MY AWESOME EXPERIENCE WITH CONNECTING CLASSROOM!

Sharing this amazing experience is absolutely the most beautiful thing ever. Whatever thoughts and memories I have about this visit matters a lot to the children, teachers and people who established the twinning project.

Bravo! To QEPP, Bravo! To the British Ccouncil for initiating this awesome global education program for both Uganda and UK schools. You should feel proud, special for starting up and fully funding this educational program that has put a huge smile to many people and children a round the world.

First, it was the plane experience!! My first time to board a plane. I was nervous, scared but again glad😀because this has always been on the list of things I ask God to do for me. The difference is traveling in air but almost the same as traveling in a bus. I’ve been to some airports but not as big as Jomo Kenyatta in Nairobi and the biggest Heathrow in London.

Thank God!!🙏We landed safely and being picked by Adam Stanley and his partner Heather Green. Everything was different, the environment, roads, houses, cars, people and weather. What a different world London is!! In 1 and half hours, we were at home, Waterlooville. A warm welcome from the Peach family, these people are amazing!!! Coffee, food, a bath and later to my beautiful room.

Morning Monday 2nd March ready to visit the park! Queen Elizabeth Country Park! My colleague Mr Thembo and I were received by the rangers Ashley and Jan. My first HOT CHOCOLATE and bread was served,very tasty! Later proceeded to the park, I was scared, I thought we were going to see deadly animals like the lions, leopards and snakes as those in QE National park in Uganda, but all in vain. Ashley kept driving us in the park. At some point we couldn’t move outside the car not because we feared the animals in the park like Uganda, but due to too much coldness and mud. We toured different places in the park including the Butser Hill National Nature Reserve. Tourists and their dogs were in as well!. We later went to Petersfield….interesting!!!

Another glamorous day! Hambledon Primary School, a place I knew even before being there! Adorable, brilliant pupils and teachers I imagined! And yes it was an admirable, colourful, charming, and beautiful place than I imagined. I was extremely happy when I was welcomed in the school. Hambledon is heaven!! Imagine going through a day with amazing people, lots of smiles, food, hugs, fascinating compliments, appreciations and even people holding the door to open for you, wow!!!!!! Everything at Hambledon Primary School is unique, the headteacher Paul has a unique friendly personality as well. Friends hold a special place in one’s heart. Thank you Mr Davies for being a friend,mentor and more!! Through the twinning project we met, I’ve learn a lot from you and this whole amazing experience will create a positive impact to me as a head teacher and the entire family of Rihamu Junior School. Lots of thanks to Adrienne, the deputy head teacher at Hambledon Primary School who led the fundraising exercise to rise money for renovating our primary one wooden class.. You don’t know the change you have made to beautify our school and the children who suffered during the rainy season.

For sure, this whole experience is worth sharing. The different places I’ve visited while in the UK are amazing. London city, Buckingham Palace and many more interesting places in London. Bournemouth at the seaside, thanks Paul this place was the best. Chichester University where we shared different experiences on global citizenship, Portsmouth in different shopping arcades and getting to understand how the UK money is used when shopping!! Liss village and Liss Junior, different pubs, the cricket pitch, Winchester and many other places I’ve not mentioned maybe because I can’t remember their spellings😀😀😀. All these places were hilarious!

The twinning project will contribute a lot to Rihamu Junior school in many ways: Through communication and letter exchange, it will improve English speaking at school. Enhancement of global learning , exposure to different learning and teaching contexts, change of perception and attitudes, cultural awareness and exchange through sharing experiences. Increased quality and effectiveness of games like cricket, tag rugby, football, dominoes, darts which Rihamu got to know through the project. Support towards the school projects like the water tank, supporting the orphanage etc. The list is endless.

I don’t have the right words to express my gratitude and thankfulness to the Peach family. They’re my parents,they treated me like their own. I felt at home and more!!!!

Again, special thanks goes to the following people who made my visit and stay in the UK so fabulous. Adam Stanley, Steve Peach, Paul Davies, Jan, Karen Peach,Heather Green, Teresa and the entire family, Jess and the lovely family, Jo Heath , Mary at Chichester university, the brownies, Ashlea, The entire staff and pupils of Hambledon and the education students I met in Chichester.

That’s part one of my UK experience,more still coming. Take care everyone,stay home and stay safe.

