Archives – 2022

Archives 2020

Archives 2021

29/12/2022
We are making an effort and saving for a new, larger school bus for the SHAK Junior School. This required many, hardworking hands and a lot of commitment from volunteers, as shown in the accompanying pictures at the Christkindlesmarkt in Ulm-Böfingen. Many helpers organized, tinkered, cooked, grilled, sang and worked here for social purposes. Half of the proceeds will go to the SHAK Junior School. What a great commitment! Thank you very much! As soon as the final result is known, we will publish it here.

27/10/2022
SHAK Junior School needs a second, larger school bus!!!
1.Thee long distance to school
The distance between the children’s home and the SHAK Junior School is in most cases very long, so that the children, if they want to attend school and kindergarten, have to travel very long distances. At this point, it is important to know that SHAK Junior School was deliberately founded in the very rural district of Zirobwe in order to offer rural children in particular the opportunity to attend school.

What problems does this long distance between the widely scattered homes and the school bring with it?

The long distance to school is a very difficult and limiting aspect in terms of education. It directly affects children’s academic performance and progress.

The long distance between school and home is associated with lack of breakfast and lunch, transportation problems, inadequate student safety, insufficient study time, lateness, temptation, and fatigue, all of which affect student learning. Acham, Malde, Theron, and Egal (2012), in their study of breakfast, midday meals, and academic performance in rural elementary school in Uganda, found that low-performing students have poor eating habits due to the long distances they travel from home to school. This is because the long distance prevented students from going home for breakfast and lunch. Therefore, it was difficult for students to continue learning on an empty stomach.

In a study (Muhia 2015), it was found that the long distance to school reduces the quality of communication or contact time between teachers and students, which may affect students’ academic progress. Furthermore, since students spend a lot of time traveling when they could actually be learning in school, the quality of their learning outcomes is likely to be affected.

In addition, Bashaiza (2016) reported that the long journey to school affects students’ concentration in class, as some of them arrive at school sweaty, stressed, and physically and mentally exhausted, which affects their learning.

2. What to do?
As a strategy to address the above challenges, the school management of SHAK Junior School set up a transportation system for students traveling from far away. This system required the purchase of a school bus to pick up students from their homes in the morning and bring them back in the afternoon after classes.

3. What is needed?
Currently, almost 50% of our students (102 out of 220) come from far-flung residential areas around Bulabakulu, where the school is located, and therefore rely on the school bus to get to school. The vast majority of them are children between the ages of 3 and 10.

Our 14-seater school bus is currently so overloaded that the driver has to pick up the children too early in the morning at 4:00 a.m. in order to keep school hours. In addition, students must be squeezed beyond the recommended seating capacity so that the bus does not have to make too many trips (to save fuel and time). However, this can have a negative impact on learners as they are forced to get up very early to catch the bus, leaving them with insufficient time to rest. During school hours, learners are sometimes forced to leave school early to get home early. The crowdedness of learners can also have a negative impact on their health.

With this in mind, we realized that we urgently needed an additional van to accommodate the increasing number of learners and transport them in a safe and convenient manner.

There are two alternatives:
1. large 36 seater school bus (Coster type), estimated cost: 21,250 euros.
2. second 14 seater school bus, estimated cost 8.500-9.500 Euro

04/09/2022
In the last information of 18.08.2022, we reported that the Friends of the School were able to raise an impressive sum of € 2000 through U. Scherr-S.’s fundraising campaign. Many individual donors contributed to this result at the birthday party. Now, a few weeks later, we can show all donors what has happened with their money: The entire existing large main building could be completely equipped with windows (and shutters) and doors. “What progress, what an achievement,” school director Saad Luyinda wrote to us. Many thanks to the donors!

18/08/2022
The SHAK Junior School has again received great support. A generous supporter from Ulm waived gifts for her 65th birthday and instead asked for donations for the SHAK Junior School. Thanks to this unselfish action, we were able to finance the main building (with classrooms and secretariat) with windows and doors. The necessary funds have already arrived in Uganda! School director S. Luyinda had already commissioned the windows (photo) and will inform about the further construction progress.

28/07/2022
We have just been able to send another 15oo Euros to Uganda. In agreement with the school director and the governing body, this amount will be used for the structural extension/improvement of the main school building. As the children in Uganda are on holiday at the moment, the school director S. Luyinda would like to take the opportunity to continue the construction work. The main building will now also get windows! There is still a shortfall of about 700 Euros for the entire window installation project, but the first step has been taken!

4/07/2022
It is truly amazing time and again: No sooner have we sent your donations to Uganda than the planned items are purchased and installed. This is convincing proof of what is being created on site with your donations. First we were able to finance the things needed for the rest room in the nursery and a little later the long awaited play equipment and the sound system. In the meantime, the bed frames have already arrived at the school. Step by step, the pillows, bedding and all other equipment are being purchased. The playground equipment is brand new and has been installed and is already in use by the school and nursery children. What a joy for the children! The sound system was also joyfully welcomed. Headmaster Saad Luyinda wrote to us: “The sound system is so perfect. Last Sunday we had a mid term parents meeting. We were abke to use the system to address them. We also demonstrated to them how it will be used to aid learning, by playing some audio jolly phonix rhymes. They were very excited… “we are now an international school .” one of the parents commented…”
All this thanks to the help of many donors. Your help goes directly to Bulabakulu!

