This is a brief report following some discussions with Timothy in relation to the schools at Katosi (UGA01a) and Mbale (UGA01c). Due to the current COVID pandemic we have been unable to visit in person.
Timothy reports that they are fine as a family and both schools are actually OK. At the time that we talked to him both schools were closed but were opening two weeks later. I had previously reported that the Katosi school had suffered some significant tornado damage from a storm in April or May. Three classrooms were destroyed in the storm. The photos show some of the damage, but I cannot fully determine which classrooms have been significantly affected.
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There are significant issues with increasing poverty and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the community. In particular, the elderly in the community have been suffering greatly and there has been a great need for food relief. Following a discussion I had with Timothy in the middle of 2021, Bright Hope World agreed to provide three monthly additional payments of US$1,000 to assist in the feeding and support of the most vulnerable people in the community. $1,000 provides approximately a month’s food for several hundred people.
Timothy has identified that in the Katosi area there is a real need for an ambulance but, even though it is very obvious that the need is there, this is not something that Bright Hope World would provide funding for. The district with a significant number of people is at least 40 kilometres from a reasonable hospital and there are only a couple of very rudimentary medical clinics servicing a significantly impoverished community.
When we talked to Timothy the schools were about to reopen after a long period of closure. Timothy expected that things would get back to normal but had real concerns as to whether there would be enough school fees coming in. He indicated that businesses in the area had been hugely affected by the pandemic. A lot of people have lost their income and livelihoods and he was not expecting that it would recover for at least a year. A number of people in the local community had died from COVID, and the church was very aware of this because of its elderly and some vulnerable members.
The biggest problem with COVID has been that the school has been off and on so much. They are very grateful that the school has not lost anyone to COVID and none of the teachers have been affected by the disease. But the inconsistency in the closures have been a big challenge. The parents have been supportive, but very few people have been able to continue to support by way of school fees. The teachers have been able to be paid because of the funds from Bright Hope World and other supporters, and have been continuing to work although some have been at home and having to try and do other businesses as well to make ends meet. Katosi school has 52 staff. I'm not sure about Mbale School but had understood it was around 20-24 previously. Timothy also runs the Marisara Babies Home and Preschool nearer Mukono.
I consider it a real privilege for Bright Hope World to have partners like Timothy and Janepher. They truly practice and live the gospel, and they are so good at getting things done that sometimes I stand in awe of their achievements.
At the time of writing this report I am endeavouring to get a further update from Timothy. The communication channels with him have always been quite difficult, except when we are able to physically visit. I have not heard from him in any meaningful way now for probably two months, however I know from observation how busy and stretched their lives are.
There have been significant developments in the education sector in Uganda and major new ministry requirements have been imposed. These are causing a degree of turmoil in the education system and it is clear that all non-government schools are going to have to improve if they want to remain registered. In years ahead even schools of significant size like the one run by Timothy and Janepher are going to have major problems with minimum teacher qualification requirements. Prior to the pandemic the Ugandan government introduced a requirement that within 10 years, all teachers in Ugandan schools would have to be degreed. To my way of thinking this represents a very difficult target to reach but the government has mandated that.