{UAH} UAH's Linda in School!

Forum,

After going to a village in Apac district a couple of days back, I met a talented girl Linda Liz Acen who defied expectations and got aggregate 9 at a ‘village school’, Awir Primary School. However this orphan girl with a mother unable to cater for advancement in her education was set to waste at home. I was not able to help but promised to ask those who can. I tried one NGO who said their sponsorship program had ended.

 

I then ‘abused’ Abbey Ssemuwemba’s wonderful tool that has become famous with Ugandans and posted her story with a plea, on UAH. The result was that a number of people came up to show that indeed they were ‘Ugandans-at-Heart'.

Abbey also posted the plea on the UAH Facebook page, which got some sympathetic feed back as well as the usual snide comments, drowned out by those who gave advice and encouragement.

 

Help came for Linda Liz Acen from the following, with more pledges still awaited:

1-    A Mr. John Nsamba sent 500,000/=

2-    Daniel Kalinaki (senior journalist and editor at NMG Nairobi sent 200,000/=

3-    George Okello (London) sent 393,000/=

4-    I contributed 232,000/= in scholastic materials and other school requirements and pocket money for the girl.

In all cash contributions from John Nsamba, Daniel Kalinaki and George Okello amounted to 1,093.000/=, which was spent as follows:

 

1-    First Term,  Senior 1 fees-                 415,000/=

2-    Uniform Fees-                                   150,000/=

3-    Second Term, Senior 1 Fees -           365,000/=

Sub-total-                                                930,000/=

Balance in the hands of the mother Milly Okabo (phone 0784043339), is currently 163,000/=, which she has deposited in a bank.

Other expenses catered for by myself and personally handed over to the girl and to the school on Saturday 22, March 2014;

Mattress, sheets and pillow-                                     95,000/ =

Utensils-                                                                 10,000/=

Toiletries -                                                              25,000/=

Scholastic materials (required by school)                 48,000/=

Scholastic materials for Linda’s use in class-            40,000/=

Hoe/Slasher-                                                           15,000/=

Sub-total-                                                               233,000/=

1 bag of cement-                                                   Waived by the Headmaster.

Admission registration fee , 35,000/= (personally paid out of pocket by Headmaster Mr. William Okaka Ayo).

 

In summary, school fess for Term 1 has been paid, Term 2 has been paid in advance (see attached bank slips) and the mother is having 163,000/= for any eventuality.

When one last outstanding pledge is received, fees for third term will be paid in advance.

 

The headmaster says fees for other terms will be 365,000/= per term, with only minor adjustments to cater for inflation in future. Fees only change a little when a student reaches ‘A’ Levels.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

‘Headstrong Student’:  The Headmaster says when the girl received information that well wishers had sent or were sending money, she ran straight to school (ten kilometres from her home) and demanded to be registered because the ‘the money is coming!”. The Headmaster obliged! Of all girl admitted at the school, Linda Acen is the only one with aggregate 9, so the school is kind of proud to have her around.

Temporary Solution:

Many of you indeed advised that any help for now is a temporary solution and a longer term projection should be looked at. John Lema from Texas said he might work on longer term help and so does one or two others.

Any one who wishes to follow up and ask how Linda Acen is doing at school can call the Headmaster Aduku SSS, Mr. William Edward Okaka Ayo on 0772675238 or Deputy Headmasters on 0772 305021, 0772641186 or 0772388413.

Thank you all for volunteering to help this girl and the ‘geographical spread of the help shows you are ‘Ugandans-at-Heart!

 

Billie