Invisible Children
Mar 27, 2013
Since 2005 when Invisible Children Uganda (ICU) began its education interventions in northern Uganda, a lot has changed.
Since 2005 when Invisible Children Uganda (ICU) began its education interventions in northern Uganda, a lot has changed.
Invisible Children Uganda provides access to post- primary education through awarding scholarships to secondary, tertiary and university students who are unable to afford their tuition because of a number of challenges that are – to a great extent, attributed to the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) confl ict and its impact on the affected communities.
Under the Legacy Scholarship Program (LSP), students are not only awarded scholarships but also mentoring by full time employed staff. Students in this program are selected based on academic potential and need.
Once accepted into this program, students are assigned mentors who visit them both at home and in school to help them jump academic and social hurdles.
To date the Legacy Scholarship Program has supported 5,157 students from northern Uganda. 4,326 secondary school students and 831 University students have been awarded scholarships over the years and 138 university students have since graduated.
Apart from awarding scholarships, ICU has been working with eleven partner schools across the Acholi sub-region to improve infrastructure and teacher capacity for a period of fi ve years now.
The main thrust of Schools for Schools program has been in the fi eld of community infrastructure rehabilitation (CIR) in this case schools. After the LRA war most school infrastructure was seriously damaged and needed restoration.
Under the Schools for Schools (S4S) program, ICU has constructed classroom blocks, libraries, science laboratories, dormitories and much more. At Invisible Children Uganda we acknowledge that it is not just good facilities that make students excel but well trained teachers too. Teacher trainings are conducted depending on need.
Under the umbrella of Schools for Schools, The Teacher Exchange program allows Ugandan and international educators to create teaching partnerships with their counterparts, and exposes students to a world outside their borders.
The program brings secondary school teachers from abroad to team-teach and interact with Ugandan teachers for six weeks every June and sends Ugandan teachers to the U.S to do the same each January.
To date, 22 Ugandan teachers have been able to travel to the US and at least 130 teachers from the US and Canada have come to Uganda. By participating in the program, both Ugandan and international teachers expand their skillsets, share ideas, and improve their teaching methods.
In the fi ve years that Invisible Children Uganda has worked with these schools, we have invested over 10 billion shillings and achieved the following.
I. Reduction in the classroom-student ratios.
II. Improved water and sanitation facilities in the schools by ensuring schools have a
III. Schools have a reliable second option source of energy for lighting through installation of generators.
IV. Improved teaching environments for science subjects and places to conduct practical lessons.
V. Improved school libraries by supplying new books and construction of the facilities in school where they were nonexistent.
VI. Enhanced teacher/administration capacity in managing student discipline, improving teacher effectiveness through methods review.
VII. An increased enrollment of girls in schools where dormitories have been constructed or refurbished.
Our plan as an organization is to expand our programs further to reach out to schools in other sub-regions affected by the LRA confl ict. It is our belief that with dedicated partners in the Education sector, this region will regain its glory as far as education is concerned.
LIST OF PARTNER SCHOOLS
i. Gulu Secondary School (Gulu District)
School Type: Day School
Current Population: 1900 students
Projects completed by ICU
• Multi-purpose/library (under construction)
• Renovation of science laboratory and gas plumbing
• Water system for the school
• Supply of furniture to the laboratory block.
• Rain water harvesting distribution system construction
• Renovation of staff fl ush toilets.
• Construction of 6 stance girls’ latrine
Software components;
Opiyo Samuel, the computer science teacher, at Pope Paul VI Anaka in a refurbished computer laboratory
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 2 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
ii. Sacred Heart School –(Gulu District)
School Type: Boarding School
Current Population: 988 students
Projects completed by ICU
• 18 classroom block (started off by the Japanese embassy).
• Renovation of staff house plumbing system
• Borehole and motorization of school water system
• Eco-san latrines
• Perimeter wall construction
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 2 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
• Supply of 20 computers
• Laboratory supplies
iii. ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE, LAYIBI
(Gulu District)
School Type: Boarding School
Current Student Population: 1200
Projects completed by ICU
Renovation of the following
- Renovation of Classrooms
- Construction of Library
- Renovation A’ Level science laboratory, woodwork block and O’ level laboratory
- Borehole rehabilitation
- Plumbing refurbishment and electric pump
- Perimeter fencing
- Library block refurbishment and furniture
- Laboratory supplies
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 2 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
iv. POPE PAUL VI SECONDARY SCHOOL,
School Type: Day/Boarding School
Current Student Population: 854
Projects completed by ICU
A library constructed at Pope Paul VI Anaka
• Library block (new)and supplied of furniture
• 3 blocks of two classroom each
• Remodeled a classroom to computer laboratory and fully equipped it.
