UNIFORMS TO UGANDA
In 2014 community leaders, in the villlages we support, told us that their number one priority was the education of their youngest children. So from that point on, it has also become our main priority. We support six village nursery schools by making a monthly donation that helps pay teachers and provides every child with a daily cup of hot porridge. We have 15 sponsors supporting 15 children go to primary school and pay emergency school fees for children who are sent home because their families can't afford the small contribution to go to school (about £5 a term per child).
Thanks to the amazing generosity of friends and supporters, we have paid for the building of two nursery schools, with a third underway. Our goal is to help build permanent school buildings in all of the villages we support.
A big challenge facing communities is school uniform (and clothes in general). Uniform is expensive and people too poor to buy it. Children normally have one outfit for church and special occasions and rags for daily life.
This is the story of how we were given enough uniform for every school, football team and vulnerable old person to benefit.
In the summer of 2021 Lanesborough School in Guildford merged with RGS Guildford, leaving the school with a dilemma. What on earth were they going to do with all of the old school uniforms?
Luckily for us, our trustee Penny Peters works at the school and had the brilliant idea that the school could donate the uniforms to Seeds for Development for the children in the villages we support. Penny's idea rapidly grew into a plan. With the school on board the communications started going out to the parents and the old, unused and new uniforms started pouring in.
Then the school outfitter, Stevensons, heard about our plan and sold the remaining uniforms they had in stock to the school for a hugely discounted price. This, and the transport of the uniforms to Uganda, was paid for by RGS International and donations from the parents.
We are so grateful for the kindness and generosity of the parents, school and people who gave up so much of their time to make this happen.
The video below tells the story and if you scroll down you can find more photos and clips of the great journey from Guildford to Gulu!
If you would like to help the children, disabled and elderly people in northern Uganda, please click here or click on this button.
The
Packing
It took many hours and many people to sort and pack the uniforms into boxes for each village.
There were more than 40 boxes, which completely filled the RGS van.
The
Children
We support six nursery schools and in all of them uniform was a big problem.
The children are now so smart in their Lanesborough uniform and sports kit.
They absolutely love the little white squeezy balls.
The
Vulnerable
It isn't just the children who will benefit from the uniforms. The old and vulnerable had no warm clothes. Now they have jumpers, jackets and scarves to keep them warm in the damp cold nights.
The
Footballers
We support village football teams. For years they have asked for kit and now they are so smart. From the young children to the young men there is pride in each team.
The girls and women are also using the kit for netball.
