We didn't actually visit Rukungiri this year but met Justus and Reuben in Jinja where they attended a Foundations For Farming conference BHW ran there from 21-25 June. We discussed the situation with the school extensively with them.
Since the last report the school has undergone significant developments. Reuben’s chainsaw business and timber selling has generated significant income, which has been applied to the school. The school has now been able to purchase an old school which had closed down in the centre of Marumba Trading Centre. A deposit of 10,000,000 UGX (US$3,333) was put down on the land with the balance to be paid at the end of November. They are also to take possession of the new property from the end of November. When Shared Hope (UK) visited in February 2015 a commitment to fund the balance of the school purchase price was made and funds for completion of the purchase are to come from that source.
It has impressed us that it has been Reuben who has in fact so far raised the funds for the deposit on the school from his own business and from his own resources. It always impresses us when our partners sacrifice from their own resources for the purpose of a ministry.
As you will see from the report on the cow project (UGA07), Reuben had an accident on 3 April 2015. This has limited him somewhat, and when we interviewed him he was still not able to operate the chainsaw but his hand was recovering.
The cow project is providing some income towards the school but is not yet in a position to fully support it. The school also previously had support from a donor from Australia who had been at GLO in Zambia and had met Reuben and Justus. That donor support has now ended.
There are currently 148 students in the school of which 24 do not pay any school fees at all. Of the remaining 124 pupils some of the parents default or are erratic in payment of the fees. In addition to the school fees the school now asks each parent to bring 3kg of beans and 2kg of posho (maize meal) as a contribution towards school fees. Apparently this has been well received and is happening.
Marumba Trading Centre, from which the students come, is a very poor area and also has problems with alcoholism and domestic violence. Most of the parents who are taking active responsibility for the children are women. Justus describes some of them as being ‘completely poor’.
The number of teachers has now been reduced to nine.
We were pleased to hear that for the year ended December 2014, with BHW’s support (US$4,500.00) the school broke even. The school finished the year with all its bills having been paid, and with the teachers having received their salaries.
BHW has been supporting the school on a reducing basis while encouraging the leadership to develop income generation strategies which will help the school to become self-sufficient over the long haul. This means that for the 2015 year the financial support to the school has reduced and will reduce further in 2016.
As a result of the Foundations for Farming training, we have raised with Reuben and Justus the possibility that Foundations for Farming be introduced in some form into the school itself. We see a high potential for helping the very poor families to take responsibility to develop their own growing plots and possibly expand those further so that some income can be produced which would help the families to support themselves and ultimately to pay school fees etc.
We discussed whether it would be possible to set up a very small demonstration plot on the new school land. Initially Reuben and Justus thought that not possible but, when it was described, decided it could be done.
The school runs parents’ meetings once per term and we have also suggested introducing the FfF principles through that forum as well. Unfortunately the same issue applies all over Uganda that, to address poverty, one first has to change the mindset of people. In a settlement like Marumba this may be difficult and may take some time.
Increase School Size
Another possibility is simply to grow the school roll further. With nine teachers the school has significant capacity to increase the roll. There is a target to increase the school to 200 students and to increase the fees for those who can afford it to 70,000 a term. We were a little concerned that if this happened it might operate as a barrier to the poorest people having access to education. Reuben and Justus assured us that wouldn't be the case as they would still allow students to come who were not able to pay fees.
Reuben and Justus are hopeful, if approval is given for funding for the milk cooler for the cow project (see report on UGA07), that from the 2016 year onward the school will be able to completely fund itself from fees and from the profits generated from the cow project. We find this very encouraging and are aware that Reuben and Justus have been working very hard to reduce the dependency cycle.
When we last visited the school in July 2014 a very basic micro-loan program had been started between the teachers. This program is no longer working however there is a program being run by one of the leaders out of Rukungiri Community Church. She has started a small loan program in the church. Each member brings 1,000 UGX per week (US0.35c) which is contributed to the joint fund. If people need a small loan they borrow it and repay it over a short period of time. This is a very basic and small scale loan program.
We have previously met Florence and understand that she has had some experience in community based micro-loan programs. There may well be an opportunity to explore the development and support of this program in some way through BHW into the future. We will continue to have communication about this but not make any active decision until we are able to visit Rukungiri next year.
Both Reuben and Justus expressed a great deal of appreciation for the support from Bright Hope World for the school. This has been an interesting journey as the initial support from BHW was for the cow project and the school developed virtually overnight, and without consultation, with BHW. Its ongoing success is a testimony to the dedication and determination of its leadership.