Grace Daycare and Primary School Library and Dormitory Project
A Project of The Real Uganda
Goal:
$
Grace Daycare and Primary School is located in Nanga, near Nakifuma trading centre, Mukono District.
The school was started in 1996 by Regina Mukiibi, an HIV+ woman who had lost a brother and sister to the disease. As Regina knew firsthand the effects HIV/AIDS has on family and community, she wished to build a school that could provide kids affected with the love, support, and education they need in order to grow and thrive. As HIV/AIDS (and other health and economic challenges) continues to plague south-central Uganda, more and more children are left in the care of extended family who struggle to feed and educate them. For some kids in tough situations, Grace provides a second home.
Unfortunately, Regina died before the school was completed. Her sister, Liz, left her teaching position in Kampala, adopted Regina’s 2 daughters, and took charge of things. Grace now serves about 150 children from Nursery to Primary Class 7. There 15 children who live there.
These kids are by no means up for adoption. They are simply being kept safe, fed, and educated until a time when their families can take up the responsibility again.
Daily, Liz teaches, runs the school, and acts as a community advocate and protector for vulnerable children in the surrounding area. For example, she has had children removed from extreme neglect situations and recently spearheaded the arrest and imprisonment of a man who raped a 9-year-old girl.
Grace Daycare and Primary School has been hosting The Real Uganda volunteers since before 2010. During the COVID-19 lockdown, a former volunteer reached out with funding to build a complete staff house and dormitory on site. Everyone over there is overjoyed as the buildings they were living in were crumbling and very small. To date, a 4 room home has been constructed for Liz, the students who board at Grace School, and The Real Uganda’s volunteers. They are at the plastering and pain stage and getting ready to move in over the coming weeks. We’re all very excited!
Community Need for a Library
Liz approached The Real Uganda about outfitting a library in the home for the staff and students at Grace School.
So far, four to eight copies of textbooks covering Primary Classes 1 to 7 in Math, Science, Social Studies, and English have been purchased locally. We also provided more than 30 readers for early primary classes. All of these are locally printed and are aligned with Uganda’s Ministry of Education Primary School Curriculum.
Built-in shelving has been installed. 2 tables with 8 chairs were also built and delivered.
The kids were excited to take ownership on opening day, August 4, 2022.
We’re still adding fiction and non-fiction books that promote imagination, focus, business planning, agriculture, and general life skills.
Student Dormitories
Now that the library is looking good, Liz has moved onto interior furnishing needs. The new home, with its fresh paint and huge windows, begged for new beds and bedding for their girls’ and boys’ dormitories.
October 2022 saw the completion of the girls’ dormitory. December 2022 saw the installation of 4 interior doors for the home. January 2023 saw the completion of the boys’ dormitory.
There are now sturdy bunk beds, complete with mattresses, bed sheets, blankets and mosquito nets. 20 boys and girls are feeling so special (and very comfortable and warm at night.)
Toilet and Bathing Area Renovation
The outdoor (pit) latrine and bathing areas for the home are very old and badly degraded. The Real Uganda wishes to clean out and update things. Both sanitation and privacy are a priority here.
We aim to sanitize and empty the pit, replace the rotting doors, install new locks, enlarge the boys bathing area, and increase the height of the walls surrounding the bathing station for the girls. The plaster needs repairing, new iron sheets for the roof, and a nice coat of paint would finish it all off.
Budget for this renovation: 2,500
Get Involved Now!
You can help The Real Uganda add to the library and dormitory for Grace School by donating below.