News Letter December/January 2011
Firstly let me wish you all a very Happy New Year from everyone on the SEN Team. It’s unbelievable where the time goes!!!
Sadly one of our clients Ronald passed away during December but during the short time we spent supporting him, his last days were more comfortable and he was able to mix with his community thanks to the use of a wheelchair and our outreach team.
We held our end of Year Christmas Parties at the outreach clinics in Kyabirwa, Kyomya and Bugembe. I found myself explaining the story of Santa Claus and the reindeers delivering presents and leaving mince pies, beer and carrots out for them to eat…..it wasn’t until I saw the expressions on the children’s faces that I realized just how far fetched this really sounds!!!! We all had good fun making Christmas cards and decorations nevertheless.
Kyabirwa Christmas Party making Xmas Action songs at the newly painted Joseph Kabaire - Bugembe
Cards Kyabirwa clinic Outreach Assistant
December saw the addition of more children added to the SEN database and the waiting list for Kyomya SEN residential unit. The final refurbishments have been made to the dorm block at Kyomya and we are now ready for the reopening at the beginning of February 2011.
Various meetings have been held between SPE SEN and the Ministry of Education and Sports in order to get the relevant teaching staff transferred, additional funding allowance for children with SEN, buying 100kg sacks of posho, beans and rice (yes carried back from the market on a boda boda) to feed the residential children and the last minute spring clean.
We would also like to welcome Joseph Kabaire to our team; he has been an active member of the parents committee in Bugembe and has now become our outreach assistant. He is currently undergoing two weeks training alongside our other staff in the clinics and from myself and Romeo.
Joseph will be working in Walukuba West Primary School and clinic in the mornings supporting the residential children in the SEN unit and then running the outreach clinic in Bugembe in the afternoons and also supporting families in Bugembe community.
Our Knitting and tailoring parent groups are now producing items which are being sold in our Amagezi art shop up at Bujagali. The ladies are still showing lots of enthusiasm so any wool, knitting needles, material, thread would be greatly received.
We are looking forward to the arrival of the SEN outreach Vehicle which we are importing from the UK. This will enable the team to visit more communities and individuals in their homes in the hard to reach rural villages.
Request
Does anyone have any laptops that they no longer require, if so the SEN project would love to have them for the staff and children to support their learning?
In order to keep the knitting groups running we are looking for anyone to donate knitting needles and/or wool to the SEN project. Please email me if you have any of the above.
VOLUNTEERING
Do you have a passion, love and enthusiastic personality and want to learn more about disability in Uganda? Or you are a professional in the field of SEN education/health and want to enhance your professional development? Email me at sarah@softpowereducation.com for more information.
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS PROJECT (SEN)








