Last week we met with Steve from STAR EcoWorks to catch up on our summers and talk solar energy. The Ssubi Foundation has donated via Steve and St Mary’s High School in Calgary solar lanterns built by
STAR EcoWorks and Calgary students, to primary schools in Uganda. This year we checked in on the teacher using these lanterns and found them working three years later. In addition, we have used solar
lighting to provide light to all of our primary schools. In northern Uganda, these buildings are often the only ones around with light and are used for many purposes, such as evening community meetings, church groups or for the students and teachers to meet, mark and/or study. STAR EcoWorks has also been busy this summer developing a teaching curriculum for grade 10 students here in Alberta, if you
want to learn more about their programming please contact Steve at STAR EcoWorks.

As many of you know, we have been supporting The Rwot Rubanga Lakica Womens Group (RRLWG) in Gulu District whom we originally met through Madam Openy (headmistress of Palenga Primary School).

They are a very inspiring group with a mission to bring people (women) together to promote a peaceful environment, a culture of savings and lending, improve livelihood income and food security and be agents of change. We especially like their adaptability, recognizing their micro-loan program was not only supporting business development but educational and welfare needs they developed these into separate funds where less interest is paid than the micro loaning program. Given the success of this group, they are regularly asked to provide training and assistance, but this takes time and money. I can’t image anyone more inspiring than the RRLWG to share their stories and learn from. These are the type of people who will truly rebuild a peaceful society in northern Uganda.

This year The Ssubi Foundation is helping facilitate the costs of RRLWG training sessions, so they can help other groups needing and asking for assistance. They have developed a list of criteria for groups they will consider training and are currently working on a training manual. At the beginning of September they met with and assessed the Mego Ber Womens group at Lela Obaro (near Lela Obaro Primary School) and have agreed to provide training to the group on record keeping, membership, constitution and shares. If all goes well and they feel their training sessions are beneficial the Foundation would like to continue to support this program into the future.

This year we renovated the kitchen we built at Lilly School in Kampala. Mainly because the fuel efficient stove we built was leaking smoke into the kitchen and everything had turned black.  After rebuilding the stove and lining it with fire proof tiles, the new kitchen was back in action and the cook could not have been happier. We also installed solar lights int the kitchen and outside so those students staying for dinner have a easier time.

Is lunch ready yet?

Newly renovated kitchen

Posho and beans

Waiting for turn

Students serving lunch

The only 2 government primary schools in Gulu District with libraries are Palenga and Lela Obaro and both where built by The Ssubi Foundation. The Richard Theriault Memorial Library, built at Lela Obaro even has a dedicated librarian paid for by the parents of Lela Obaro students. This year the foundation promised to provide the librarians with proper training. Dusman and I were more than impressed by out first meeting with Michael, who although working full time as a technical director to the chairman of Gulu District would also like to help develop a training program for the librarians whereby they learn not only library management but also how to integrate the library into the school curriculum. Michael believes that if the schools can effectively use the libraries they should be able to improve the educational quality of the leaning environment. The first meeting with the librarians and head teachers is scheduled for early Sept, so we shall keep you posted on progress.

Michael the library trainer

Some of the books he will be using as teaching guides.

As many of you may remember in the past we have supported the micro-loaning program for a women’s group in Gulu. We have found this group to be very inspiring because of their supportive cohesive nature and ability to adapt and address issues faced by women within the group. For example last year they established an educational fund, where group members could borrow money to pay

school fees and pay back the loan with a lower interest rate than the micro loaning program. They also have a welfare program, that enables group members in a difficult situation to borrow money and pay back with out interest.

Last year we expressed in interest in facilitating the group to help train other saving and loan groups in and around Gulu. We are very pleased to announce they are going to pilot their new training program over the next year with 2 to 3 groups to see how it goes. One of the groups will be focused on Palenga community near one of the schools we support.

In addition, they are also working together to set up an events management business. The Ssubi Foundation was pleased to donate funds to assist with the purchase of chairs and tables for the event management business. We wish this group continues success and hope they can inspire other groups to be as successful as they have become.

Dusman receiving a gift of ODEE (like peanut butter but better!!!).

Tracy hands over a donation to Rwot Womens group to facilitate their new training program

Ssubi personal with the Rwot Women's group

Follow up meeting with the Executive of the women's group