Paying School Fees

Ocen Patrick

Acen Susan Louis

I am here in Uganda paying school fees for about 45+ kids.  I have $10,000 to work with.  The Well of Hope Foundation raised $5,000 and the African Promise Foundation raised another $5,000+ for school fees for me to pay.  The first year of recruiting kids is the easiest; it’s a matter of picking kids who are vulnerable, who have at least average grades, and kids who have a desire to excel and complete.  I rely on Jackie and Ronald, social workers from St Jude Orphanage, to assist me in this. We actually go and see their homes. Everyone is financially challenged here, so it is important to identify the really vulnerable ones.  The subsequent years can be challenging because problems always arise.

Akera Stella

I have had to set some definitive parameters.  If they don’t pass the school year, for any reason, they are not selected again.  It’s important to do this or I would be making very hard choices year after year that are difficult and hurt my heart.  There are many kids waiting for sponsorship.

Akwero Nancy

Last year, one of my girls was not promoted.  She insisted the head teacher had feelings for her and had tried to make advances toward her. When she didn’t respond to him, he failed her.  Something didn’t ring true though.  She couldn’t answer how the head teacher got all of her other teachers on board to give her bad grades in every class.  After a lot of tears and frustration for both of us, she was let go.  I found out later that she had forged her good grades on her initial report card to me in her first year.

Layet Gloria

A boy last year received all F9’s on his report card, so he was let go.  He didn’t fuss about it though. He was interested in school anymore.  I didn’t go through Jackie and Ronald for him.  Sometimes I do pick up a neighborhood boy or girl or a friend of a friend.  Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.

Ocen Patrick

This year we have several stories.  We lost one girl to Gonorrhea.  Yes, it is true.  She was dismissed from the school when they found out about her condition.  She actually came to me for medication.  I learned that the medication is given out free at the clinic, so I counseled her to go to the clinic for treatment.  She was not promoted, so was not picked up for 2012.

Piloya Simple

The next story is the hardest story; the story that I counseled with 4 other people about to help make a decision.  This girl was living with her aunt during the school break.  There was only three days left until she could return to her very fine boarding school.  Unfortunately, the aunt beat her (leaving marks still visible on her back).  The girl ran away to the bus stop and caught a bus with a stranger to Jinja (very far away).  She missed the entire third term and was not promoted.  She has returned to Gulu and is now living with her uncle and wants to repeat the year.  We all decided that she could have made better choices.  She could have come to St Jude for those final 3 nights for shelter.  She could have gone to the uncle’s house where she is currently living.  We felt she had better options to choose from instead of fleeing to Jinja with a stranger.  Something wasn’t right about her story.  The four of us, as hard as it was, voted not to let her repeat the grade; especially since she was attending a high end school.  Her desire to complete her education did not take priority in her decision making. 

Lawino Janet

One of our boys had so many family responsibilities that he wasn’t able to attend classes and didn’t pass. Another young man begged us to continue paying into his higher education years because 2012 was his last year of his current vocational school.  These are some of the VERY tough choices we have to make.

Acen Susan

Almost all of the kids are successful.  Out of 45 kids, we only lost about 4; I’m not done contacting all of the kids, so my figures are not final.  My very first St Jude girl, Gladys, was promoted from a day school to a nice boarding school.  Her grades have been excellent and she is a hard worker.  I have Janet, a partially blind girl, who will be moved from a lower end primary boarding school to a high end boarding school for the blind.  Her grades are excellent (aggregate of 16; Division II).  She is a very fast runner.  Several other day school kids were moved to boarding if they had been performing well.  It is especially important and in some cases mandatory for the upper grades of S4-S6 to board so that they have more study time and can be serious.  School is very hard here; especially A level S5 and S6 (equivalent to 12^th and 13^th grade or the first year of college in the US).

Gladys Alimogum

Never, ever, ask the student “how much are your fees?”!!  You must require the official parent letter which will have the real school fees on it. Last year, I had one of my students bring me a hand-written note requesting a larger than expected amount for her school fees.  I felt I was being had. That’s when I learned about parent letters.  I requested and received the real figures.  The staff at her school had inflated her amount because I was a sponsor and they wanted extra money from me. This year, I sat down at the desk of one of the head teachers and asked how much I owed for all three terms.  He said 83K, 83K, and 83K for a total of 249K.  I pulled out my parent letter and said, “Your parent letter says that the term fees are 72K, 72K and 72K for a total of 216K.”  He was embarrassed. 

A toy car made of a water bottle

If you don’t investigate the living situation of the child, you might find that he/she was on a government scholarship already and that your funds will be used by the school for other purposes; a school NEVER turns away money, even if it is not owed.  And they don’t give it back if the child doesn’t show up.  I pay the school fees directly to the bank. The child never sees the money.  I give the child and the school a copy of the bank slips.  I keep a copy for our records and the donor, if they are interested. Also, I only pay school fees.  The child is expected to pay for the school requirements.  At this age, they can dig or work for a little money between breaks.

Jackie and Ronald are the social workers with St Jude who help me find vulnerable kids. I couldn't do this without all of their hard work. 

This is my 3^rd year, and my program is getting bigger and bigger every year.  It is sustainable, and I will see to it that every child I have in my program will have funding every year until they graduate.  Education is the foundation of progress and the only way to get Northern Uganda out of this horrible level of poverty and corruption. 

I'm Back in Gulu

I went from very cold England (borrowed the coat) to HOT HOT Uganda!!

After spending a month in England visiting old friends and making new ones, I have returned to Gulu, Northern Uganda.  It is the beginning of a new year.  I will be busy for the first month paying school fees for my Well of Hope Foundation kids (about 20 kids).  I will pay the school fees for the African Promise kids as well (about 20 or more).  That’s a lot of report cards to review, a lot of trips to the bank, a lot of bank forms to fill out, copy and organize. It also brings me a lot of pleasure and joy.  Lucky me J

England was a very lovely place (They like the word “lovely”).  I wasn’t prepared at all for the cold weather.  I just don’t like being cold. I stayed with Mark and Shelley Scribbins, who were my friends from Hawaii before they moved across the Atlantic to Margate, Kent, England. It was very kind of them to host me in their cozy home.  Shelley is a great cook, and I came away from her home with a few added pounds.  It was worth it though; I will get them off in Africa. With two teenage kids at her house, it reminded me of my own busy days raising kids; all the shopping, cooking, cleaning and never ending washing. 

This isn't as good as Shelley's gourmet cooking, but it's my favorite dish here! 

This is Gladys' third year in my program.  She was the first child sponsored from St Jude's Orphanage.

As always on my travels, I learned so much from my stay there.  I came away wiser. I hope I left some gifts of wisdom as well.  It’s a give and take experience when I stay with a family for awhile. I lend a hand where I can, a shoulder and an ear, tell a story, and share my life and my love. In return, I get friendship, meet new people, and eat great food, laugh, and have “new” experiences. It’s a win win situation.

A New Pool In Gulu to enjoy :)

This is where i am living. Solar power, flushing toilet...just like home :)

This year in Gulu I will be spending time with Aid Africa helping them out with their accounting and working in the field; planting trees, assembling and mudding stoves, and fixing borehole wells.  I have always been attracted to the good work that Aid Africa is doing.  It is supported by many Rotary Clubs in the US.  The staff is kind and fun to be with. The work they are doing is important.

Greeting new friends at St Jude Orphanage. 

Jackie and Ronald are the Social Workers that help select the children we sponsor.

I know the question that is on many of your minds.  Don’t I miss my family?  Of course I miss them greatly; so so much!  My three boys are in Texas now; one in the Coast Guard, one in University, and the other working.  They are all living near each other for the first time in many years. They are taking care of each other now, and that makes me so relieved and happy.  I lived and worked far away on an Island, so whether I am in Africa, or I am on the Island of Oahu, I was/am far away. My daughter is in good hands.  I pray for her every day, and send her my love. She is working on completing her education.

These stoves are smokeless and very economical; perfect for cooking inside the hut.  They use just a tiny bit of wood or coal. This is Jenna, the Peace Corp Volunteer at Aid Africa. 