22/06/2022
Ulm has become the centre of support for the SHAK Junior School. Especially many Ulm residents (and those “around” them) support the further development of the school with their donations. This is particularly convincing when you look at the “wish list” / or the list of “what is needed”. It is unbelievable what could be made possible in a short time. As soon as school director S. Luyinda sends us photos, we will report in detail about the purchase of the equipment and the further development!

01/06/2022
Recently, an in-school teacher training on “Learning to Write and Read” took place at SHAK Junior School. Of course, with the structural development of the school, the further development of the teachers’ pedagogical skills must also progress. This training measure was a first fundamental step in this direction. Further training measures are planned and will also be coordinated with the teachers.

25/04/2022
The initial task list of purchases for the SHAK Junior School is now almost complete. Most of the goals have been achieved.

So it was time for school director S. Luyinda to define new goals, new purchases for the further development of the school. Now the new list is “online”. Let’s get it done! Please help!

15/04/2022
Easter market in Ulm Bofingen: On two Sundays before Easter, the parish “Zum Guten Hirten” Ulm-Bofingen organised an Easter market under the direction of the 2nd chairperson, Ricarda Simon. Many hard-working volunteers tinkered, worked, designed and organised in order to present an appealing Easter offer. An unbelievable 954 Euros (+150 € from Engen) were raised during the two days. 200,- €, which were still missing, were immediately transferred to Bulabakulu to finish the dining hall.

25/03/2022
Here is a brief report on all the latest news:

1. on the download page, a PowerPoint presentation by school director Saad Luyinda can be downloaded here. It was created on the occasion of a “Zoom” session I held with Saad Luyinda recently. It shows the current state of development of the school.

2. the 2nd chairwoman of the association, Ricarda Simon, organizes two Easter markets in Ulm on the coming and the following weekend for the benefit of the SHAK Junior School (Kirchengemeinde zum Guten Hirten in Ulm-Böfingen).

3. a “Dining-Hall” for the children of the SHAK Junior School was integrated into the nursery building. Approximately 200-300 Euros are still missing to complete the dining hall.

08/03/2022
Further progress in the construction of the nursery: The roof is now completely finished, except for a few works. The doors and windows ordered in advance have already been delivered. They will now be successively installed in the nursery building.
At this point, it should be pointed out once again that every donation generates multiple benefits: Not only the school and thus the children benefit from this progress, but also the economic development in and around Bulabakulu. After all, only local workshops, businesses and craftsmen are commissioned.

What worries us a little financially are the currency swings currently occurring on a large scale in the transfer of euros into Uganda shillings. In addition, inflation is of course driving up prices in Uganda as well. Thus the financial plan of the kindergarten was exceeded by 545,- Euro. Thank God we still had reserves and were able to make up the shortfall.

22/02/2022
Completely new possibilities through your donations: After the installation of the solar power supply at the main building of the SHAK Junior School, the use of a computer is also possible. This also opens up possibilities in Bulabakulu that have long been standard elsewhere: Computer-aided organization of school administration. However, this still requires additional computers and appropriate software.
The roofing of the Nursery building is also progressing (photo).

15/02/2022
The remaining amount for the financing of the complete Nursery section building has long since arrived in Uganda. The poles for the roofing have already been delivered and the first roof beams have been set. It will certainly not be long before the roof of the Nursery is finished. Soon after, the next steps in the interior construction, such as doors, windows and floors, will follow.

In Bulabakulu, at the SHAK Junior School, there is now also electricity and thus electric light, – quite unusual! The generous Rotary Club donation will be implemented step by step in the construction of the Nursery!

Thank you again for this unexpected large donation from Ulm, Neu-Ulm.

05/02/2022
Wonderful news! A belated Christmas miracle reached us these days. The Nursery section for the now 108 nursery children, of which the shell was already completed, is now completely financed and the money is already on its way to Uganda. How? The Rotary Club Ulm/Neu-Ulm donated its entire Christmas donation of 9270 Euros (!!) to the SHAK Junior School. This unbelievable wave of helpfulness from Ulm made the people in charge in Bulabakulu, especially the founding and school director Saad Luyinda, very happy. You can view his letter to the Rotary Club on the on the right side. Many thanks to the members of the Rotary Club Ulm/Neu-Ulm, to the president, Mr. Scherer, and to the tireless “liaison woman” from the Rotary Club to our development association, Ulrike Scherr-Simon.

27/01/2022
The first two weeks of school are over and a lot has happened again in that time. More and more parents see the progress at the school and entrust their children to SHAK Junior School. Currently, 192 children are being taught in Kindergarten and Grades 1 – 5. A great success for the school community. The pictures show the children back at their school.

The building situation also continues to improve. The shell of the nursery section is completely finished, as the picture shows. The first funds for the roofing of the nursery section are also available. Soon there will also be electricity at SHAK Junior School: The amount for the electricity supply has already been transferred and soon the solar system can be installed. Furthermore, the entrance gate has been built, which is also a concession to the government’s COVID 19 decree: access to the school must be regulated.