A guarantee to  quality education is
why she loves this school and smiles.

A day later, the staff and community volunteers sit to evaluate the thanksgiving party

Wini chats with Diana,  one of the first beneficiaries of Yamba Abaana since 2005 attending teachers' college as Paul does with a healthy worker

March 13 2013: Fr. Dominic celebrating Mass with the School children

Kids enjoying their time at the school compound during their school break time

Wini (center) and Paul (behing with a cap) enjoying snaps with St Adrew's secondory school students

Paul and Wini tour the new school land proposed for a new nursery school

At their back, on the opposite hill is the current Rubanda Solidarity school premise

Wini and Paul cross the valley to the opposite hill to have a fair view of our project's two hills

Dr. Bruce 2nd right with Paul and Sharon joined by friends from Kisoro team and School nurse @ Rubanda Healthy center.

Dr. Bruce joins the school children for a group photo on 16/2/2013

Curious kids having fun and a taste of driving a visitor's car

Cows a great source of wealth and health. They provide a source of dowry to the people of Rubanda.

Quality education is all these kids need to fully develop their talents

Dr Bruce left the company of Shalon (center) and Paul (right) are escorted by kids to Rubanda Healthy center

From left: Mrs Immaculate, Fr Dominic, Dr. Bruce and Mr. Rogers enjoy a photo with a group of Yamba Abaana kids

Dr. Bruce looking at the new land on the opposite hill of the school proposed for the construction of the new nursery school project

 

Teacher Rossette mentoring the school children in music

A group of Yamba Abaana parents and guardians working on  their sweet potato project intended to build funds to top up on the given sponsorship.

Men and women work together to build a UG. Yamba Abaana group similar to the US. Yamba Abaana group

Yamba Abaana group Uganda is donating some of their vegetable produce  for the school children

Our school comedians take over the stage

Paul and Wini receive an African gift from a nun at their residence at Rubanda

These kids are so energetic that even with limited resources and facilities they can use anything possible

Sr. Benadet leads Dr Bruce and his team a round Rubanda healthy center. This facility partners with  our school

Fr. Dominic, Paul, Wini and Rosete visit the consolers of the heart of Jesus community in Rubanda

At lake Bunyonyi

Please, ENJOY SOME OF THE VIDEO CLIPS FROM RUBANDA SOLIDARITY SCHOOL

• Foot ball with a a banana leaf ball
• Kiga dance with kids version 
• PTA group

 

Thanksgiving for excellent UPLE Performance 2012

The video clips below portray the real life at Rubanda Solidarity School. "Solidarity" like our name is the real tool for our community building where Peace, Joy and security for our children and the community Rubanda are eminently needed. Our goal is to have  better life with equal opportunities for both girl and boy child. 

Rubanda Solidarity was born out hard realities. It was a result of deep reflections on deteriorating security and concerns for children, school drop out youths and increasing social economic hardships to parents with mothers being the most  vulnerable. 

Since its foundation in 2004, things are not certainly the same. Life is getting better though at a slow pace due to financial meager resources .  Regardless, some fruits have started to ripe with the first batch of our 21 candidates to sit for Uganda Primary Leaving Examination (UPLE) in 2012. With 19 of the students scoring first division and 2 with second, there is a great reason to rejoice and have a "Thanksgiving". Their wonderful performance is not only a boost to the children, their families and the community but to our school which seeks to offer more services to vulnerable children in the community. These children below are getting ready with the rehearsals for the real thanksgiving day. Hope you will be able to track the the celebration through our pictures and video clips on this blogger day by day. 

We are very grateful to God, Parents,, donors Staff  and all friends from within and out of Rubanda. We know and acknowledge that the excellent performance was a fruit of a combined effort of which each individual deserves to be part of our "thank you" and celebration. With especial recognition, the community of Rubanda sends its particular appreciation to the individual and the Yamba Abaana US group that generously donated  funds for the  day that brought together a congregation of about 600 participants with more than 300 joined by their parents and guardians.

Our beginners have set Rubanda Solidarity as a model school of community projects in Kabale district and a landmark in Rubanda community where we excelled with the best performance in 

UPLE since the establishment of formal education in Rubanda community during the British rule in 1960s. We have all reasons to celebrate and seek blessing to do even better in the future. Watch the video clips.

The nursery school deputy, teacher Joy Kesande animating the kids cultural music at  Rubanda Solidarity School February 2013

VACATION OVER

The vacation time that saw Paul and Wini Benvenuti accompany Fr Dominic Tumusiime to Uganda is over and we are all back safe and sound  to our daily routines. The journey that started on February 30th 2013   was full of excitement for both of us. While Paul and Wini wished to the difference between East Africa and West Africa and see the realities of Rubanda and Children in Rubnada Solidarity School, I was more taken up by my family and school children. The one month vacation seemed enough time to do all we had on our plan just rushed like water on hill slopes. However, we managed to capture some of our activities in pictures and videos that we feel honored to share with you. You will also see Dr. Bruce who joined us a week later from the DRC refugee camp in Kisoro-Uganda.

From right: Paul, Wini and Stella stand next to the Uganda Martyrs Shrine March 3 2013

March 4 2013: Fr Dominic and Wini at Uganda Equator on Masaka Road

March 4 2013: From left Wini, Dominic and Paul arrive at Uganda Equator on Masaka Road to Kabale

From left Rogers, Paul and Wini enjoy Uganda food taste at Makanga-Kabale town

The view of lake Bunyonyi from a distance 4 miles away

Lake Bunyonyi is the deepest lake in Uganda, swim at your own risk.