The Village Bobi

For now, I will throw myself into my work in Gulu.  I know with all of my heart that I am where I am supposed to be and doing what I am supposed to be doing.  I get this confirmation many times every day. I will write about my experiences and post pictures of this beautiful place.  Happy New Year everybody!

This woman needs extra help tying her stove because she is crippled. 

George is explaining the days program to the women. 

Time to take her stove home.  The next step is the mudding of it inside her hut.

How Did I Do It?

I knew I had to write another blog when someone came up to me today and asked me how I got Rotary International to pay for my one year trip! On a different day, someone asked me if The Well of Hope Foundation paid for my travel!  Some thought I went on a mission, perhaps paid for by my church.  No, Rotary did not pay for my trip.  The Well of Hope did not pay for my travels.  The church did not pay for me to go on a mission. I will tell you how I did it. All the actual details will be in my book that will someday be for sale :)

In India, I lived here for about a month before moving into...

this lovely home with this amazing family :0 

I miss you guys.  I will return....

I paid for my trip out of my own pocket.  My budget was $1,000 per month.  I am an accountant.  I am good with money.  I also raised a large family on a tight budget, so I know how to stretch a dollar.  I budgeted $500 for monthly living expenses like rent, food, utilities, internet and phone. The other $500 went for travel expenses.

Uh, this is in China.  This food is too local for me!!

Setting up a new internet system and a new phone was always the highest priority upon arriving in any country.  In Chile, there was a wireless system in the house so it cost nothing.  In Ethiopia, though, it cost about $120 (yes, US dollars) to get the internet modem, minutes, and phone set up. In Uganda I was using a borrowed modem, so the cost was just the monthly refill of about $40/mnth.  Every country I was in had a prepaid phone system, so you pay for the minutes before you use them.  Local calls are always cheap.  In Uganda, I once made a 1 hour and 15 minute phone call to my daughter for 13,000UGX (less than $6), but calling out of country in India was way too expensive.

Partaking of the local dishes is important when traveling :) Yum!! (Argentina)

For my rent, each country was different. I did not stay in fancy hotels.  I lived with the local people. In Chile, the family of my Rotary Exchange Student (Emilia's family) refused to take my money.  So I saved that boarding money for three months and I took Emilia and I to Machu Picchu, Peru. In Argentina, we stayed at a hostel for a mere $10 a night.  In Uganda I rented a room for less than $200 a month.  India was my most expensive, but I learned I was being overcharged at the Yoga Ashram. I was paying $500 for room and board and yoga, but that left no room for my phone, internet or personal expenses.  The arrangement only lasted for 25 days and then I found a better, cheaper place to live.  In Ethiopia I stayed at a friend's house; she was not in the country at the time. I paid for my food and the house helper, and I made a contribution to her Joy Center. Living on the economy in a foreign country and away from the tourist hotels opens your eyes to the real world.

In Chile, I stayed with Emilia's family.

In Uganda, I rented a small apartment.

My bed was my desk, my dining table, and my sitting room.

I avoid eating at the tourist hotels or the "white people" (mazungu) places. They are always the most expensive place in town; places like coffee huts, internet cafes, ice cream shops, hotels.  A typical meal at a tourist hotel in Uganda is 16,000UGX ($6.40)!!  A meal in a local, nice cafe is 5,000UGX ($2)!  After living in a place long enough, one refuses to pay such "exorbitant" prices too often. Even though by US Standards, $6 is a cheap dinner, in Uganda, that $6 can pay for 3 nice meals in a local joint.  I have even eaten a VERY good meal for 2,000UGX, which is less than $1. I only ate out once a day for the main meal.  The rest of my meals were simple local foods like bananas, avocado, peanuts, peanut butter and rolls, etc. Snacking is non existant in almost every country I visited, and that is probably the main reason I lost weight.  I wasn't exposed to chips, cookies, cakes, etc.  Just good, solid, fresh food.  Nothing in a box or a can.

