By Candace Westman | Project Leader
HOCW Turned 5 Years Old!
On November 13th we celebrated our 5th anniversary with a large event open to all community members. This was a great opportunity for us to reflect on how far HOCW was come as an organization and all the volunteers, supporters, and donors who have helped us along the way. As part of our anniversary celebration we recognized the achievements of 75 graduates from HOCW programs including English, Tailoring, Business and Comuputer classes.
As refugees, many of our students have faced huge obstacles to formal education and training. Being able to put on their cap and gown and graduate in front of their families and communities was a great cause for celebration. After graduating from our programs, our clients have reached fluency in English, learned useful skills and trades and are equipped to become part of Uganda’s workforce.
The Children's Holiday Program
Our Children's Program continues to grow with over 160 children from the community attending the program. Staff members Jacqueline and Brendah have been very active in facilitating an exciting and educational program to keep children active and engaged over the holiday period. The Holiday Program runs from November until February 2016 when school resumes in Uganda.
As we expand into 2016 HOCW plans to open a drop in childcare center. Since many of our students are mothers without access to childcare, it is common that they bring their young children with them to classes. This creates an adorable (but distracting) learning environment. By providing childcare services at our new compound we hope that our students will be able to focus on their studies.
Classroom Makeover
We are also looking forward to the installation of concrete floors in our newly built classroom. This month we will begin cementing the floor which will give the classrooms a much needed makeover! We hope to bring in some new benches and desks for students since many of our old ones are becoming cracked and crooked.
As always, we thank you for your continued support for the work we are doing on behalf of the refugees and members of the Ndejje community. We are excited to see what 2016 has in store for us!
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