My first day at WORK Uganda, by Charity

 

Charity making contact with Pritty

My name is Charity Nshabahurira. It was on 25thApril 2023. I came when I didn’t know where the project was located. Along the way I met a certain young girl. I asked her where the Proud Uganda project was located and she directed me.

When I reached inside the project, I saw students and I asked them where the office was. They directed me to the manager and the advisor who welcomed me warmly. I introduced myself to them and they also introduced themselves to me.

I was oriented by Leon and we moved around the project premises, then after the manager told me that they will call me later to inform me about the outcome of the interview. The week later I was called by Mercy to report for the job.

My thankful message goes to the the manager and the advisor who helped me to get used to the project.

By Charity


Note from WORK UG

Charity has studied at the vocational school of Bishop Asili. We found someone with vocational skills, cooking, baking, gardening and knitting among others. Vocational skills have become more important in the project now that we are training the girls of the target group for a job at PROUD Canteen. But Charity also has a reserve of talent and a responsible attitude.

In the mean time she started well in the project. She works in team with Apophia, who also has a background in vocational education, more in particular hotel and tourism. Apophia is our appreciated collaborator since many years.

Apophia and Pritty

My first day at PROUD Uganda by Tumusiime Annet

It was Monday 14/01/2019 when I arrived at Proud Uganda. I came early in the morning, I found a lady sitting in group one class. We greeted each other and she welcomed me well. I introduced myself to her and she answered me that she is called Asiimwe Apophia.

I asked her about the activities which are carried out in the project, she explained everything to me and later she took me around the project. She showed me group one class and group two which has a shop inside, she showed me bathrooms, toilets and changing room and they were so nice with uniform tiles.

She explained to me about the big building that it was to be used as a restaurant. We went to the kitchen and it was so smart with sinks, tiles from top to bottom. She told me that small buildings which were unfinished were to be used as bakery and home stay.

She took me to the garden and told me that Immaculate is responsible for the gardens. I found sugarcane, vegetables for example sukumawick and cabbages.

Later other skills trainers came and the children also. I introduced myself to them and they also introduced themselves to me. The assistant manager who is called Madam Twesigyemukama Josephine showed me the children I will be teaching. The staff was so cooperative.

What surprised me were the lessons which are done at Proud Uganda and I had never seen them for example cognitive games, watering, serving food by children from group 2, setting tables and gardening.

My first day at Proud Uganda was so interesting and it ended well, I went home at 5:00 pm.

I remain Tumusiime Annet.

Mission 12: in service training PROUD UG staff

Team PROUD UG: Apophia, Josephine, Mercy, Immaculate, Annet

We have been much more explicit than before with the training of staff. In the month of May there was training every day from 4 to 5 p.m.

We organized trainings on "curriculum issues", "toilet training", "personal hygiene" including "menstrual hygiene" and "dress and appearance".

Each topic took approximately one week (five times one hour). For each topic, we also looked at the practice in the project and improvements we can make.

My first day at Proud Uganda by Twesigyemukama Josephine

Twesigyemukana Josephine

I am called Twesigyemukama Josephine. I came in the morning at 7:30 am at the project. I reached the place it was calm and good. I went to the office where the director and the manager were present. It was a holiday of first term. They welcomed me with happy face; this gave me courage to stay at Proud Uganda.

Director gave me the topics to write about for example I wrote about sexual education. At 10:00 we enjoyed the break together and lunch. I continued to work till evening at 5:00. It was a busy day of writing on those topics and reading other notice about curriculum from the office department. I found it good because many activities are to use hands while training the children.

By Twesigyemukama Josephine

My first day at Proud Uganda by Asaasira Patricia

Asaasira Patricia

My name is Asaasira Patricia; it was 30/4/2018 at 7:30 am Monday morning when I reported at Proud Uganda to start a new job of being curriculum agent and skills trainer. I was warmly welcomed by the teacher on duty as the director and manager were not yet at the project.

The director of the project came and welcomed. I was oriented by him about what the project is all about and the duties I would be performing at the project. The director went ahead to brief me about the curriculum project, how to write the curriculum and the topics that are to be written. He also gave me a document containing all topics that will make up the curriculum and guided me on how to use the document to write on the topics.

The manager also came and briefed me on what the project is all about and what should be written in the curriculum. She also took me to Group 1 to interact with the teacher and children. I was welcomed by the teacher for Group 1 and she briefed me what the children usually learn. I spent the whole afternoon and evening with them, it was a wonderful interaction with the teacher and the children. That is how I spent my first day at Proud Village.

By Asaasira Patricia

Job announcement

We have announced a vacancy at Voice of Kigezi radio. It goes as follows:

PROUD UG is a newly built facility for children and youngsters with intellectual disabilities (mentally retarded) in Kekubo. We are looking for someone to teach skills to the children and to help to write the curriculum. So you must have education talent and good writing skills. You may be a teacher, a social worker or have any other qualification (but at least you are the holder of a Uganda Certificate of Education).

Selection will take place at PROUD Village, plot 105, Kekubo Cell next Saturday starting at 9:30. Please contact Kiconco Mercy, manager PROUD UG, tel. 077 064 45 56, to confirm your participation.

Announced by Kiconco Mercy from PROUD UG.

 

Joséphine (left) and Patricia (right)

Out of more than 10 candidates we selected Asaasira Patricia and Twesigyemukama Josephine to be the new collaborators of PROUD UG. They will tell you more about their first weeks at the project themselves.

Personnel issues

This is my tenth mission to Kabale to build up the project together with the Ugandan team. Slowly by slowly we are composing a team we can rely on. That is not easy, because Ugandan work habits are very different from European ones. So both sides have to adapt to each other. At the same time the challenges in the work with children and youngsters with intellectual disabilities are unknown to Ugandans.

Even the target group seems to be unknown. When we ask candidates for a job what they know about the project they usually say we work with children who are lame or don’t hear or see. If not they say we are working with children who are mentally disturbed. Once we have pointed out we work with children who have intellectual disabilities, people may think these children can’t learn at all.

Consequently, planning for children with intellectual disabilities is also new. Within the district there are only a few facilities for them. These centers focus on custodial care. A dynamic educational approach focusing on teaching functional skills we have not seen. And what about participation of youngsters with intellectual disabilities in economic activities?

Teachers may not understand the challenge that is in the work with these youth. More, work habits in Uganda and Flanders (Europe) are also very different. One day I read an article of Ian Clarke in a Ugandan newspaper, explaining that Ugandans will promise you all and everything when they come to ask for a job. But the majority will not fulfill their promises: once at their post they lean back and wait for the salary to come.

My first day at PROUD UG

Wednesday Emmaculate, alias Phionah, skills trainer gardening

It was on Wed 11th. Oct. 2017 morning, when I reached at PROUD Uganda. I found two workers, Doreen and Jovitah, in the class room. They welcomed me well. Afterwards I signed the workers book.

And Mr Mugisha came and asked me: do you know what we are going to do? I replied: no. He answered me: let me bring you hoe and gumboots. Very soon we started working. I met new activities like toilet training, washing utensils by learners,... which I had never seen and learnt in other schools.

What made me happy today -on 17th.10- was that we ate with our director Mr Peeters Leon. We shared lunch with him, what I had never seen since I started working at PROUD Uganda. Everybody in the dining was extremely happy and excited, fantastic. Teachers, children and non-teaching staff ate balanced diet like green vegetables.

The most interesting things at PROUD Uganda are good buildings, cabbage plantation, egg plant plantation etc. because I teach agriculture. But at PROUD UG there is lack of electricity for charging phones, lighting and lack of internet services like wireless internet.

I remain,
WEDNESDAY EMMACULATE

Nikandinda Joventah, teacher and curriculum agent

I'm Nikandinda Joventah from Rubanda District.

The first day in PROUD project

Joventah

I reached in the project as I was interviewed. The project was well constructed and looking smart. I was interviewed by the project manager and the director and later I was given a job as teacher and curriculum agent.

Now in the project

-The project is going on forward. Proper sanitation and hygiene is the song of the project by the teachers.
-Emphasis and promotion of quality skills among the children is moving on well by the teachers.
Well, the project is shining.
All from Niwandinda Joventah

Doreen, teacher of group 2

My name is Ekyakunzire Doreen. I am a female Ugandan aged 23 yrs born in 1994 from a place called Rubaya Sub-county, Mugandu Parish, Kacerere Village, Kabale District in Ndorwa County. I am happy to be born in the place mentioned above b'se it has already helped me to grow very well with many experiences which have led me to be the way I am. And that will also help me to be better in future.

Ekyakunzire Doreen

I have all parents. My Father is Mr. Kamari Enock and my mother is Musinguzi Win. All of them have brought me to be grown up from birth up to now. They have given me a chance of taking my studies within the way they are b'se we are not in good living but not as far as not to servive our selves, b'se they have offered themselves in trying to pay for myself from primary level up to institution level as follows:

I started my primary level in 2000 & 2008 I finished it. Then 2009 I joined secondary & in 2012 I was finished secondary level while doing very well on that all levels but I remained at home for 2 yrs from 2012-2014 due to lack of school fees to continue my studies and I was at home while doing other activities e.g. household activities like cooking, washing both utensils & washing clothes, cleaning and doing income generating activities being helped wiz my parents like gardening activities, clotcheting, weaving mats, baskets & others.
Then in 2015 I got a plan to join the Nursery institution together with my parents b'se we have already got money from those activities. Then 2015 I joinded Kigezi Early Childhood Education Institute Kabale for 2yrs in-service programme up to 2016 i.e. I have finished my certificate in Nursery teaching.

Doreen teacher at PROUD UG

In 2017 I started to look far a job to do and I thank almighty God b'se He answered my prayers & I have got it on PROUD UG, Kekubo Village Kabale District. Per now I am working and PROUD UG is a very good project in looking after mentally retarded children. May be when it changes but per now it is a good project in both children and workers plus the neighbourhoods.

Written by Ekyakunzire Doreen

Ainebabazi Faith

I tested pregnant in December 2015. From then I started to care for myself as antinatal. Everything went well with me and my developing baby. Nothing was said to be wrong according to the scan results until the time I delivered.
  

Teacher Patience and Faith

It was at night when I went through labour pains like other women and rushed to Rugarama hospital where I spent a night and the following day which was Tuesday at around 3:00 am (the date was 7/9/2016). The labour was so painful as contractions were increasing to the extent that I had to bite my mouth during pushing but finally I had to deliver abouncing baby girl.

From her first time on earth she cried and when I gave her breasts she sucked breast milk as if she was used. Every body in the hospital room got surprised and she would not allow me to sleep because she was every minute on breasts sucking.

She doesn't like to cry a lot when she is breastfed. She feels well and asleep when bathed, smeared jelly and clothed well. She likes to see me direct in my eyes when I am breastfeeding her. She feels well when put on the back.

Above all she is called Ainebabazi Faith.

Written by Patience