Lots of good seafood and fresh produce in Chile

Now the second $500 each month went to my next air ticket.  If I stayed for three months in one place, I had a $1,500 budget for my next move.  One way tickets can be cheap if you meet several criteria.  First, you need an excellent travel agent.  I have a fellow Rotarian friend that owns a travel business in Seattle, and he is REALLY good at finding me cheap tickets.  If I can fly at God awful hours, and if I am flexible with my dates, and if I am not air-line loyal, cheap one-way tickets and sometimes round trip tickets are available.  I flew one way to South America, one way to Uganda, and the others were round trips. My trip to England was the only trip ever paid for by a very generous friend, and it was to participate in a very special ceremony in England with the Ethiopian Ambassador and my new friends. I wrote about it a few blogs back.

Local Uganda meal.

Typical Ethiopian Local food.

This is how I went to 10 countries in 11 months;  Chile, Peru, Argentina, Uganda, Kenya, China, India, Ethiopia, England, and back to the United States.  $1,000 a month.  I lived with the locals, ate local food, didn't buy many souvinirs, and kept my entertainment costs simple.  If I settle down and stop flying around, my living costs might be more like $6,000/year!  Plus the cost of coming home for the holidays...

What will I do different next time?  I already have some ideas.  First, I am taking a small, portable DVD player, and alot of DVD TV series that I love. This helps at night time when there is no electricity.  I am going to get an Amazon Kindle that I can have MANY books downloaded on. English books are sometimes hard to find, and you have to read what you find on a shelf. I want to have a solar phone charger on hand. I now know the clothes that I will actually use.  I still have all of the essential flashlights, safety gear, etc.  I want to get a can of mace spray.  Wait, wait, wait!!  I am getting WAY AHEAD of myself!  It is still late November and I am in Hawaii.  I know that I cannot plan for more than two months out because my life is changing too fast.  It is time for me to put away my computer, and get out there for my daily walk along the beautiful ocean shore.  The whales are supposed to be jumping. Maybe today.....

I have returned to Hawaii to catch my breath, 

See my children, 

And spend time with friends...

What Will Happen Next Is Still A Mystery.....stay tuned :)  

Raising $4,000 for School Fees

Rina is a Nursing Student at Gulu University. The Well of Hope just paid $400 for her last semester of Nursing School.  She is in email contact with her sponsor, Paula Bailey.

I am currently raising $4,000 dollars to pay for the third year of School Fees for my 20 teenagers in Gulu, Uganda. But I dont want to stop at 20 kids.  If I can raise $20,000, I will sponsor 100 kids!  I will reach my goal some day.  I know this. Education is my passion, and I have always succeeded when it comes to something I am passionate about. My donors from past years have been great and very supportive so it won't be a daunting task. This project is sustainable, and these lives depend on me and my ability to raise the funds. So I am reaching out to all of my readers to help me do this. I collect the funds through the Well of Hope Foundation, a 501(C) 3 non-profit organization. Our Federal I.D. # is 20-8086100. Every dime that you donate is spent on a child. There are not many charities that can claim that 100% of your donation goes to the cause! You may send a check payable to:

The Well of Hope Foundation
P.O. Box 30904
Honolulu, HI 96820

Let me share some of the stories with you.

CHARLETTE ADONG is16 years. Charlette’s father died from HIV. Her mother died in an ambush during the war. She now lives with an Auntie who has 6 other children to care for, and cannot afford school fees. Charlette is attending Pope Paul boarding school, which has improved her living & studying arrangements. Charlette is S-2, which is 9th grade. Her boarding school fees were $476 last year. 

AGNES AKELLO is 24 years old. Agnes was abducted by the LRA Rebels when she was 14 and given to a LRA soldier as his wife. She was with him for two years before he was killed. She escaped and returned home to find her father and elder brother dead from the rebels. She supports her mother and daughter and several villagers with her small salary cleaning for others. Agnes’ grades were fantastic at Alliance High School for adults. She is now in S-3 (10th). Her school fees were $120 last year. 

SARAH ADYERO is16 years old. Sarah’s mother is caring for 8 orphans whose mother died of cervical cancer. During the war, the cattle which were of great help to their family were collected and taken by rebel soldiers. Sarah’s mother has great chronic pain of the backbone which prevents her to do heavy work like digging or walking long distances which could help in earning some money to help the family. She is S-6 (13th grade) at Sacred Heart Secondary School. Her full year boarding school fees were $489.

