Buyondo helps deprived children earn a living through music
Nov 10, 2010
AS Brenda Nantongo prepared to leave home, her widowed mother broke the bad news. She could not afford paying her school fees any longer. Forthwith, Brenda had to apprentice at a salon to acquire hair dressing skills.
AS Brenda Nantongo prepared to leave home, her widowed mother broke the bad news. She could not afford paying her school fees any longer. Forthwith, Brenda had to apprentice at a salon to acquire hair dressing skills.
For this Primary Seven pupil at Ssekiboobo Primary School in Mukono, whose dream had been to become a doctor, the world had been turned upside down.
However, it was not long before her former teacher, also a practising musician, turned back the wheels of misery in her life.
David Buyondo recruited Nantongo into his music group. The group performs at public occasions for a fee.
“He uses the money we get to buy scholastic materials for us and pays my school fees. He has even promised to pay for my secondary education,†Nantogo says.
Buyondo has nurtured Nantogo’s singing gift and she has become famous both at school and in the community.
“I hope to become a medical doctor in future without having to throw away my singing talent,†Brenda says with a smile.
Moses Abili, Buyondo’s colleague is humbled by the way needy students are benefiting from resources generated by Buyondo’s singing group.
“He offers part of his salary to pay school fees for some of the pupils. Besides, he is self motivated, social, hardworking and treasured by the school as a resourceful teacher. His enthusiasm and commitment to work is a challenge to us,†Abili says.
He adds: “He arrives at school by 6:30 am and leaves at 7:00 pm,â€
Buyondo’s excellence at work attracted the attention of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU). In 2008, UNATU honoured him with an award for being an excellent educator.
Buyondo is a teacher at Ssekiboobo Primary school in Mukono district, where he has taught since 2003.
Born in 1979, he was raised by his grandmother because both his parents were studying in Kenya, which meant the family struggled to meet their daily needs, much less pay school fees.
His education
Buyondo went to Nkokonjeru Demonstration School for his primary education, where he completed his Primary Leaving Examinations in 1995. He later joined Kakiri Army Academy before moving to St. Elizabeth S.S. at Nkowe for O’level, which he completed in 1999.
“Since my parents were not able to pay my fees, I decided to work as a photographer to improve my life,†he says. After O’level, Buyondo says, he stayed home for two years before joining Kibuli Primary Teachers’ College for a certificate in primary education.
The challenges he experienced as a child have birthed a desire to help children get a good destiny. “While growing up, I suffered a great deal of mistreatment. Because of that, my heart bleeds for children who suffer the same plight I did when I was young. I love to be around them; I delight in playing a part in their education,†he says.
Singing teacher
Buyondo is a teacher who has selflessly chosen to share the fruits of his singing talent with other to improve the lives of the needy. Although he has been singing for quite sometime, it was not until 2009 that he made his first recording. He had been chosen to take part as one of the music presenters in preparation for the installation of Ssekiboobo, the Saza chief of Kyagwe.
“Helping is far more rewarding than amassing wealth for selfish gain. I believe that helping the needy children is equally as important as developing their talents. That is why I formed a singing group that is composed of needy children who have a talent in singing,†he says.
Buyondo says when he discovers talent, the second thing is to find out about the child’s status at home before talking to their parents. “When their parents consent, I then recruit them into the singing group,†he says.
The children in the music group are not only from Ssekiboobo Primary School. “I also have pupils from the from the neighbouring St. Augustine and Lweza primary schools,†he says.
Since some of the children in his music group do not stay with their biological parents, Buyondo says, he does not give the money they get from singing directly to their guardians to avoid misappropriation. He keeps the money in a savings account to meet their future needs like scholastic materials and school fees.
The songs composed by Buyondo’s music group have had a significant impact in the community since they contain messages on morality, hard work and unity.
What others say about him
Parents have equally benefited from Buyondo’s wise counsel. He advises parents on many issues like how to handle indisciplined children. Some parents say Buyondo has helped to improve the academic performance of their children. Jennifer Birungi, a parent, says Buyondo has been invaluable to her.
“My son Reagan in P.4 was very weak in class. I had transferred him from one school to another in search of teachers that could give him close attention, but my efforts had never yielded positive results. It was not until a friend advised me to take my son to Buyondo’s school that his performance improved,†Birungi says.
Buyondo also advises parents on how to manage their finances. “He has greatly transformed my thinking as about financial matters. I had never owned a bank account before, but he took me to the bank to open up an account where I now safely save my money,†she says.
Annet Namazzi, a teacher of P.1 and P.2, says Buyondo is a hardworking teacher who has a heart for needy children. “With the little salary he earns as a primary teacher, Buyondo has gone an extra mile to adopt and take full responsibility of a young boy whose plight was heart wrenching,†Namazzi says.
That boy is Francis Senyonjo Kayanja, an orphan who used to live with relatives who mistreated him. Today Kayanja lives under the same roof with Buyondo. “Buyondo taught me in P.5 before he made the decision to adopt me. He provides all my basic needs and has taken responsibility for my education,†says Kayanja.
He adds: “My future is going to be bright because he guides and corrects me, and provides my needs,†he says.
Challenges
Buyondo’s passion for music has put him in conflict with some teachers and parents. “Some of them think I am wasting time and the children’s future,†he says.