Shakilah Huda , Rihamu Junior School.

Uganda celebration event at Liss Junior School

Uganda Celebration Event

Many thanks to all the pupils and parents who attended our Uganda Celebration. We were joined by Mr. Davies and Mrs. Masika, the headteachers of Hambledon Primary School and Rihamu Junior School respectively. We were also visited by Olga Rey from the British Council who was incredibly impressed by the work displayed from the four schools. She described the partnership as ‘prolific’.

Work on display at the event included examples of the learning from all three of the units that Yr 3 and Yr 6 have been working on in conjunction with Kafuro. Additionally, there were samples of work from the  wider Yr 6 curriculum where their topic this term has been Uganda. These included African—style bags and travel guides to Uganda written by the children.

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A Ugandan Celebration

As our Ugandan Exchange comes to an end, we finished in style at Hambledon Primary with a celebration of our links with Rihamu Junior School.  This was an opportunity to demonstrate what both schools have learnt from each other and the difference that the partnership has made.

The celebration event showcased the learning from the units of work on Sanitation, Community Change and Wants and Needs. The topic of sanitation has a very high profile in the media and all visitors had the opportunity to wish their hands with a specially constructed ‘Tippy Tap’ in the hall!

The children discussed with our visitors (parents, Governors and members of the Parish Council) the impact of positive changes in both communities. Of special interest was how both communities are dealing with the threat of flooding.

Year 6 (Wants & Needs) could talk with passion about the importance of education in both of our countries. They were prepared to admit that that maybe this was something they’d taken for granted in the past.

The Queen Elizabeth Parks Project ran a stall selling Ugandan crafts and business was brisk all afternoon.

Visitors were also able to try their hand at African drumming and taste Ugandan food prepared by our extra special guests, Ugandan Headteachers Steven and Shakilah!

After speeches, the school presented Madam Shakilah with a cheque for £670. The money will be used to refurbish a the P1 classroom at Rihamu. The children also gifted a special teddy bear in Hambledon uniform – a special gift to our special friends.

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Connecting Classrooms and Strengthening Bonds

Madam Shakilah has enjoyed her week teaching at Hambledon; almost as much as the children have enjoyed having her in their classrooms.  The children have been so excited to welcome her into class and have thoroughly enjoyed her lessons.  These have included sessions answering the children’s many questions about Uganda as well as sharing African Stories on world book day.  The Conservation message was a key part of the children’s learning on this day and all the pupils came dressed as endangered animals and plants.

She has explored issues around sanitation with Owls class, positive changes and developments in Kasese and led an African Animals Art lesson with Robins.

Today Madam Shakilah led a fascinating discussion in Ospreys class. She brought with her the responses from the pupils at Rihamu, who considered their Wants and Needs.  The similarities and differences to their own Needs and desires prompted much thoughtful debate.

Of particular interest was the differing views about the importance of education.  Madam Shakilah described how all pupils at Rihamu consider themselves very fortunate to have a place at the school.  Not all parents can afford to send their children to get an education.  Hambledon children felt that perhaps they take their education for granted as it is free and compulsory.  The children challenged their views of the purpose of their learning and its value to their life chances.  The pupils were able to articulate their understanding clearly and are looking forward to continuing the debate at next Wednesdays celebration event.

‘Sanitation’s What You Need…’

Owls class have been learning about the importance of good sanitation. Diarrhoea kills more children than HIV/AIDS, malaria and measles combined. Almost 1 billion lack access to safe drinking water. More than 2.3 billion people lack access to safe sanitation.

The children in Owls made their own ‘Tippy – Taps’. Before they began their builds, the children discussed why they would be needed. They discussed that in areas where water is not readily available, that it is really important to conserve as much water as possible. Additionally, the need for good sanitation is really important. Figures tell us that incidences of diarrhoea can be reduced by 44% just by washing your hands with soap.

