"HEART PROJECT
Helping Education in Africa-Reaching together
Society of the Sacred Heart
Uganda-Kenya Province"
September 2006
Dear Partners in Mission,
Fall 2006Greetings from our new Sacred Heart School in Uganda.
This update will be a little longer than usual for there is much
to share with you. Spending good time in Uganda this past summer
allowed me to experience first hand the progress made not only
with building the new primary school plant but creating a wonderful
Sacred Heart spirited school. Your hearts would warm in hearing
the voices of laughter, song, class recitation and prayer that
float from Kyamusansala Hill. Is it possible that from rocky ground
would spring forth such nourishing soil where young girls would
grow and blossom? Yes, because of the helping hands and hearts
of our Sacred Heart family.
You have been great supporters of this new school, in spirit and
in creative fundraising efforts. Our primary children ask me how
it is that children and adults who do not know them can make such
sacrifices so that they are able to come to Sacred Heart Primary
School. One grateful parent expressed her thoughts this way. “Both
Parents and the pupils are aware that the school is a fruit of
kind and charitable hearts who sacrifice for the education and
moral nurturing of the girl child. With grateful hearts we treasure
our school and thank God for the support of the Sacred Heart Sisters
and people of God from across the world who contribute to make
existence of such schools a reality. As beneficiaries, we recognize
our responsibility to make every effort to contribute towards
the sustainability and development of the school.”
The first classroom building block provides 28 rooms that are
used for classrooms, offices, infirmary, storage, library, as
well as living space for our 345 resident students. Our multipurpose
1st floor is our gathering space for school meals, school assemblies,
Sunday Mass, as well as kitchen and food storage. The 2nd floor
that is under construction at this moment will provide much needed
overflow space for school activities. Happily the first set of
staff housing units and a residence for the RSJC staff are completed
and the teachers have moved out of the classrooms and into their
own living quarters. At this point it is tight but manageable.
In two years the school population will reach 500 with double
grades from One to Seven. So plans are beginning for a dormitory
block that will house these children who remain with us for ten
months of the year.
Besides the daily challenges of life in Uganda we have another
situation that came to a head this past summer. As some of you
may know Uganda is rapidly becoming a water-stressed country.
As drought conditions deepen and dry seasons lengthen, rainwater
becomes an even more precious commodity that needs careful harvesting.
Along with the villagers in this area we are experiencing a serious
water shortage. Added to this was the unbelievable and continuous
theft of electrical wiring throughout the district. Electricity
was already a meager resource for us.
But now we could not even pump the water from our few rainwater
tanks at the bottom of our big hill. The administration was very
concerned for the health and well-being of the whole school
population, but the children took it in stride. After class each
day, with a small plastic tub or bucket in hand, they climbed
down our steep hill. At the bottom water from the meager tank
supply was portioned out carefully. Then up they came carefully
balancing on their heads the containers with precious water. This
is a natural part of their life in their home villages so they
entered into this activity with smiles. I heard no complaints
but saw a few tired little ones struggling to keep up with the
others.
The school must act quickly to improve its capacity to gather
and preserve this life-giving element.
External monies will need to be secured. The success of the project
will be measured by decline in diseases from contaminated water,
less loss of rain water runoff, increased supply of harvested
water to sustain the school community during the dry times, decreased
soil erosion and building damage from uncontrolled water run off,
reduced water expenses, and preserved swamp water supply for the
nearby village.
So our building effort goes forward. Building a spirit filled
school where each child is ‘open to learn, to love, to serve’
(SHPS school motto). And, yes, building up our plant infrastructure.
We are half way there. Our top funding priorities for the next
two years are to expand our rain water gathering capacity, complete
the staff housing infrastructure, construct a school dormitory
for 500 full time resident children, and maintain the Tuition
Assistance Program for 120 orphaned and vulnerable students.
We invite you to continue your walk with us. You are part of a
new movement of solidarity in which those of us who have more
than we need to live safe, happy and productive lives are sharing
with poor village schools around the world. You are making a difference
in the lives of many children. How can you tell? By the smiles,
laughter, and confidence of the newest Sacred Heart children standing
on top of Kyamusansala Hill, Uganda. From their new vantage point
they see a brighter future for themselves and their families.
Your compassionate involvement has truly changed the scene for
them. Songs of thanks fill our hearts.
God bless you!
Irene Cullen, RSCJ
Uganda-Kenya Mission Support Coordinator
1653 Borana St, San Diego, CA 92111
858-268-3340
Email: icullen@rscj.org
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