Sunday, July 31, 2011 St Stephens Church and Kyaninga Lodge

St. Steven’s Church holds two services, an early one in English, the second in Rutooro, the local language. I attended the English service with Library-Reading teacher, Moses, and Kyanyawara Deputy Head Teacher, