The Uganda Community School Project

Women’s World:

A Simple Essay by Margaret

“I am a girl of 13 years, schooling at Balawoli Primary School. This school is about the surroundings of Nawantale Community. As a member of this community, I am writing this essay about myself. In the first place, I do not know who I am. Several names have been given to me, but those I remember to answer are Nabulowa Margaret Luswiga. I am a double- colour skinned girl – black and brown – and tall, but slender, small in size. I was born in the family of my father and mother called Mrs. And Mr. Mwamja, as their last born. They are very old and unemployed; we live with the little income they get from the field, less than an acre. We sometimes starve when the crop season fails.
“…I sometimes wonder who I am! What in life shall I be and what will I do? I have tried my level best to learn new things, but I have no vision. My parents are very poor. Now they can’t afford a T.V. set so that we can see films from outside our country. For example, I was impressed when I saw an American film about an American village. I felt like going for a tour in America and have company with one of the American families. The film was shown to us at Nawantale Community School.
“Now, in my leisure, I try to read some books about America. My father was a geography teacher before his retirement. Sometimes he tells us about the geography of America. But, his lessons are too abstract for me to understand. Then he talks about the Americans – millionaires, very rich people, and friendly. My vision then goes round what I see here in my Uganda and what I hope to see…”

Garden Club

Mum “kaay” started our Garden Club here at the Country Office, June 2008. Garden Club is about growing us, not plants, so that we can talk about our lives, write our stories, and share with other women about ourselves in a safe place. Mum “kaay” and hundreds of women have held similar Garden Clubs in Phoenix, AZ for almost 15 years, every week!

We women meet on Friday afternoons, and we are learning about writing our stories because Mum “kaay” shared a short story of hers with us, and two of our women got to attend a writing workshop in Kampala in July 2008; they will teach us. Mum “kaay” told us that there was only one way to make Garden Club successful! She explained that making a safe place for women meant that we should not gossip about other women, not judge them, either here or outside. It really works! We’re writing a book called Washing without Water – Cooking without Soap. Our book will be a realistic look at our lives here, and will let us share our feelings as we explore our poverty, our challenges, and our new beginnings!
Margaret brought her essay the VERY NEXT day to Mum “kaay” after her first Garden Club meeting. We are eager to talk and write about our lives…

The First Garden Club Meeting, June 2008

Joan Prepares Dinner in our Office Kitchen

Esther Washes Many Clothes with Little Water

Ask Nandi !!!

Hello, my name is Nandi. I am 17 years old, and I can tell you how hard it is for girls to get an education in my village. Click on the following link to email me your questions: nawantale@yahoo.com. I'll post my answers right away, right here!

If you would like to watch a video about the Nawantale school, please click on the following link: Nandi Video.

* The video clipping is compatible with all media players.

Aron, from Phoenix, AZ: 20 February 2008 -

Nandi, why do you seem make "love affairs" a bad thing to do if you can't go to school?

“Please, Aron: I look at love affairs as an ugly thing to school dropouts because it will expose young girls to HIV/AIDS which is now a member of our community! Also love affairs will result into unwanted pregnancies yet the uneducated in Uganda and Nawantale in particular always have no money to cater for themselves and then their children. As if that is not enough, when you get involved into love affairs, yet you are uneducated, you become a sex slave and therefore, become a social problem! To this, I call upon all people from all over the World to come to Nawantale and help us attain education so that we can fight Ignorance, Poverty and Diseases.”

Mary, from Glendale, AZ: 26 March 2008

Tell me about your family. Who do you live with?

Dear Mary: Thank you so much for your questions! However, I am sorry for not responding in time! We have a problem with our internet signal most especially in Eastern Uganda where we live! But at last I have been able to send my response to you. My family is poor. I live with my parents, 3 sisters and 1 brother.”

What is your earliest memory?

