CHILD SPONSORSHIP

The children are always very excited for visitors to come to the school, and many have never seen a musungu (white person).  There are now 273 students attending the school with a portion being sponsored.

JNFC has 41 sponsored children and we spent two 6 hour days visiting the children in their homes.  This always gives us a chance to see their living conditions which are varied.  The main source of income is farming so most people here are subsistence farmers who will sell their excess.  At the same time there are some people who build houses, some are carpenters, some are seamstresses and more.

One of the families

We have done this several times on previous trips and it has always been a highlight.  The more times we visit the homes the more people we remember and the more they remember us.  Even though there is a language gap we feel we know many of them better than before.

Other sponsored children

Last Thursday, April 23 was the final at the school and the students of the Jolly children's education centre were given their report cards prior to having a holiday between terms.  Then we had all the children that are sponsored by JNFC come together for a group photo with Tom who coordinates the sponsorship program at the Jolly Children Education Centre.

Thursday is also the day where all the caregivers/parents of the sponsored children, who are members of the community, come to the school to work in the gardens.  The gardens are used to grow food crops both for preparing meals at the school

for the students, and also to sell excess as an income generating project.

Some grandmothers of JNFC sponsored children
working in the gardens at the school.
Other caregivers/parents are in the background.

Tools of gardening:  lady in white is holding a slasher for cutting grass.
Lady in purple is holding a panga (a type of machete) for cutting thicker branches.
In front is a hoe - the type used in many third world countries,
and much heavier duty than a Canadian Hoe.

It has been estimated that 90% of farmers in Uganda rely exclusively on hand tools and human labour to work their lands.  The percentage is higher for woman farmers.  (taken from Ifad NGO)

On the last day when the caregivers worked in the garden, they all came together for a group photo.

Group photo of parents and caregivers.

There are many children who are still unable to attend school because of a lack of sufficient funds for school fees.  When a child is sponsored they will receive a school uniform, scholastic materials plus some immediate needs will be met.