Report from BHW Uganda Partnership Facilitator Following Visit in June

Key people: Thomas and Joyce Lubari

Recent Events

Activities

This report is being done for both the Ugandan (UGA04c) and South Sudanese (SUD04) vocational training programmes that Thomas and Joyce coordinate. Our recommendation is that both of these actually be combined into one with Thomas and Joyce having the responsibility to allocate the scholarships to those most needing it and with the proviso that it cannot be all South Sudanese or all Ugandan. They find on a year by year basis that it is not always easy to allocate 10 places to Ugandans and 7 to South Sudanese. It also seems to be a common sense approach. 

We spent a considerable amount of time with Thomas and Joyce discussing this part of the partnership. Key points are:

1) They are now requiring a reasonable contribution from students or their families and this is working. The ideal, which we asked for, was that they would get a 50% contribution. This has worked well for some. Others are paying 25% or less, but contributing as they can during the study period.

2) The programme is working well. Below are photos of some of the students along with the outcomes. Most seem to have some sort of employment but it is not clear how many of them are actually getting paid in that employment. One, Rachel, who we profiled a few years ago, is now working in a presidential adviser’s house doing catering and such related activities. She came from a very poor background and has done extremely well. She is also helping Thomas and Joyce out as she can. She lived with them for some time during her training. Another student, Nancy Among, will graduate as a laboratory technician this year and has been offered paid employment.

3) Thomas and Joyce want to keep the total number of students to 17. 

4) They are faced with massive hikes in tuition fees. Fees have gone up in some cases by 60% or more in the last year and are unpredictable. In some cases they have gone from 600,000 UGX per term (US$162) to 1.1m UGX (US$297). In addition the Government has mandated that all vocational training courses now be a minimum of two years, whereas before many were only one year.

5) Last year they made an urgent request for assistance with examination fees which were introduced during the course of the year and which had not been allowed for in the budget. We agreed to this. 

6) We consider, and Thomas and Joyce accept, that the budget would remain the same (US$8,000 for the Ugandan student portion and US$5,600 for the South Sudanese) but there is a request (see below) that a proportion of the examination fees also be built into the budget. The same expectation should be there as with contribution for fees. Interestingly, for a student’s qualifications to be nationally recognised and certified they have to sit examinations set by four different national bodies but all in exactly the same subjects!

7) One student, Francis Malesh topped the national exams. He is profiled below. He was training at Nile Training Institute however because he is South Sudanese he was not able to get a scholarship.

8) There has only been one drop out, Charity Winnie. Thomas thinks she has now got married. 

9) If there are medical emergencies Thomas and Joyce simply fund these from their own resources and keep praying that the students will have good health (so far, so good) but this does involve some significant cost. We were asked whether BHW could assist or allow for this in the budget. We think it is simply too difficult as any contingency fund will simply be eaten up by other pressing expenses. 

10) One of the other students, Scovia, who is doing building very successfully is also helping Joyce with the accounting and collection for the remaining part of the loan programme. 

11) One other student is HIV positive. He was deliberately infected by a soldier when he was trying to escape from South Sudan. His medication (which is supposed to be free) costs 9,000 UGX a month. Thomas and Joyce cover this expense.

12) Overall these two projects seem to be doing well. We did not have time to meet any of the students but met most of them last year. 

Personal Stories

Ugandan Students

Francis Malish Steven (right) has been studying electrictrical installation at the Nile Vocational institute in Jinja. He has recently finished this training and is now looking for a job.

Alone Norman has completed his IT training and has now established his own business. 

Willi Fred studied computer programming and is now employed in Yumbe district.

Mujuro Ben undertook computer training, mainly business packages, and is now employed in Koboko.

Oloka Michael completed his training in cosmetology last year and has been promised a job. He is to pick his certificate for the job.

Wani Juma (right) undertook a course in Computer Repairs and Maintenance with added business packages and is now employed in Arua. 

Natasha, now a trained hairdresser, is currently employed temporarily. 

Bridget, who last year finished her catering course at the YMCA School of Business Studies, is now happily employed in her field of training. 

Likewise, Babra, who trained in computers, is also employed in her field of training. 

Nancy, who is currently studying to become a medical laboratory technician, has been promised a job as soon as she completes this year. 

South Sudanese Students

Oscar Moro (right) studied computers, in particular computer secretarial services and digital printing services, and is now working in Juba, South Sudan.

Likambo Isaac Moses is grateful to BHW for the support towards computer training with marketable packages that has enabled him to create his own business related to digital printing of banners, provision of secretarial services etc. He is now working in Koboko.

Ayiki Moses is also employed in Koboko following training in machine skills. 

Moro Ben completed a videography course and was initially employed by a photo studio but is now self-employed in Koboko.  

Partnership's Influence within the Community

This is hard to judge but if the students are getting some form of employment and especially if they are now making a contribution, as some are, toward Thomas and Joyce then this seems like a good partnership to continue with. The Personal Stories are very encouraging although it is not always clear whether they are actually getting paid for the work that they do!.

Plans for the Future

The understanding that students will have to make some contribution before or during the course is now being accepted by the students. This is great although we don’t think that this project will ever become self-sustaining. It is simply too difficult for Thomas and Joyce to follow up with students after they finish to see if they can get some repayment. On the other hand, some of the students continue to help and in small ways support them, often in non-financial but important ways. We think that this should continue without major change at present.

The only strategic change is to combine the two partnership projects and give Thomas and Joyce the freedom and flexibility to determine who can participate. We would like to request that the budget for the two be combined into one project and also that there be an increase of US$1,000 as a contribution towards examination costs. This would be approximately 50% of the exam costs.  

Current Issues and Challenges

No change from last year. Thomas and Joyce are more realistic about what they can achieve and who they can benefit. We have no major concerns here, especially after having spent considerable time with students last year.

Prayer and Praise Points

As above in the outline of activity. We are pleased with what we have seen and with the calibre of the students we have met in the past. They seem well chosen.

Comments

Thomas and Joyce are both much more settled in this project and realistic about what they can and cannot achieve. They are no longer simply letting their heart rule and accepting students that they cannot look after. It is clear however that they see many of them as ‘family’ and have a strong sense of responsibility toward them. We like that.