Meet Atto Sharon and Atimango Susan

Sharon and Susan are The Well of Hope Foundation's two newest additions to the Uganda School Fee Program.  I think you will fall in love with them as much as I have.  They are both survivors and have overcome much in their short lives.

ATTO SHARON

Atto Sharon  Born 1997 Age 15

Even without hands, Sharon can shell peanuts, write, and take care of all of her personal needs.

Sharon’s parents were the late Mr. Opira Jackson and the late Mrs Aloyo Haida.  She was born in late 1997 and is now 15 years of age. When Sharon was still only one year old, both of her parents were caught by the rebels and were killed in the bush leaving her alone in the house.  Baby Sharon, alone and looking for her parents, accidentally crawled into the fire.  Both her hands were severely burned.  Finding Sharon alone and in desperate shape, the Grandmother took her to Lacor Hospital. Baby Sharon lost both of her hands.  Now she is still with the Grandmother.

Sharon and I

Our Lady of Good Counsel Primary School

Sharon was first noticed by Rotarians Ben Abe and Ezra Teshome in 2006 when children in Gulu were still night commuting from their distant villages to the safety of a shelter in Gulu town during the war. Rotarians have provided Sharon with prosthesis hands for several years, but she out grew them or they didn’t fit right due to the odd way her hand stumps healed.  She is many years behind in education because of her village schools. 

Ben Abe with Rose, the Director of the school, and the Head Mistress

These are some of the things we had to buy for Sharon

Last October, a group of Rotarians donated money to pay for her school fees.  We put her in Our Lady of Good Counsel Primary Boarding School Level P4.  The Head Teacher, Rose, has reported that Sharon is catching up very quickly with the other girls her age.  It is the first time Sharon has ever been boarded.  She is making friends, learning fast, and is very happy.  We bought her the necessary shoes, mattress, school supplies, and all the personal supplies that she needed.  Her life has been changed forever!

Our Lady of Good Counsel Primary School boards only 28 primary children, so the family-like atmosphere is perfect for Sharon.

ATIMANGO SUSAN

Born 1998 14 Years

“I was 14 years old when her mother died of cancer.  My father was a soldier with the Ugandan People Defense Force (UPDF).  When he heard the news of the death of my mother, he just shot himself and died.   I was living with my Aunt in Hoima District.  Unfortunately, my aunt was having HIV/AIDS and she felt sick every day. One day I was sitting for examinations in P5 when my aunt went to the hospital. My class teacher told me that my aunt died that day.  I felt so sad.  That is why I did not finish my P5 level.  I want to thank you for sponsoring my Secondary School at Gulu College Level S1.  May the Lord Bless you my friend everywhere you go.  This is briefly the history of my life.”  Susan Atimango

If anyone is interested in more information about sponsoring these and many more of these very deserving young people, you can email me at rhosling@msn.com or call me at +256 785751370 (Uganda).  Also, check out The Well of Hope Foundation website at www.thewellofhopefoundation.org.

Paying School Fees in Uganda

THE WELL OF HOPE FOUNDATION is a 501c3 US Charity that gives 100% of the donated funds to pay for school fees.  We dont take a wage, nor travel expenses, nor advertise.  I am living here in Gulu and volunteering my time and resources to help change a few lives.  In the process, I am changing my own life and destiny. 

Acen Susan Louis

I am here in Uganda paying school fees for about 35+ 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 a year of studies.  I rely on Jackie and Ronald, social workers from St Jude Orphanage, to assist me in this. They actually go and see their homes. Everyone is financially challenged here, so it is important to identify the really vulnerable ones.  The following years are challenging because problems always arise.

Akera Stella

I 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 it hurts my heart.  There are many kids waiting for sponsorship and want this opportunity for education.

Akwero Nancy

Last year, one of my girls was not promoted.  She insisted the head teacher had feelings for her and  she said he 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 not 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 the last term.  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 enough classes so he 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.

Atimango 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

I never ask the student “how much are your fees?”!!  I require the official parent letter from the school which will have the actual school fees on it (not the mazungu price). Last year AND this year, I had a studens bring me a hand-written note requesting a larger than expected amount for her school fees. When compared to the parent letter, the price was inflated. 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. 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.I believe it is important to make the child pay a small part of their education.

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.  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 feel very blessed to be dong this at this point in my life :)

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.