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Wants and Needs Work begins at Hambledon

Wants and Needs work begins at Hambledon

The same lesson is delivered at Rihamu Junior School

Year 6 have begun their work on the wants and needs learning pupils at Rihamu also started earlier in the year. Our first task was to draw around the outline of a pupil and give the outlined child a name. Next, we discussed what this child would need to grow up into a happy and healthy adult. The children were set the task of identifying twenty things that would help the child achieve this. At this point there was no input and the children could completely decide for themselves. Once the pupils had completed their twenty things that a child would need, they wrote them on post-its and placed them in the middle of the child. Next, they were asked to remove five of the things that the child could do without – this reduced the items to fifiteen. This exercise was repeated twice more and generated fierce debate on each table as the children argued over what should stay. Eventually, each group had five items left which they shared with the rest of the class and compared.

Community Change Work begins At Hambledon

Pupils in Year 2 and Year 3 are looking at how the communities of Hambledon and Rihamu change and develop over time. One threat that exists in both communities is the risk of flooding.

Rain water has caused much damage in Hambledon & Rihamu. Mr Davies launched the topic at Rihamu Junior when he visited last summer as part of the British Council ‘Connecting Classrooms’ project. He launched the same topic in Kingfishers Class, Hambledon last week. The children began by comparing photographs of the two localities and considering what these told them about the communities. In coming weeks they will be considering the impact of the flooding, before Madam Shakila finishes the topic as part of her visit in March.

Day 14: Reflections on Uganda

We’re sat in Fort Portal, nearing the end of our Ugandan adventure.  This is an opportunity to pause for breath, drink a Nile and take stock of what has been a real life-changing experience.

There is obvious impact from the Changing Classrooms Project and we’re only half way through it.  The Headteachers from Rihamu and Kafuro will visit Hambledon and Liss in March 2020. The learning has been mutual and we will take things from the experience that will benefit pupils at all schools.  A detailed exchange of thoughts about managing school improvement has already taken place and I look forward to implementing some of the ideas that I take away from this trip.

I am excited by the potential to make an enormous difference to the lives of children in Uganda for the long term.  It won’t be too tricky either.  By western standards the money and resources required to make significant improvements to the schools here is relatively small. A little will go a long way.  We have already started this with our projects to improve sanitation and the building classroom infrastructure.  I hope we can continue this to ensure that pupils don’t waste valuable learning time performing tasks that take them out of the classroom, such as fetching water.  When they’re in class, we can ensure that they can learn without being exposed to the elements.  I am hoping that our School Council can rise to this challenge next year.

The purpose of this project is to benefit both English and Ugandan schools and there is much that Rihamu can contribute to Hambledon. As well as a window to different cultures and beliefs, our children continue to strengthen their ties with their pen-pals.  We also have plans to create video links and exchange voice messages with our friends at Rihamu.  We’re getting good at recording podcasts at Hambledon and these are a great way of promoting communication between our children.

As I think back on what I experienced I am glowing with admiration for what Shakilah and her team achieve with meagre resources.  In Uganda it doesn’t matter what clothes you wear or what car you drive.  Everyone is together and they look out for each other, nobody is judging.  It is inspiring.  School children concentrate well, listen carefully and show high levels of respect to each other and to the adults that teach them.  Living standards are lower and the pace of life is slower, but levels of appreciation are high and I will take these precious memories back to the UK.

Uganda 2019 Day 11: The Conservation Cup

Every night of this trip the whole group has sat together and chatted. As part of this conversation we have all nominated our top three moments of the day. Today, I will find it impossible to nominate just three. There were so many amazing moments that made this the perfect day in Uganda.

The Conversation Cup is a competition between all 10 schools in the QE Parks Project on the playing fields at Kyambura School. Ten children from each school participate in Tag Rugby and Football and also deliver a presentation with a conservation message.

Of course I was cheering for Rihamu. The children had only received their tag rugby kit a week ago, but have been training hard since. Many of the schools have been playing for years and Rihamu improved every game. I was delighted that by their final game, the children put up a stiff challenge and managed a 1-1 draw.

At break I handed the children some biscuits I’d purchased at a shop in Kampala on day 1. One little girl reached into the jar and pulled out a ginger nut. “Don’t eat yours yet!” called another child. “I’m not going to eat it,” she replied. “I’m only looking; it’s from the expensive super market.”

Rihamu’s football team are very skilful and performed brilliantly. I was on the side-lines cheering every kick. I must admit that the ecstatic cheer that I let out when their first goal was scored rang very loudly around the playing field. Rihamu went on to win that game and the next! The team qualified easily from their group and progressed as far as the semi-finals. The semi-final was a very tense affair with New Life School. Two very evenly matched teams. At the full-time whistle the scores were still 0-0 and extra time beckoned. Memories of Italia 90 and Euro 96 resurfaced as Rihamu let in the first goal in with literally the last kick of extra-time. This was the first time the children have taken part in a competition and to progress so far is a stunning achievement.

