SOS Children's Village Fort Portal

SOS Children’s Village Fort Portal is full of life with the sounds of 111 happy children filling the air. Of these, 35 are in kindergarten, 69 are in primary school, while 7 toddlers stay home with their mothers. This year, under the generous support from our friends, sponsors and funders, our children have continued to receive quality education, better services and appropriate grooming.

Recently, we welcomed two new children into our SOS family; Joab and Junior, two years and 15
months old respectively. There was great joy and jubilation upon their arrival at the village; the newcomers were received with songs and hugs. They have since settled in their household and are doing well.

• SOS Hermann Gmeiner Kindergarten had its very first sports day this year on the same day that marked the end of first term. Our children happily participated in various activities like colour selection, sack race, sorting sizes, potato race, bottle filling, tunnel relay, among other exciting games. At the event the kindergarten headteacher recognized academic improvement in all the children: “In no time, this kindergarten will be celebrated as the best school in Fort Portal, thanks to our professional teachers and devoted children,” she said.

• With term one gone, children had a month to relax and enjoy play time at home. The esteemed Armando play area is now being fully utilised; a series of games have been organized to keep the children busy. As usual, remedial lessons are going on; teachers are already realising how keen to learn our children are.

• Our dear village director whom the children enjoyed calling “Mukaka”, has left the village; it was sad for the children to see her leave for they loved hanging around her. She treated them with so much love. We have recently received a new village director, a man, whom the children now call “new Mukaka”. He has been an inspiration to the boys; and has already bonded with the children in the month he has been with us.

• The Family Strengthening Programme as usual continues to make gains in the community; the programme runs piggery projects, mushroom growing gardens, agriculture, improves sanitation in the homes, not forgetting the now flourishing Village Saving Schemes among our caregivers.

• Students in the Vocational Training Centre have started a new term; they will spend this time doing more practicals in order to enhance their skills. We will soon update you on their progress as the year progresses.

The children at the SOS Children’s Village Fort Portal received a special visitor, caught up on their studies and had lots of fun over the Christmas holidays.

Making the most of the Christmas holidays

It has been a busy time at the SOS Children’s Village Fort Portal during the last month of 2013 and the first of 2014. Being the festive season the school-going children were enjoying their long school break, which means play time to them. It’s the time the village children enjoy most, eating their favourite dishes, taking part in lots of activities, plus visiting many places where they can have fun.

The fun activities included a visit to a swimming pool, where the children swam, chatted and played around with Father Christmas. He gave them lots of sweets and chocolate, which made them even happier, and told them stories that kept them asking for more. It was a day to remember. 

In addition, the children were privileged to receive a donation of play equipment for their new play area, which they called “Almando Play Area”. Since then play time has got better, thanks to faithful SOS friends.

But it wasn’t all play. The children also concentrated on improving their school studies by attending extra lessons for those who are challenged in some subjects. Now that school has resumed, they hope that it will pay off in good results in their forthcoming termly assessments.

Receiving a special guest

At the end of January the SOS Children’s Village Fort Portal hosted a very special guest, the King of Tooro (Fort Portal is located in this Ugandan kingdom): Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi IV. He said that he appreciated the work that SOS Children’s Villages is doing in his kingdom, including how the organisation had greatly supported and helped the local community to grow. SOS Children`s Village Fort Portal was also thanked for putting children first and providing a loving home for the vulnerable children in this western region of Uganda. The King pledged to give scholarships to SOS children, to support their educational development. He also gave the village food items, including rice, sugar, posho (porridge) and others.

Celebrating the kindergarten graduation

December was also a happy time at the SOS Kindergarten which held its second graduation party in which the children danced, acted, sang and recited poems. One of the little girls in the kindergarten excited the guests when she led the singing of the national anthem. She sang so audibly and confidently that she won much applause from the parents. Such days always contribute greatly to the children’s development.

Finally, the family strengthening programme has also been busy, lifting up the lives of the young people in the local communities. Recently, they launched a ‘youth friendly corner’ equipped with music items, a TV set, sports items and educative materials, with the objective of increasing access to information for young people. The launch was graced by several district and sub county leaders including the chairperson of the local county (LCIII) who was the guest of honour, district councillors, the district health educator and the district community development officer. The youth groups also appreciated the work SOS has done in their region and pledged to raise the profile of SOS Children`s Village Fort Portal in all their programmes.