October 2020
Uganda Covid-19 Update
Uganda has now registered 6,879 total cases of Covid-19 (up from 2,972 cases in September). There have been 69 reported deaths from Covid-19 in Uganda (up from 32 deaths in September).
The government lockdown remains in effect, with schools, churches and public gathering places closed. The students in candidate classes have hope for returning to school on October 15. The President has allowed for children in Primary 7, Senior 4 and Senior 6 to return to school, however many schools have kept their doors closed. We are waiting to see if our children’s schools will be open and accepting students. Public and private means of transport are being allowed, but with space restrictions. The evening curfew has been extended to allow people to move outside of their homes up until 9 pm.
PFP continues to support our children and their families from where they live, providing food, and medical support for not only the PFP children but many family members as well.
We are so grateful to our community of supporters for enabling us to continue this important work, even in the most difficult of times.
Welcome to the Team–PFP Counselor
In September, we welcomed a mental health therapist and child counselor to our permanent full time staff. Rachel Banona has started work with the children this month. She conducts group therapy and discussion sessions for the children of PFP and individual sessions for children with deeper emotional health concerns. We are so grateful for her contributions to our PFP family.
Plan for Education
In an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19, Uganda has closed all schools across the country. The most likely scenario is that all educational institutions will be closed through the end of the year, with the exception of candidate classes (Primary 7, Senior 4 and Senior 6). We continue to wait for further updates from President Musevini.
PFP has been working with the various schools that our children attend to put together a holiday package that they can work on from home as we await for schools to reopen. Each of the children in the PFP programs has been equipped with a holiday notes package and the tools they need to stay on top of their work.
Additionally, we have hired two tutors that each spend four hours per day, five days per week teaching the students at Love and Hope Homes. One tutor focus on learning for nursery through Primary 3 levels and the second tutor focuses on learning for Primary 4 to primary 7 levels. We are working with the families in our community to ensure that the children who have been placed with family are not left behind.
With direction from our Uganda Education Director, we are in the process of building a mini library, which will contain revision books for every subject for all levels in the Uganda school systems. the library will be kept at Peace Home and books will be available for all PFP scholars to check out during school holidays. The hope is that this will boost their learning, even while not in school.
Community Outreach
The Peace for Paul Foundation has been regularly distributing bars of soap, packages of food and home supplies to the children who have been placed with relatives in our community. We have also been able to help a number of our children’s families with medical support when necessary.
Many families within our community receive supplemental food from PFP as a way to support the entire family, not just the PFP child in their care. Many generous supporters continue to come together to make this a possibility.
Hanging at Home
With the government’s mandated countrywide quarantine, the PFP children have had lots of quality time at home with their brothers and sisters. We have stocked up on games, puzzles, books, blocks and balls for the kids to play with. Our team has also started sewing lessons for the children and they are getting pretty serious about it! There has been lots of time to enjoy eachother’s company, get house chores done and just be together. Levy, one of AHU scholars has been working on an art project for the kids and presented it to them this month to hang with pride in their home. As an added bonus, Charlie and Levy (two of our AHU recipients) have been visiting and leading a weekly yoga and dance class for the kids at both Love and Hope Homes!
Family Time
Schools across the country are closed due to Covid-19 and a country wide lockdown. Many of our children are spending the down time with families in their villages. It has been a good opportunity to reconnect and to learn about their culture. Many of the PFP children and young adults have been helping their families with small businesses, gardening and so on.
Birthday Celebrations
We always take the time to make every child in our program feel special on their birthday. Each child receives a special gift and small celebration followed by a BIG birthday celebration for them together at the swimming pool during school holidays. The birthday celebration has been placed on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions, but we still take the time to celebrate the kids individually.
Happy Birthday to Our October Birthday Girls and Boys!
Welcome to the Family
This month, we welcomed new sponsors for Adam, Chipa, Faraji, Ketty and Sarah into our PFP family. We are so grateful for have such a loving and supportive group of people behind us! Welcome to the family!!
Sponsor Love
With many of the the PFP children placed with family during this long holiday from school, many of our generous sponsors have seen an increased need for support for their child and family members. We have seen an unprecedented outpouring of love and support from sponsors. Thank you so much to everyone who has stepped up to offer extra love during this extremely difficult time.
Bushira’s sponsor family remembered their girl on her birthday and sent a gift to her entire family in the village! Extra food, supplies and treats for all. And of course a cake and beautiful new dress for the birthday girl! So beautiful!
Family Sponsorship Opportunities
We are always looking for general sponsors to help cover the extra costs associated with keeping The Peace for Paul Foundation operating smoothly and the children happy and healthy. Essentially, as a general family sponsor, you are the sponsor of ALL of the children. We have opportunities for Medical Family Sponsor, Dental Family Sponsor as well as Mental Health Family Sponsor. A Family Sponsor commitment can be $25/$50/$100 per month.
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this opportunity: hope@peaceforpaulfoundation.org
The PFP Junior Program
The Juniors Program works with the families of children in the PFP community to help them be able to attend school.These children all live full time with their families but poverty has prevented them from attending school regularly. The ages range from four years to sixteen years of age and we currently have 68 students who are benefiting from this partnership. Two of these students are in Secondary school and 7 are sitting for National Exams this year so they may join secondary school in 2021. We are so proud of these hardworking students and their motivation to succeed!
Faima, Mariana and Muzeyi
Nile River Farms
Situated on three acres of land near the Nile River is our sustainability project, Nile River Farms. The goal is to grow our population to 90 pigs and sell 10 per month on a rotating schedule. We now have 45 pigs and five of the sows are currently expecting.
This project is aimed at providing funds for PFP as well as education and work experience for the children in our independent living program. We are striving to show the children in our program that with a little hard work, they can provide what they need for themselves and their families from within Uganda.
We have two full time staff on the farm and while school is out, two of our elder PFP boys are living and working on the farm. They go for daily walks to collect grass and other food for the pigs to eat.
The Bulungi Beads Store
We are pleased to announce that Bulungi Beads now has a store on our website! The Bulungi Beads Shop features beautiful Ugandan jewelry, handmade by women working hard in the slums of Masese and by the young men and women learning the skill in the PFP program. The handcrafted paper beads are purchased from the women and PFP artisans to support their growing business and their families. All profits are sent back to the women and to the PFP program to help pay for food, clothing, school tuition and supplies. Click HERE to view our shop!
GuideStar Platinum Level Participant
The Peace for Paul Foundation has earned the Platinum GuideStar Nonprofit Profile participation level (the highest possible)! This leading symbol of nonprofit transparency and accountability is presented by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information.
In order to be awarded the Platinum Seal of Transparency, The Peace for Paul Foundation included contact information, financial information, our goals, strategies, capabilities, indicators, and progress, helping us more effectively share our story with the world.
Check out our GuideStar Nonprofit Profile and tell us what you think:The Peace for Paul Foundation GuideStar Profile
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