Education

We have several metrics to gauge how effective our education programs are. First, we look at the scores from the very important P7 Uganda State Exams. Whether or a not a student goes on to secondary school is almost entirely dependent upon their performance on this test (and it’s difficult too. Several volunteers and staff have taken it, and it’s no joke). It is graded as a total score from 1 - 4, with 1 being the best score. Those who score a 4 will not move on, and those in 3 are less likely to.

Between 2016 and 2018, we saw a 10% increase in the percentage of test takers who scored in the top two thresholds on the test, and a 5% decrease in the amount of students who scored a 4. We use percentage of test takers when delivering our results because the number of students who take the exam each year changes, of course. The number of students who take the exam is another figure we use to track and gauge our effectiveness because that means more kids are going to school. Between 2016 and 2018, we saw a 19% increase in the number of students who took the exam. While we are confident that our programs have been a major factor behind these increased figures, there is still plenty to improve upon. For instance, although the number of students taking the P7 test has risen, there is still a significant percentage who still don’t even attempt it, let alone score well enough to make it into secondary school. A major reason for this is due to the Ugandan State rules on the types of structures that these tests must be delivered in. These stringent regulations mean that the students must travel great distances, often by foot, to take the test, and then stay the night before returning the following day. All of this at the expense of their families’ precious resources. This is where one of our building and maintenance initiatives comes in.

Health & nutrition

There are too many reasons for young Ugandans in the Luuka district to miss school. Being ill from avoidable ailments should not be one of them. Our health and nutrition team, spearheaded by Ronald, has done some amazing work. The most common ailments that our health team see include dehydration, malaria, measles, and chigoe fleas.

Since the implementation of our wells, dehydration has decreased to 120 cases in 2018 from 337 in 2016. Furthermore, in perhaps our greatest accomplishment, cases of measles went from 251 in 2016 to just 10 in 2017 (awaiting data for 2018).

However, we did see an increased number of malaria cases between 2016 and 2017, before dropping to below 2016 numbers in 2018. The reason for this could be increased awareness of the ailment or may have been an atypical year in terms of outbreak. While finding that reason will be important in preventing an increase again, we are comforted by the 2018 numbers and Ronald’s ability to identify symptoms and treat it quickly.

Building projects/clean water

The implementation of wells at the schools saw immediate positive results. Not only did the cases of dehydration plummet, but the kids did not have to spend hours of each day walking to the nearest water source to fill jugs. The time spent gathering water is now spent in a classroom doing constructive course work. We ran into an issue before completing the well at Benamos, but hope to complete it in 2019.

In 2018, we saw the completion of new latrines at two of our schools. Importantly, this construction could not have been completed without the wonderful work support from the community. The benefits of this are twofold. First, students and staff have access to clean, well-maintained latrines and, second, involving the community in a project on school grounds focuses their attention on said school and the education of its students, their kids and grand kids. We will continue to fund-raise for this purpose and aim to have latrines completed at each school by the end of 2020.

Another goal of ours is to complete a testing center at each of the schools. The completion of these testing centers will have a direct impact on the number of students who are able to take the P7 tests and who have a chance to show off their improved education in secondary school.