In most of Africa, electricity is a luxury that no one can rely on and many live completely off the grid, with only kerosine lamps to illuminate the darkness of night. Night before last, I barely published my blog post before my computer died. I tried to charge my computer at a local school yesterday, but there was no power. Today I'm writing to you from a very westernized coffee shop in Gulu Town that is running off an incredibly loud generator.
Yesterday was wonderful, full of adventure and good people. Mama Paula had arranged for me to visit two schools on the outskirts of town that have just started up to serve the children of each village. I am always open to visit any school that may become a partner school down the road!
The first school I visited is called Pentecostal Parent/Junior School and has only been open a few months. It is deep in the village and it took a half an hour motorcycle taxi ride along small muddy bike paths through grass taller than me to get there.

The land that the school is on was originally only a church, but the community begged the land owner to start a school because there was no school in the area, and their children were not being educated. Currently, the school is serving only baby and middle class (preschool and kindergarten), but they would like to expand to create a daycare and primary school. I met the land owner, two of the school board members, and many community members that came out to greet me. It is clear that this school has some work to do, maybe one day we could assist them!

Middle Class 

Left: Land Owner, Komakech Charles  (Board Member), Kilama Hillary (Board Member)

The second school I visited was called Oitino Royal Nursery and Primary School. It was very remote, but not as difficult to get to. This school is operating a full nursery program (baby, middle, and top class) and primary classes 1-3. There are 6 teachers and currently 66 children. This school was also built on the request of the community and the community helped construct the solid brick classrooms! I was very impressed with their Village Savings and Loan Association program that the school started to help the parents, so they can afford school fees. Community members invest any little excess money they may have, and that money is given to others in the community as a loan, then the interest is split among the people who invested. It seems to be a very successful program. The school also provides breakfast and lunch for the children and has a large garden on the property to do so. It seems like this school is already doing very well, but there are always ways to help improve.

Oitino Royal Nursery and Primary School 

Left: Mama Paula, Me, Reverend Robert (School Director), Head Teacher Jennifer, Staff