Quality education is all these kids need to fully develop their talents

 

Please, ENJOY SOME OF THE VIDEO CLIPS FROM RUBANDA SOLIDARITY SCHOOL

• Foot ball with a a banana leaf ball
• Kiga dance with kids version 
• PTA group

 

Moving mountains together !

21 Students & teachers  pause for their group pic Nov. 4-6 2012 before exam.

 Dear friends of Rubanda Solidarity,

Let’s join together to congratulate and celebrate our 21 finalists!

 “If only you had little faith, you would move mountains". Yes, together we have done it. We have begun to move lots of mountains in Rubanda. 


Hope you recall that our school started far back in 2004 as a study class to find out why children highly dropped out of school and performed poorly? 

The findings of that study with 90 kids indicated lack of food in most households and lack of meals at schools as a major cause. 

Students & teachers pause for a photo before leaving the school on Nov. 6, 2012

Moved by compassion and concern to children who run through the day walking long distances on foot to the nearest school, we started mobilizing the community to do something about the situation.

In 2005 putting our vision, mission, immediate and short term goals and objectives together, we started a community Day and Boarding School to carter for these kids. At that time what was clear in my mind was that to fight both acute and chronic poverty one needed to join hands with others. This made me focus on community and outside promoting "United we succeed" as our motto and "Solidarity" as our new school's name.

Yes, we have walked through valleys and mountains and not got stuck there. We have instead started to bring mountains together. Guess what? 

The real news is that with the release of the results of the Uganda National Primary Leaving Examination (UPLE) by the Ministry of Education and Sports yesterday revealed that out of the total number of our 21 students who started with us in 2005 and sat for their national exams to high education between Nov. 4-6 last year, 19 of them scored with the highest grade while the other 2 scored with scored grade. Please, expect the details in the next communication.

The results show an incredible and exciting start for our school in the history of our improved  child care and focus on quality education for kids in Rubanda community as our over all vision remains better standards of living and a happy and healthy community  with equal opportunities. 

The performance of our kids is unique. Its the first of its kind in the history of formal education in the whole of Rubanda Sub County which has over 35 primary schools. We congratulate our kids and all those who have labored so hard to  build confidence in the kids and produce amazing results of the highest number ever in a single year by a single class in the sub county. We believe and know that it was a combined effort. Please,wait for the details of the results later in the next communication.

Not exaggerating, my dreams have been fulfilled. I have got the answer to them and I know and confirm that rural children are as capable as rural kids. They are ready to compete with urban children or children with well to do parents and families,  only if they are provided with similar opportunities. They always lack basic necessities and sufficient economic and social support to encourage them to believe in themselves. 

From the beginning of the project in 2005 I was also aware that providing at least for their basic needs and create a conducive environment was a basic to their healthy development and good performance like any other kid around the world. But I had no proof to present to support my hypotheses..

Now that these kids have proved it, I have more courage to invite any and every person of good will to join this noble cause. And our newly established ”Yamba Abaana-Help Children" ministry is a great opportunity and instrument to accomplish this mission.

Thank you for joining hands with the community of Rubanda for a real change. A change that leaves Rubanda different. Your contribution is highly appreciated and makes a big difference in moving the remaining mountains. 

May God continue to bless the work of our hands.

Please, direct any one with interest or find more information through our blogger  link: http://rubandasolidarity.blogspot.com/

In memory of Simone Caselli 2012

In memory of Simone Caselli 2012

Un amico vive davvero per sempre, anche se lontano dai nostri occhi. Simone che è nato in mezzo a noi, ha vissuto in mezzo a noi, a ridere e goduto con noi, passò di là dei nostri occhi alla vista senza fine. Chiamato giovane non è il motivo di piangere, per il cielo appartiene anche a questi piccoli. Anche in questo caso, che non avrebbe il desiderio di avere i buoni dimorare con lui. Così è il nostro Dio. 

Foto di Simone sopra ci ispira con una vita di un giovane con un senso della vita oltre la vista umana. Simone, che la vostra speranza, la fede e l'amore si è risposto con la felicità eterna.

Per la tua mamma Claudia, Giovanni Caselli tuo padre e tua moglie Laura e gli amici, Cristo sia il loro migliore amico, come ci si allontana fisicamente dalla loro vista. Essi ti manca così tanto. I tuoi amici lontani come quelli in Uganda manchi anche tu. Ma la fede e la speranza ci sostenga tutti.

Che tu possa continuare a vivere più con noi e tra di noi attraverso quello che avete condiviso con noi, la vostra energia giovanile, lo zelo e la gioia di lavorare e divertire gli altri. Noi di conservare nella nostra memoria come i vostri genitori e amici hanno voluto la nostra scuola e bambini poveri di Rubanda.
Che tu possa continuare a dare gloria a Dio nella pace eterna. Riposa in pace.

Transilation

A friend indeed lives for ever even though far away from our eyes. Simone who was born in our midst, lived among us, laughed and enjoyed with us, passed on beyond our eyes to endless sight. Called young is not the reason to cry, for heaven too belongs to such little ones. Again who would not desire to have the good ones dwell with him. So is our God.

 Simone's photo above inspires us with a life of a youth with a sense of life beyond human sight. Simone, may your hope, faith and love answered you with eternal happiness.

To your Mom Claudia, Giovanni Caselli your dad and Laura your wife and friends, Christ be their closest friend as you depart physically from their sight. They will miss you so much. Your far away friends like those in Uganda miss you too. But faith and hope sustain us all.

May you continue to live closest with us and among us through what you have shared with us, your youthful energy, zeal and joy to work and entertain others. We shall keep you in our memories as your parents and friends have wished it to our school and poor children of Rubanda.

May you continue to give glory to God in eternal Peace. Rest in Peace.