Besides, his music group does not make enough money, which means he has foot expences of facilitating activities of his music group using meagre salary. “I have to meet transport expences whenever we are invited to perform away,†he says.
Buyondo hopes to reach more needy children if he gets more resources.
For this Primary Seven pupil at Ssekiboobo Primary School in Mukono, whose dream had been to become a doctor, the world had been turned upside down.
However, it was not long before her former teacher, also a practising musician, turned back the wheels of misery in her life.
David Buyondo recruited Nantongo into his music group. The group performs at public occasions for a fee.
“He uses the money we get to buy scholastic materials for us and pays my school fees. He has even promised to pay for my secondary education,†Nantogo says.
Buyondo has nurtured Nantogo’s singing gift and she has become famous both at school and in the community.
“I hope to become a medical doctor in future without having to throw away my singing talent,†Brenda says with a smile.
Moses Abili, Buyondo’s colleague is humbled by the way needy students are benefiting from resources generated by Buyondo’s singing group.
“He offers part of his salary to pay school fees for some of the pupils. Besides, he is self motivated, social, hardworking and treasured by the school as a resourceful teacher. His enthusiasm and commitment to work is a challenge to us,†Abili says.
He adds: “He arrives at school by 6:30 am and leaves at 7:00 pm,â€
Buyondo’s excellence at work attracted the attention of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU). In 2008, UNATU honoured him with an award for being an excellent educator.
Buyondo is a teacher at Ssekiboobo Primary school in Mukono district, where he has taught since 2003.
Born in 1979, he was raised by his grandmother because both his parents were studying in Kenya, which meant the family struggled to meet their daily needs, much less pay school fees.
His education
Buyondo went to Nkokonjeru Demonstration School for his primary education, where he completed his Primary Leaving Examinations in 1995. He later joined Kakiri Army Academy before moving to St. Elizabeth S.S. at Nkowe for O’level, which he completed in 1999.
“Since my parents were not able to pay my fees, I decided to work as a photographer to improve my life,†he says. After O’level, Buyondo says, he stayed home for two years before joining Kibuli Primary Teachers’ College for a certificate in primary education.
The challenges he experienced as a child have birthed a desire to help children get a good destiny. “While growing up, I suffered a great deal of mistreatment. Because of that, my heart bleeds for children who suffer the same plight I did when I was young. I love to be around them; I delight in playing a part in their education,†he says.
Singing teacher
Buyondo is a teacher who has selflessly chosen to share the fruits of his singing talent with other to improve the lives of the needy. Although he has been singing for quite sometime, it was not until 2009 that he made his first recording. He had been chosen to take part as one of the music presenters in preparation for the installation of Ssekiboobo, the Saza chief of Kyagwe.
“Helping is far more rewarding than amassing wealth for selfish gain. I believe that helping the needy children is equally as important as developing their talents. That is why I formed a singing group that is composed of needy children who have a talent in singing,†he says.
Buyondo says when he discovers talent, the second thing is to find out about the child’s status at home before talking to their parents. “When their parents consent, I then recruit them into the singing group,†he says.
The children in the music group are not only from Ssekiboobo Primary School. “I also have pupils from the from the neighbouring St. Augustine and Lweza primary schools,†he says.
Since some of the children in his music group do not stay with their biological parents, Buyondo says, he does not give the money they get from singing directly to their guardians to avoid misappropriation. He keeps the money in a savings account to meet their future needs like scholastic materials and school fees.
The songs composed by Buyondo’s music group have had a significant impact in the community since they contain messages on morality, hard work and unity.
What others say about him
Parents have equally benefited from Buyondo’s wise counsel. He advises parents on many issues like how to handle indisciplined children. Some parents say Buyondo has helped to improve the academic performance of their children. Jennifer Birungi, a parent, says Buyondo has been invaluable to her.
“My son Reagan in P.4 was very weak in class. I had transferred him from one school to another in search of teachers that could give him close attention, but my efforts had never yielded positive results. It was not until a friend advised me to take my son to Buyondo’s school that his performance improved,†Birungi says.
Buyondo also advises parents on how to manage their finances. “He has greatly transformed my thinking as about financial matters. I had never owned a bank account before, but he took me to the bank to open up an account where I now safely save my money,†she says.
Annet Namazzi, a teacher of P.1 and P.2, says Buyondo is a hardworking teacher who has a heart for needy children. “With the little salary he earns as a primary teacher, Buyondo has gone an extra mile to adopt and take full responsibility of a young boy whose plight was heart wrenching,†Namazzi says.
That boy is Francis Senyonjo Kayanja, an orphan who used to live with relatives who mistreated him. Today Kayanja lives under the same roof with Buyondo. “Buyondo taught me in P.5 before he made the decision to adopt me. He provides all my basic needs and has taken responsibility for my education,†says Kayanja.
He adds: “My future is going to be bright because he guides and corrects me, and provides my needs,†he says.
Challenges
Buyondo’s passion for music has put him in conflict with some teachers and parents. “Some of them think I am wasting time and the children’s future,†he says.
Besides, his music group does not make enough money, which means he has foot expences of facilitating activities of his music group using meagre salary. “I have to meet transport expences whenever we are invited to perform away,†he says.
Buyondo hopes to reach more needy children if he gets more resources.