Once again I bring warm greetings from the family of Lulwanda Children’s Home and also be able to share with you the activities of the Month. Thank you for sparing time to read and get to know whatever is taking place at the Home. We appreciate you so much as this portrays the strong bond and love you have towards the orphans of Lulwanda.
MEDICAL
During February our Nurse received 113 patients and these were staff members and home children. The major illness was malaria, respiratory tract infection, bacterial infection, minor injuries, cough and flu. The most affected were Home Children with respiratory tract infection, cough and flu.
Kenneth Mbulamaye had a head injury while he was playing but thankfully the Nurse was able to carry out stitching and he is now well. We carried out the HIV test for all the Children and pregnancy test for the girls. All Children tested HIV negative apart from the new Child who was known to be positive and she’s already on HIV treatment. All the girls whom we tested for pregnancy test, results showed negative. To reduce malaria cases, we fumigated all the houses and we plan to buy new mosquito nets for all the Children.
DISCIPLESHIP
We are humbled to always meet as home staff every Wednesday and share the word of God. During this moment we get to praise and worship God through songs and thereafter share the word of God. We also get the opportunity to encourage one another and how best can we raise the orphans that the Lord has entrusted in our care. Ryan Kelley has continued to share the word of God and songs through our different communication platforms. This has greatly benefited us the staff, Tendo Children and Lulwanda Alumni.
MINISTRY TRAINING
We attended a two-day regional consultation meeting and training on Child marriage and teenage pregnancy at a local hotel in Mbale. The National strategy to end Child marriage and teenage pregnancy was organized by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and social development in partnership with UNICEF and World Vision. During this meeting which was attended by the social workers and administrator, we were tasked to define a child, understanding of child marriage and teenage pregnancy and what is the problem. We were also tasked to identify the root causes and sub causes of child marriage and teenage in our community. We also identified the current gaps in policy and program interventions and then later came up with strategies and Actions to End Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancies. Above all there was emphasis on giving a second chance to the girl who has given birth to return to school so that they can be equipped with skills as a way of reducing labor exploitation due to lack of employment skills.
UNIVERSITY COMPLETION- ANTHONY WANZALA
Finally, our beloved Son Anthony Wanzala has completed a four year course of Water Engineering and God willing he will be graduating before this year ends. This young man is very faithful and made the course relatively cheaper for us to pay although it’s known as one of the expensive courses at the University. This has been possible by accepting to live a modest life by asking only things that matter at the university. As a University requirement before graduation, he designed and constructed a remote controlled solar powered water machine for removing water hyacinth which is the fastest growing aquatic weeds on water bodies in Uganda especially on Lake Victoria). His work impressed the panel of engineers which attracted officials from the Minister of science, Technology and innovation office HON. Monica Musenero to look at his prototype for possible implementation at water bodies.
SECONDARY VISITATION
Due to covid-19 restrictions and preventive measures, most schools in Uganda, especially in the central region, have barred parents from visiting the Children at school. We only had an opportunity for visitation at Tororo girls where we have five girls. (Marita Ajambo, Robinah Nalwanga, Joyce Khakasa Neboshe, Sarah Fatuma Namubya and Mary Namubi). The team of staff members traveled to check on our children at school and check on their performance plus sharing the love of Christ. They were all found in good health and provided for all the requirements needed. They had a meal together, prayed for them and encouraged them to concentrate and work hard for a better future.
Though there was no visitation day for St. Mary’s College, Lugazi. I personally drove to the school and delivered all the school supplies for Gift Naluboka and Norah Masai. I found them in good health, happy and working hard in class. The two girls promised to merit University admission. We are grateful to God for the provision and we expect the very best out of their studies and continue praying for them.
TRADE SCHOOL
Three of our Children who completed certificates in trade schools have been attached to different people for hands-on skill training. Grace Egulansi is now attached to Jireh fashion and design for more skills. She has the passion to learn different fashion and design that are current and on market. So far she is doing great for the pieces she has made for display. Betty Namutosi is attached to Teacher Beth Muyama who has a saloon at Bugema trading center-Mbale. She is continuing with hair dressing. Hellen is at MTAC to learn hair dressing to learn the second skill. We are grateful that all are doing well and have started producing wonderful pieces of their work and we are grateful for the continued support. Timothy Wandiba is equally doing well with the course of electricity while Brian Webisa is doing plumbing at Benedict vocational institute Tororo.
LULWANDA PRIMARY SCHOOL (LPS)
A number of activities have taken place at LPS. First the teachers had an external workshop on abridged curriculum. This was organized by the Ministry of education to enable learners (students) to catch up with the teaching and learning after spending two years at home during the covid-19 lockdown. Teachers are now focusing on critical topics and learning outcomes along with psychosocial support. In the same way, teachers have discussed the performance of learners and remedial plus weekend lessons have been utilized to fill the gaps of lost time during the lockdown.
On another note, teachers have engaged learners in several practical lessons and this has made learning very interesting and understanding of concepts of topics has made it very easy. During the visitation day, some of the practical pieces were shown to the parents who were impressed by the teachers’ effort to help learners understand the science subject.
Our Children have been involved in the election of new prefects and a number of learners took interest to apply for the available posts and those who convinced the electorate were elected to different posts. The school elected a total of 25 prefects and Difasi Waniaye was elected the head prefect while Marion khainza was elected as the head girl. It was a hot contest of campaigns as Children exercised their right to vote for candidates of their choice. We always encourage our Children to campaign at school as a way of training them to become future leaders.
RESETTLEMENT OF MARY
With a lot of pain, we finally agreed to resettle Mary Nambozo who failed to recover from the post trauma and behavioral issues. We did all possible ways to take her to the psychiatrist doctors for checkup and counseling but all in vain. She continued to demand to be away from Lulwanda because she was used to the street life where she had the freedom to move whenever she wanted. She used to disappear through sneaking out of Lulwanda premises several times. This issue had been reported to the senior Probation officer Mbale district and to the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development Kampala. Both agreed that Mary be resettled with any distant relative to avoid causing issues for the Home, and Lulwanda should continue supporting her in terms of skilling and basic needs while staying in the village. We all agreed on hair dressing since she had the desire and interest in hairdressing. She was handed over to the senior probation officer Bulambuli and resettled with a distant grandmother Rose Negesa of Mbigi village, Mbigi Parish, Bulegeni Sub County in Bulambuli district. This was done in the presence of the probation officer Mbale district, LCH Administrator, Social workers, Pastor Morris and Mama Aidah.
CONCLUSION
As I wind up with this report, I am so grateful for each of our donors and sponsors. It’s a great milestone since you started supporting this noble cause that the Almighty God put on your heart. Every day that passes by, we continue to experience the love, favor and mercy of God towards the Home. Thank you for being the channel through which God is using to bring great smiles and hope for the vulnerable and orphaned Children of Lulwanda. God bless!
In His Grace
Paul Isabirye
Administrator- LCH
