Update From Katosi, Uganda

Dear Friends,

It takes many hands of grace and love to achieve goals in life. We are writing to thank you for being there with us as we bring a positive impact in the lives of these vulnerable children.

The Lord has been amazing and you our friends have been wonderful. The Lord has used you to make dreams reality. Thank you very much.

Recent Events

Children

The number of children enrolled has increased to 848 at Katosi Community School/Winners Secondary School, 196 at Chosen Generation School, Mbale (UGA01c) and 15 babies at the Marisara babies home.

With your help we have been able to educate, accommodate, and provide three meals a day to these children. Our medical clinic continues to serve the children and the community.

We are glad to let you know that the results for our children in the candidates class were released. The children performed well passing in Grades 1 and 2. Now they are ready to join secondary and high school.

The feeding program has been a success, food prices have been stable and fair. We have managed to have a good diet throughout the year.

Teachers

Thank you so much for your continued support towards our teachers who are doing a great work. Our staff includes 17 teachers at Katosi Community School, 15 teachers at Winners Secondary School, and eight teachers at Chosen Generation School. 

We also have 12 non-teaching staff at both Katosi Community and Winners and four at Chosen Generation. 

Improvements

A new water purification system has been installed. This has improved on providing safe drinking water to our children.

The playground has also been improved. We now have a W-Slide and a round-about merry-go-round spin. This has brought big smiles on the faces of our children.

We still need to fix the soccer field and the volleyball ball court.

We are also in the midst of a building project program of the construction of the girls dormitory. This will improve on the accommodation and reduce bed and mattress sharing. There is a great need to replace the beds and mattresses which are worn out. It is a high priority on our wish list. We need 128 pieces.

Current Needs and Challenges

They are many needs that need your support, we have chosen to share one from each school which we think are our priority.

1) Chosen Generation School, Mbale (UGA01c)
Our teachers walk six miles a day to and from school. During the rainy season it becomes harder, to the extent of missing lessons. Teachers' living quarters are a top priority now. Our goal is to build three houses, each house to accommodate three teachers. Our target is to start with one house so that by February when the new term begins we shall at least have three teachers on the school campus.

2) Katosi Community School
There is the need to improve on sanitation by upgrading our pit latrines with flushing toilets and washrooms with showers. This will greatly reduce the infection rate of diseases and the general hygiene in the children community.

Prayer and Praise Points

Please continue to pray:
1) For leaders and staff for wisdom, courage and favor
2) For good health for our children and our staff and their families
3) Pray for our children as a new academic term begins on 29th January and for the children who are graduating from our school for higher education
4) We have 12 children on treatment who are HIV positive. We need to continue helping them and also pray for them for divine healing.
5) We need more food and staff as the enrolment has increased to 848 children at Katosi and 196 at Mbale
6) Pray for our income generating project (the buying and selling of grains and cereals including maize and beans)
7) Pray for the completion of the girls dormitory and the teachers' quarters for Chosen Generation School
8) Please pray also for more open doors of friendship and relationship
9) We have been asked by the government to separate the campuses for Katosi Community (Primary) and Winners Secondary School. Would you please pray with us on this important issue which needs immediate action. (Note: the Ministry of Education is taking a much more active role in supervising and approving schools and ensuring that they meet reasonable standards. This is causing many of our partners issues which they need to address to ensure continued compliance)
10) The Kakooza family is doing good, with a wonderful grand-daughter Eliana, and our son Samuel will be graduating in June. In April we shall be celebrating the Golden Birthday for Janepher.

We love you our friends and we highly appreciate your partnership. We are looking forward to continue working with you.

May God bless you

Pastor Timothy B Kakooza 
Director - Community Concern Ministries - Uganda