Hello Brecknock! I hope you are all well and enjoying the term. I can see from all of the news items on the website that you have been having lots of fun, with exciting learning activities and trips!
Everything is going very well here in Uganda. I have been busy visiting my 8 schools. The main jobs I am doing are: observing teachers, checking school learning environments, supporting teachers in their classrooms, training teachers and helping them to make resources to help their children learn. Teaching can be very tricky here because teachers do not have many resources to use; also the children sometimes don’t have books or pencils to write with, or books to read. However, the teachers and children can be very creative and make things from objects and items they find in their local environment, or recycled rubbish. For example, lots of teachers have made plastic bottle lines to help them teach reading and counting! This is helping me to learn to be more resourceful, and I will certainly think twice now before I throw something away!
Last week, on October 9th it was a public holiday in Uganda, to celebrate their Independence Day. This is when Ugandans celebrate gaining their independence from Great Britain in 1962. Before that, Uganda was a British Colony for many years, which means they were ruled by the British Government. In 1962 they became the ‘Republic of Uganda’, and since then have had their own government. To celebrate they had a BIG parade, lots of singing and dancing, food stalls and football matches.
Speaking of football matches, on Saturday I took the bus to The Mandela Stadium, Namboole to see the Ugandan Cranes (the national football team) play against Togo. You may know one of Togo’s players, Emmanuel Adebayor, who plays as a forward for Tottenham Hotspur. Unfortunately Uganda lost the match, but it was really good fun!
You are probably all looking forward to half term now, but here in Uganda there is no half term. However they do have 2 months off in January and February because it is their summer and it becomes extremely hot. This is also the time that most of the crop harvesting is done, and many of the children here will help their families by working on the land with them. Many children do work to help support their families such as farming, collecting water, cooking and helping to look after younger siblings. Luckily many of them also find time to go to school as well!
I wish you all a lovely half term. Bye Bye! From Beth