That left the conservation presentation. Rihamu performed a poem written by the Headteacher Shakilah, last weekend. The children had it memorised by lunchtime on Monday and spent the week perfecting their performance. I blogged earlier in the week that I thought they stood a great chance, but this performance brought things to the next level. They took to the stage in costume, having used a nearby tree to manufacture ‘branch’ headdresses. The performance was loud, slick and synchronised and brought huge cheers at the end. For me the result was never in doubt and as expected Rihamu were crowed Conservation Champions, winning a valuable prize of a boat safari in the Queen Elizabeth National Park!

Shakilah and her team are amazing. They achieve so much with so little, making a daily difference to children with extremely meagre resources. In Uganda it doesn’t matter what clothes you wear or what car you drive. Everyone is together and they look out for each other, nobody is judging. It is inspiring.

Huge congratulations to CM Sports for organising an excellent tournament. The sight of the post-presentation celebrations, hundreds of children dancing on the field, brought home to me the difference that a simple sports tournament had made. Then it was time for emotional goodbyes.

I return to the UK with pen-pal letters for the children and staff of Hambledon. Also with a snazzy hat and a plaque for my office. But more than that, I return to England having fallen in love with Rihamu School and the many friends I have made there.

As I went for tea at Tembo there was time for yet another Ugandan surprise. We have to drive everywhere in the park in the evening and night. This is because of the risk from wild animals. As I walked into the garden of Hippo House to board the bus I froze. Literally no more than 10 metres in-front of me, walking through our garden was a herd of elephants! I stood agog as 30 Elephants walked through past us, occasionally stopping to rip some leaves from the trees to eat. Perhaps I got too confident, but to get a better shot on my mobile phone I stepped towards a giant elephant. He decided to remind me who was in charge! Letting out a loud trumpet, he turned and started to run towards our group. Obviously I panicked and hid safely behind the bus. An exhilarating finish to a heart-pounding day.

4 Memorable Days at Rihamu Junior School

What started as a big dream finally came to fruition. It was on Friday 02nd August 2019, when the visiting team from the UK entered the school gate. Cheers and happy moments started flowing and everyone was excited the whole day until when our visitors left.

From Monday 05th until Wednesday 07th, a lot of good things have happened. From training and lessons about Children Needs, Wants, UN Human Rights to Sanitation and lots of comparisons drawn between Hambledon and Rihamu Junior School much to everyone’s surprise. Lots of academic learning have taken place and we very much appreciate the visiting Head Teacher from Hambledon for conducting the lessons. He used lots of learning aids that made the lessons interesting. The participation and engagement from the children was always superb. I particularly liked the teaching methods and how Paul Davies used his time so well at the same time covering the key content with the children. I am now sure that our children now know much about Hambledon school, Hambledon community, the old and new buildings, the pitch, the children and entire staff. Paul came in with letters that the children from Hambledon had written to the children at Rihamu School and our children have already decoratively written their replies to there friends.

After the lessons, I always had an opportunity to take Paul, Karen Jannie around to see some of the community changes. These have included the old copper mine at Kilembe, the great flood trail, Kiwa Heritage hot springs, the UBC radio, and the airfield which is still under construction – we found plane which was about to take off, the operators mistakenly thought we were coming to board the plane!, Then we visited the old and new market – where Paul bought a Jack Fruit to have a first time taste. We also visited the old Railway Station, here Paul could not see any metal rails since the rail land and staff quarters had already been encroached on by the local people.

We have shared a lot together, thank you for enjoying our food choices and fruits, we remain thankful to our visitors for all the sports kits, for the great and wonderful training in tag rugby, darts, dominoes, football and cricket! We now have the required skills and we shall keep our children busy on the field.

Thank you for the 5000ltr school water tank, this will go along way to improve the general sanitation at school, and the contribution towards the P1 block!

We remain thankful and grateful to the entire team – Paul, Steve, Karen, Andy, Ashly, Jess, Luke and Nick and Megan.

Shakilah

Head Teacher RJS.