Uganda (MNN) — Before New Horizons Primary School opened, 600 children were packing into the only school in a large area of northern Uganda.
Overcrowding and a shortage of schools is a problem for most of Uganda, and the overall literacy rate stands around 70 percent.
Global Aid Network(GAiN USA) supports the school in both tangible and intangible ways. They are currently looking for 80 people to sponsor 40 children. For $23.50, one sponsor provides half the money a student needs for food, medicine and education at New Horizons Primary School.
The school was birthed from Noah's Ark Children's Ministry in Uganda. With such a large area of need, they chose only the children with the most need. Two of those students are Dorothy and Steven, twins who were orphaned when their parents died a year ago. Their uncle now works hard to try to provide for a family of ten.
Classes are not as full as they are in the other school where students often share seats and crowd around the small number of available desks. The curriculum consists of the seven traditional courses along with life skills education and Bible study to create a well-rounded experience. One of the goals of the school is to help students see the world beyond their little town.
Since many children come from homes where alcohol abuse is an issue, school leaders closely monitor abuse cases. In addition, classes are offered for parents to help them relate better to their children who may be passing them in their level of formal education. Parents have ownership and a role at the school as they are asked to help keep the grounds clean and do some maintenance and cooking.
It is an encouragement that the government is watching New Hope Primary School as a model of improving education nationwide. The school spends a couple weeks training the Ugandan teachers new methods of teaching, how to use the materials, and the importance of the classroom setting.
The quality education that students are receiving is a witness to Christ's love. Go here if you'd like to help a child and family through GAiN.