MERCY AKELLO is 16 years old. Mercy lives at Kati Kati with her maternal grandmother. She is the third of four children. Her mother is alive and her father was killed by the LRA rebels in 1999. Both parents were peasant farmers. Mercy is interested in school, but her mother cannot support her education. She was brought to me by St. Jude’s Orphanage. This is her 2nd year at Sacred Heart SS, Level S-2 (9th) and a full year of boarding school for her is $431. 

VICKY ACAYO is17 years old. Vicky was born in Pader in 1993. Her father, Richard, died in 1996 of sickness. Her mother, Rose, is still alive. Rose produced 2 children with Richard before he died and then she remarried another man who is still alive and they had four more children. The current husband of her mother, Isaac, refuses to pay the school fees for the children of her first marriage, the late Richard. The mother cannot provide the school fees for Vicky due to their poverty. Vicky has passed all her exams but is at home due to school fees problems. She was brought to me by St. Jude’s Orphanage. She is attending Gulu Alliance Level S-4 (11th). Her school fees for day school are $117. 

CECILIA ACEN is 17 years. Cecilia Acen lost both parents during the war. Her father was killed by the LRA rebels and the mother died of HIV. Cecilia stays with the paternal grandmother. Her grandmother is old and weak and cannot support Cecilia’s education. Last year she attended Gulu College and her grades were excellent. This year she is attending Graceland and she is Level S-2 (9th). She was brought to me by St. Jude’s Orphanage. Her term fees for a full year of boarding school are $504. 

JENET LAWINO is14 years.  Jenet is blind. She has 4 siblings. She was beaten by her Aunt a few years ago and lost her sight. She is a very bright girl. Jenet lost her father in the war. Her mother could not meet her school fees, and she cannot study in regular schools because she is blind. She is now studying in Gulu Primary School Annex of the blind Level P-7. She was brought to me by St. Jude’s Orphanage. Her school fees are $184 for a year of public day school.

AGNES ADOKORACH is 17 years. Agnes was my daughter’s first friend in Gulu. She is living with her grandmother. She is the youngest of six siblings. Her mother died when she was very young and her father left all his children with the grandmother. Her grandmother cannot afford the school fees for Agnes, so she was not attending classes until we arrived. She is the first one we sponsored and she is so very grateful! She is attending Pope Paul SS Level S-4. Her school fees were $476 last year.

GLADYS ALIMOGUM is 15 years. Gladys was born in Koch Goma in 1996. Her mother is alive but sick with high blood pressure. Her father is deceased. He was UPDF, a Uganda Army soldier who was killed in Congo when fighting with the Kony rebels in 2009. There are five children in the family and Gladys is the second born. Gladys is living at home with her mother helping her take care of the younger siblings. Her grades are excellent and she has worked hard at her studies. She desperately wants to continue with her education. I have met with her, talked with her, and I am very impressed with Gladys and her desire to get back into school. She knows that education is the only way for her to get out of poverty and help her family. She will attend Gulu Senior School. She is Level S-2 which is equivalent to our 9th grade level. She was brought to me by St. Jude’s Orphanage. Her school fees were $120 for day school.

Vicky Arach-17 years. Vicky is the oldest of 4 children. Her father is alive but he has two wives. Vicky’s mother, Margaret, is deserted by her husband and he will not pay the school fees for the children. Margaret does not have the capacity now to support Vicky in her high school years. Vicky is attending Sacred Heart SS and is level S-3. She was brought to me by St. Jude’s Orphanage. Her term fees are $431.

My friends, this is what I was doing in Africa this past year.  Educating as many youth as I can.  When you educate a young woman, she will educate her children.  It is a generational gift.  When you educate a young woman, she is not so likely to be married off at such a young age.  Instead of selling peanuts on the street or just living on the street, she will become a productive member of society.  Education is the foundation of progress.  It can't be sold, traded or stolen.  It changes lives.  It makes a huge difference in their life, their family, community and society! Educating the youth is the best thing to change corruption, poverty, and over population problems. Education is my passion and I want to get as many kids in this world, all over this world, an opportunity to get an education!