Dear sponsors and friends,
The Corona pandemic has not only changed our life, but also the lives of people in Uganda. On 18th March, lockdown was imposed, schools closed and children and young people sent home. The first cases did not appear until two days later. An re-opening for schools in April has been postponed indefinitely.
The Ministry of Education created documents for home schooling. But who benefits from them? Only the children of rich people who have access to electronic media and the support of their parents – a small minority. The vast majority of the population has no radio or television. How is distance learning meant to work then? President Museveni wants to remedy the situation by distributing radios and one television for each village. Anyone who knows Ugandan culture will know that such a coveted item will be immediately taken over and “managed” by the patriarch. Home schooling can also be ineffective because children are often left to their own devices during the day while adults are working. And even if they were there, most could not help because they themselves have a low level of education.
In the hospitals of the capital, Kampala, there are “patients”, lively people who should not be reliant on hospital care. The president needs case numbers and pictures, because he doesn’t want the money well of the World Bank to dry up. So far, a total of 939 people have been infected with corona and no deaths from the virus have been registered. Truck drivers, particularly those from neighbouring countries, brought the disease into the country. People have long since lost their fear of the virus and their belief in government help too.
Regina thinks that some girls will not return to the BSSK because they (will) have already been married or become pregnant. Older boys may also have entered the world of work. This is a shame! Because school is a protected place for many young people, where they can learn and develop. The longer lockdown lasts, the more young people will be affected and drop out of school.
On the BSSK grounds, Regina is farming with the few students left behind. Chicks grow into chickens, piglets grunt, goats bleat and cows have long been part of the school’s image. The extensive nursery garden project was reduced because thieves picked ready-to-harvest products at night. The part outside the fence is now grassland for the animals, while the part inside the fence has been planted in recent weeks. Since the rain is a long time coming, the ground needs watering. Fortunately, this is possible on the BSSK campus!
Dear readers, stay healthy and enjoy the summer as much as possible!
The web team
