Esteemed sponsors and all interested in our project
In the middle of December 2016, we founded an association called “Förderung BSSK Uganda” (Supporting BSSK Uganda). The purpose of the association is to collect donations for the Beatrice Secondary School Kyankwanzi in Uganda. We already submitted the tax exemption request to the Cantonal Tax Office in Aarau last December. We have now just received a positive response to our application. Future payments into the accounts of the association “Förderung BSSK Uganda”, for general donations or sponsorships, can now be declared as “voluntary contributions” on your tax return and deducted. We are delighted to have this “label”. So, as you can see esteemed sponsor, as an added little bonus in return for your donation, you benefit from lower taxes and the express knowledge that absolutely no administrative costs are deducted from your donations.
At the end of January, female members of the Ugandan parliament organised a “Life skills training workshop” for the senior girls with the motto: “It is up to me”. The workshop that lasted several days took place at the BSSK. The around one hundred young women had their rights explained to them as well as being motivated to pursue education. Regina, who herself comes from a poor background, told them her life story and encouraged and emboldened the young women listening to her. After having acquired a lot of information and a strengthened feeling of self-worth, the young Ugandan women have learned to take responsibility for themselves.
Building is continuing on the school’s campus. The guest-house has just received the finishing touches. Two teachers now live in a small but functional house located near the boys’ dormitory. The move into the library/computer building was delayed. It was a challenge to install a dust-free floor for the sensitive electronic devices. A further measure that will ensure greater safety is the fence surrounding the school grounds. Have a look at the impressive final result in the photo gallery. A second dormitory for the boys will also now be finally built. This is a project that we already categorised as urgent a year ago.
Students from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) visited Regina’s school for the first time. They gathered data for their Bachelor thesis dealing with the development of the BSSK. And as is always the case when visitors from Switzerland are present, Ugandan culture was performed in the form of dancing, singing and acting.
We were really looking forward to Regina’s planned visit to Switzerland in late summer, but for the moment this will have to wait. Regina had to postpone her journey due to a great event which will require a lot of time and effort by the BSSK.
As you may know, in Uganda there are still kingdoms today. They have been part of Ugandan history for the last thousand years. In recent times, they have had a particularly important role in the cultural and education sector. The king of Buganda, the most influential in the country, has requested the use of the spacious Paul Fries hall and of BSSK infrastructure to hold a work and information exhibition for several days. Universities and other schools will have their own stands, while parents and pupils from far and wide will be able to find out about education possibilities after the compulsory school period. On the last day, on 17 June, the king will appear in person to give out prizes, declare the BSSK library/computer building as opened and to conclude the career guidance week.
Receiving the king of Buganda, to which Regina also belongs, is a great honour, but it also involves a lot of time and effort. The faster the event approaches, the less school lessons can be held. To compensate for the cancelled lessons, Regina wants to make up for the missed lessons with a condensed supplementary programme immediately after the event. This is especially important for those pupils who have to take exams in October and November. It is therefore in the interest of the pupils and of the quality of BSSK. In this challenging phase, Regina wants to lead her pupils purposefully and not leave the responsibility to others, which must be respected. You, dear readers, will be informed about the later travel arrangements of Headmistress Regina Nasseremba in our next newsletter.
We wish you all an enjoyable summer and send you our warmest greetings.
The Web Team