“I always remember when I was still young at the age nine years, my step mother over quarreled with mother. Both of them were combative and they ended up in a serious fight. Not only that, but my step mother also got hold of my third born sister and threw her down. The baby got wounds on her head and she became seriously ill up to death point but she was admitted to hospital. After one month, the baby got well again and they got back home.”

What is your typical day like?

“I wake up very early in the morning, wash my face and brush my teeth. There- after, I go to the garden for digging. The garden is very far from home. I have to walk very fast before sunrise. If I get to the garden, I start digging and finish at around a quarter to noon. After digging, I collect firewood and look for food and get back home. At half to 1:00pm, I get break (a cup of tea with leftovers of the previous night). After that, I prepare lunch and wash plates and cups then bath. I eat lunch at around 3:30pm. I prepare supper at around 6:00pm and bath the children (my young sisters and brother). I eat supper at 9:00pm and go to bed.”

Tell me what you have learnt from your literacy classes?

“I have learned to read and write from my literacy classes and even understanding people’s minds (psychology). I also learnt to be clean every time.”

Tell me about your girlfriends, what are their names, what do you talk about?

“My girlfriends have got the following which make me love them:
First and foremost, they can advise me wherever I go wrong, they are good counselors . Second, they are smart in terms of dressing, behaviors and talking. Girlfriends I am having; some are at school, some have dropped out of school due to financial problems in their homes. Their names are:- Susan, Elizabeth, Joan, Esther, Prosy and Eve. As I mentioned down my friends’ names, here we gather and talk about the following:

Studies.

Abstaining from sex.

Avoiding early marriage.

How we can get in new friends (creation of friends).

How we can get clean in our brains, body, clothes and learn to value ourselves.

e talk about how we can obey and respect our parents by helping them with work at home though they are poor.

We also talk about how we can become God fearing people and encourage ourselves to go to church every Sunday for prayers.”

You are a very outspoken person; do you ever have people complain about what you say?

“No, I have never had people complaining about what I say but they rather wish to hear me talk because they enjoy my speeches.”

What do you think the future holds for you? What do you want to do when you get older?

“What I think of is just to get educated and get a job this is my greatest dream. I also wish to be in a fantastic society where I can be a consultant. Here we can discuss about people’s problems and get solutions for them. In addition to that, I also wish to have a marvelous marriage in the future when I get older and be able to cater for my family. When I get older, I want to look after my parents, friends and relatives, and the community as well especially if I get money. I want to get a job in UgandaCommunitySchool after my studies. I also want to come to America when I get older. (Give me chance) Hope to hear from you again.”

Suzanne, From Glendale, AZ: 26 March 2008

Hi Suzanne, I hope this message finds you in good health! I start by registering my apology with you for not answering your questions in time but the problem is that our internet signal is completely down! We have to travel to Jinja which is 72 Km to send emails!

Do you attend school now?

Yes, I attend school. And my school is the Uganda Community School -Nawantale. I attended the regular school and dropped out due to lack of school fees otherwise I would wish to be professional in any field.

Do you plan to attend the community school when it is ready?

I will attend Community school because I wish to be a professional and get a good job and be able to look after my people.

For how long have you known Mom Kay?

I have heard about Mom Kay since 2004 and known her since she first visited Nawantale in June 2007.

Where did you get the Computer you use to communicate with email?

I got the computer from the Country Office of Uganda Community School Project Inc, which was bought from the funds sent to the Project under the leadership Mom Kay through the Administrative Assistant, Mr. Kawuzi Samson.

Does your village have electricity or do you use a wireless computer?

Our village does not have electricity! Electricity is at Balawoli where we have our country Office. However, even at Balawoli electricity is unreliable because we at times have it for only 4 hours a week! But our gratitude goes to Mom Kay and the entire donors from America who donated money that enabled us to buy a standby generator! I have viewed your photos and they are wonderful! I wish you would come and visit Nawantale too this June when Mom Kay will visit again and compare!!

Waiting for more questions from you! God bless you all. Nandi