• Latrines
• Borehole drilled
• Constructed 2 blocks of teacher houses (Duplex)
• Constructed 24 latrine stances
• School fencing
• Laboratory supplies
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 2 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
Teacher houses constructed in Awere SS
v. ATANGA SECONDARY
SCHOOL (Pader District)
School Type: Day School
Current Student Population:
250 – 300 (fl uctuates all the time)
Projects completed by ICU
• Power supply of a generator, (45KV) generator house and underground cabling
• An administration block –still under construction.
• Refurbished one block of
• Two classroom block of 2 classrooms (new)
• Constructed 4 blocks of 5 stances each eco san latrines
• Borehole drilling
• Laboratory supplies
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 1 teacher has participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
• Support to payroll for teachers’ salaries
Legacy Scholarship Program University Graduation ceremony 2013
vi. ST. MARY’S COLLEGE, LACOR
(Amuru District)
School Type: Day School
Current Student Population: 600+
Projects completed by ICU
• A girls’ dormitory with a capacity of 200 and ablutions
• Latrines (5 and 6 stances)
• 2 classroom block of 2 classrooms each and provision of furniture (new)
• Refurbishment of classrooms
• Borehole rehabilitation
• Construction of library
• Entrepreneurship centre in partnership with 31 Lengths
• Construction of VIP latrines (5 and 6 stances)
• Laboratory supplies
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 2 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
vii. SIR SAMUEL BAKER SCHOOL (Gulu
School Type: Boarding School
Current Student Population: 910
Projects completed by ICU
• 7 teachers houses renovated accommodating 10 teachers
• Generator supply
• Renovation of water system motorization
• Latrines for students (15 stances)
• Laboratory supplies
• Supply of beds
• Wall fence construction
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 2 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
viii. AWERE SECONDARY SCHOOL( Gulu
School Type: Day School
Current Student Population:
Projects completed by ICU
A girls’ domitary at Awere Secondary School. The facility accomodates 200 girls
• Power supply (Generator - 45KV)
• Motorization of water system ,generator house and underground cabling
• Girls’ dormitory and laundry.
• 3 blocks of 2 classrooms each and furniture
• 1 block Science laboratory block, furniture, water and gas plumbing
• 3 block duplex teacher houses
• 11stances latrines
• Drilled one borehole
• Laboratory supplies
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 1 teacher has participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
ix. KEYO SECONDARY SCHOOL- (Amuru
School Type: Day School; Boarding
Projects completed by ICU
A science laboratory at Keyo Secondary School nearing completion
• Science laboratory block (under construction)and supply of furniture
• 3 Classroom blocks two classes each and supplied furniture
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 4 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
x. PABBO SECONDARY SCHOOL
School Type: Day School
Current student Population: 686
Projects completed by ICU
3 classroom blocks of two classrooms each and supply of furniture 1 block of science laboratory and supply of furniture 1 block of 5 stance latrines Power supply generator, generator house and underground cabling Laboratory supplies
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 2 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
xi. GULU HIGH SCHOOL ( Gulu District )
School Type: Boarding School
Projects completed by ICU
This is an LSP mentor meeting with a small group of students at Gulu High
• 2 girls’ dormitories
• Refurbished 1 block science laboratory and gas plumbing
• Borehole drilling
• Motorized water system
• Latrines (6 stances)
• Laboratory supplies
Software components;
• Materials, sports and arts equipments
• Emotional Literacy curriculum Development (KOBS)
• Reference and text books for the school library
• Teacher trainings held to enhance the capacity of the teachers.
• 2 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange
Software components in summary;
• Teacher trainings have been facilitated in the 11partner schools.
• Reference and library text books have been distributed to the schools.
• Emotional Literacy Curriculum Development to benefit the students through KOBS (Knowledge of Behavior and Self)
• Several refresher courses for teachers in the core subjects have been organized and training for school managers.
• Supply of computers to Pope Paul VI SS Anaka and Sacred Heart Girl’s School.
• 1 student leadership training has been organized.
• 22 career guidance sessions, 2 per school.
• 66 teachers have under gone computer trainings.
• 22 teachers have participated in the Teacher Reciprocal Exchange