Vision Hope School - "building the community we want to be"
A nursery school and education centre to educate and support the development of resilient communities
![]() Vision Hope Nursery |
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![]() Making bricksThe local community are making the bricks to build the school themselves. |
![]() Our school buildingSlowly but surely the walls are going up for our first temporary building. |
![]() Digging the toilet pitThe first step to a decent toilet is to dig the pit for the latrine. |
![]() Vision Hope toilets |
![]() Grass for the roofGrass is bought for the roof - bringing much needed money into the local economy. |
![]() Poles for the roofWe are using locally available materials whenever possible. |
![]() Building the schoolEveryone is joining in to build the school - making it a true community school. |
The challenge...
Many of the schools in northern Uganda were destroyed during the 20 year war. If not totally destroyed, they were abandoned and and as a result lack basic facilities such as clean toilets and kitchens. Children who are lucky enough to go to school are crammed into classrooms built to accommodate 45 children. You sometimes have more than 150 in a class. Children don't eat during the day and the number who drop out of school is extremely high.
What we are doing
We are working with the people of Lamogi Sub-County to build a nursery school and education centre to serve the community. James Okumu is the head teacher and has called the school Vision Hope. He says, the people have a vision of the future but lack the hope to make it happen. So we are making it happen.
The role of the school - as defined by the community is:
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Community transformation
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Giving the youngest children the best start in life.
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Training the community members on Basic Life Skills.
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Equipping the new generation with basic skills and knowledge of good production.
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Enforcing the knowledge of environmental protection and benefit.
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Training the community members to have sustainable life cycle.
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Alerting the community members to do farming as a business.
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Excel in academic performance.
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354 children are registered at the school
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400 children have lunch every day
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We have 4 teachers and a cook
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We have toilets and a brick kitchen
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Two acres of land is to be opened up to grow maize and beans to feed the children.
So far...
The children of Vision Hope are happy and they know it!