Ukwala division day 1

On Monday morning, William picks us up at the hotel. William is a senior educationalist and TaC’s local coordinator for the whole province of Nyanza. During our visit we witness many times how crucial it is to have such an experienced local coordinator! The first school we visit is St. Mary’s Yala, where TaC sponsors four boys. The principal and the career counsellor are well prepared, they know our students and are fully aware of the work of TaC. After a general discussion with the boys, we give them our questionnaire, and while they answer the questions, William and I are shown around the school. After videotaping the boys, we say good-bye and leave for the next school. As we are running behind schedule, our lunch consists of a few bananas we buy at a junction.

The second school to be visited today is called Sawagongo, where TaC sponsors three boys. Unfortunately, the principal has either not received our letter or is generally unaware of the work of TaC. Moreover, two of our boys have been sent home for fees and are unavailable. We get to talk to the bursary, where we learn that TaC was not given the fee structure for 2010, which created the whole misunderstanding. We find their fees to be correct, get the permission for the two boy’s immediate return to school, and instruct the principal to never send away our students before contacting our local coordinator. William locates one of the boys who was sent away and asks his guardian to bring him to our hotel. We are truly impressed by the commitment of his guardian, a teacher called Betha: the widowed lady is a mother of three herself, takes care of her late brother’s two children and has taken in Denis without even being related to him. We get to talk to Denis, learn that he is doing well, and are very happy to know that he is in such good hands.