Ben and Matt with the pupils of Buhinga
One thing that certainly became clear on our visit to Buhinga, was that there is far more to do here than we can achieve in one fundraiser. The school needs long term, sustained investment if it is ever to become and remain a suitable environment for children to learn in. Clearly the health of the pupils and their teachers must be paramount and so for now our priority has to be to make the site safe. This will range from the simple matters of removing barbed wire and broken glass, to the more complex tasks of addressing the structural issues in the classrooms and teachers accommodation.
Once we have achieved this, which in itself may take several phases, we can look to improve and expand the facilities available. More living and teaching space is required in order to reduce class sizes. The library, which hasn’t seen a new text book in years, needs fresh books to catch up with the ever changing curriculum set by the government. All this sounds like a tall order, but it is a challenge that is eminently achievable.
The new blocks built at Canon Apollo school – what we hope to acheive
The trustees visited Canon Apollo School, which is a shining example of what can be achieved with sustained investment and determination. Granted, we do not have the same access to funding as Canon Apollo (a project funded by the Irish government), but through a combination of partnership with the local government, teachers and by using local resources, we are confident in the success of this project. But of course this is entirely dependent on your support. We would be grateful for any assistance you are able to give and of course, please do get in touch with us at info@universalchance.org or contact one of the trustees if you would like any further information.
