Child soldiers’ school receives aid
Feb 03, 2009
THEY were child soldiers on the front line, but they were rescued . And now, they are in school again. At Hope North, School in Kibanda sub-county, Masindi district, the former child soldiers have found a home.
By Vision reporter
THEY were child soldiers on the front line, but they were rescued . And now, they are in school again. At Hope North, School in Kibanda sub-county, Masindi district, the former child soldiers have found a home.
“Uncle Sam is our father and mother,†Ruth Nakalembe, a student, says of Sam Okello, the school’s director.
Okello, a dance and theatre artist with Ndere Troupe, was abducted with his brother Godfrey, were abducted, and Godfrey was eventually killed by the rebels.
Having acted with the Oscar winning movie star, Forest Whittaker, Okello shared the plight of the children with the American actor who adopted the school as one of his charities.
“This is a much needed sanctuary for young people whose lives have been stolen by the brutal civil war,†Whittaker says of the school.
He recently raised sh20m to drill a borehole so the children and the entire community of Kitwanga could get clean water. The borehole was recently commissioned at the school by Zain Uganda representatives during their “Build Our Nation†campaign. In this campaign, Zain donated assorted text books and clothes to the school.
Zain Uganda’s external affairs manager Fred Masadde, said the books would improve on the quality of education and transform the lives of the students.
THEY were child soldiers on the front line, but they were rescued . And now, they are in school again. At Hope North, School in Kibanda sub-county, Masindi district, the former child soldiers have found a home.
“Uncle Sam is our father and mother,†Ruth Nakalembe, a student, says of Sam Okello, the school’s director.
Okello, a dance and theatre artist with Ndere Troupe, was abducted with his brother Godfrey, were abducted, and Godfrey was eventually killed by the rebels.
Having acted with the Oscar winning movie star, Forest Whittaker, Okello shared the plight of the children with the American actor who adopted the school as one of his charities.
“This is a much needed sanctuary for young people whose lives have been stolen by the brutal civil war,†Whittaker says of the school.
He recently raised sh20m to drill a borehole so the children and the entire community of Kitwanga could get clean water. The borehole was recently commissioned at the school by Zain Uganda representatives during their “Build Our Nation†campaign. In this campaign, Zain donated assorted text books and clothes to the school.
Zain Uganda’s external affairs manager Fred Masadde, said the books would improve on the quality of education and transform the lives of the students.