Our trimestral reports are written by Susan Laker for our Kampala programs and by Aidah Wafula for our Jinja programs. In addition to our Child-Sponsorship Program we run additional programs throughout the year benefitting all children and their community. This report shows the programs that have been running the trimester Julu-September 2023
1. EDUCATION
Jinja
The term two examinations concluded in the primary schools, and the private schools, which started early in May, were among the first to complete their term on July 18th. The rest of the public schools followed the Ministry of Education and Sports' calendar and officially closed on August 25th, a week later. All students participated diligently in their academic assessments, demonstrating a resilient spirit amid the ongoing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Evening music and computer classes continued after regular school hours, offering additional learning opportunities and fun to our children.
Kampala
Throughout this trimester, Susan made regular visits to Hope Land Boarding School to ensure the well-being and progress of the sponsored children. These visits included monitoring aspects such as nutrition, medication, educational progress, and the relationship between our children and their teachers. While some classes remained in school to catch up on the syllabus of the old curriculum, most students enjoyed their holidays.
In September, all the children who were on holiday returned to school, initiating the third term of 2023. This significant achievement was made possible with the support of sponsors. Unfortunately, some children had to leave the program due to their parents relocating to areas where follow-ups were challenging.
The parents' meetings continued during the trimester, with discussions centered around themes such as respect, parental involvement in their children's lives, compliance with terms and conditions in consent forms, extra coaching for primary six and seven kids, saving groups, cooperation between parents and the foundation, small business updates, and more.
Music and computer classes continued in the evenings, providing students with additional learning opportunities and skills beyond the regular school day.
2. NUTRITION PROGRAM
Jinja
Throughout the months of July, August, and September, our nutrition program played a central role in ensuring that our sponsored children received balanced and nutritious meals. Hot meals were provided consistently, contributing to the children's health and overall well-being. This program is particularly vital for the children, and our big pride, as it ensures they have access to essential nutrients that may not be readily available in their family settings.
Kampala
Our commitment to providing balanced and nutritious meals continued throughout the trimester. We provided a balanced diets, including beans, vegetables, silverfish, eggplants, rice, groundnut sauce, sweet potatoes, posho, and Irish potatoes.
In Kampala, 144 children benefited weekly from Sunday lunches, that significantly contributed to their improved health and overall balanced diets. As previously reported, we expanded our nutrition support to include 120 boarding school students, to whom Susan delivered their meals. These meals have a transformative impact on the health and diet of the children, offering essential nutrients and ensuring balanced diets that often their families aren’t able to provide.
Finally, we distributed new yellow T-shirts for our Sunday lunch program.
3. HEALTH AND EYE-CARE PROGRAM
Jinja
During this trimester, one of our beneficiaries, Batiyo Pauline, underwent a medical examination at a local public health center. However, her condition necessitated specialized care that required access to more advanced medical facilities. We are currently waiting for the necessary funding to support her in receiving the appropriate medical treatment. Her health issues have affected her academic performance, and we remain committed to providing her with the necessary support to overcome these challenges.
Additionally, the health program had to address cases of severe malaria affecting our sponsored children, Biyinzika Noeline, Mukisa Teddy, and Kisakye Miriam. These cases required urgent medical attention, and the affected children were rushed to St. Nic Medical Centre for treatment.
Furthermore, a significant highlight during this trimester was the eye checkup initiative. During this time, 17 children received eye examinations, with 13 of them receiving treatments based on the recommendations of the opticians.
Kampala
One of our beneficiaries, Anena Beatrice, has been facing a health challenge with goiter. Following successful medical tests and the provision of stabilization drugs, the date for her necessary surgery was set for the month of October. The 22stars Foundation funded the entire operation, amounting to 4,200,000UGX, providing invaluable support to Beatrice.
A significant aspect of the health program this trimester was the eye program. Thirteen children underwent eye checkups and received treatment as recommended by opticians. The progress and recommendations from the doctors were well-documented, ensuring transparency and care for our beneficiaries' health.
4. VARIA PROGRAMS
Jinja
In July, we had a very special visit from Joelle and her family, namely Sarah, Thomas, Kohn, and Loo. On this special occasion we organized a Saturday center day filled with fun activities, meals, and a tour of the area with our visitors. Such interactions are essential for fostering a sense of community and providing opportunities for the children to connect with our team and supporters.
The trimester also witnessed the successful harvest and sun-drying of maize grains. We have now collected enough maize to help our nutrition program in both Jinja and Kampala, which will allow us to provide our own posho!
Kampala
The trimester was marked by various activities and initiatives, including fundraising efforts to support multiple facets of the organization. These efforts culminated in a fundraising campaign to build a dormitory in Kampala's Acholi quarter, which aims is to provide essential support to our orphaned children during school holidays. Additional initiatives that our local team carried out throughot these times included fundraising for water filters, eye program check ups, and medical support for our 22stars beneficiaries.
Regular meetings and capacity-building sessions continued to take places in our communities. These sessions, led by Joelle with Susan, David, and Aidah as participants, contributed significantly to enhancing their skills and expertise, leading to improved communication, decision-making, and overall operational efficiency.
The Young Leadership Program (YLP) continued its second edition in Kampala where other young leaders have been trained.
Also at this time it was led by our business coach Joelle and assisted by Susan
