(Ndejje Youth / Community Center)
If I had a dollar for every time someone said that to Lisa and me we could pay to get HOPE School’s Youth Center electricity and buy the soccer pitch in less than two months. I’ve attached some photos of the field we play (or attempt to play) on with a group of guys around our age. They have been so welcoming and kind to us…we are very lucky. Also, I’m lucky I have not broken my ankle yet. These pictures probably won’t do the field justice, but this is the same field we have to take kids as young as six to play on if we can’t find access to another field. While on that topic, Lisa and I were introduced to the man who owns the plot of land we discussed and photographed in our last post, and he informed us (with Jacques translating from Luganda) that there is a potato farmer who is interested in purchasing the field but would prefer to sell it to HOPE School. He would sell it to us if we could put down a deposit of $2,500. A sum we obviously don’t have right now. But we are really hoping he is exaggerating the seriousness of the potato farmer’s interest, because there was construction on his land the last couple of days which left us with no space for the children to play on, let alone the ability for us to organize anything. It was quite frustrating, and made us realize how dependant we already are on that plot of land.
On a positive note, we found a young man named Peter who is at University studying computer engineering, and lent us a great ‘introductory learning of computers’ packet that we are able to use as a base to create HOPE’s program. We met him through his brother Dale who we play soccer with in the evenings at the aforementioned field, and Dale has volunteered to help us out in some afterschool programs – which is beyond great. We need all the help we can get. If he likes the work hopefully it could become a full time position, to keep the center and its programs sustainable (and provide him a job near home – his father is sick and Dale had to leave his job to take care of him), as well as ensure that volunteers/interns that come from Soccer Without Borders or elsewhere have a constant point of reference and seamless transition into the community. Debate day is today and Lisa and I are going to check it out. The topic is “Day Schools (Public Schools) vs. Boarding Schools (Private Schools)”…always a topic of interest no matter what country one is in it seems. Also, it was nice to show Charlie the finished Youth Center, as he had not seen in its completion. He really wants to get more involved and tap into his resources he has of eager University students looking to come over and volunteer or fundraise for our immediate issues (i.e. land, provide a continuous flow of volunteers that can enhance the structure – not have to rebuild each time, etc.). His friend Ruth helps out with Invisible Children, an organization I personally have always followed and admired, so it will be great having her insight as well. More to come soon!
On a positive note, we found a young man named Peter who is at University studying computer engineering, and lent us a great ‘introductory learning of computers’ packet that we are able to use as a base to create HOPE’s program. We met him through his brother Dale who we play soccer with in the evenings at the aforementioned field, and Dale has volunteered to help us out in some afterschool programs – which is beyond great. We need all the help we can get. If he likes the work hopefully it could become a full time position, to keep the center and its programs sustainable (and provide him a job near home – his father is sick and Dale had to leave his job to take care of him), as well as ensure that volunteers/interns that come from Soccer Without Borders or elsewhere have a constant point of reference and seamless transition into the community. Debate day is today and Lisa and I are going to check it out. The topic is “Day Schools (Public Schools) vs. Boarding Schools (Private Schools)”…always a topic of interest no matter what country one is in it seems. Also, it was nice to show Charlie the finished Youth Center, as he had not seen in its completion. He really wants to get more involved and tap into his resources he has of eager University students looking to come over and volunteer or fundraise for our immediate issues (i.e. land, provide a continuous flow of volunteers that can enhance the structure – not have to rebuild each time, etc.). His friend Ruth helps out with Invisible Children, an organization I personally have always followed and admired, so it will be great having her insight as well. More to come soon!
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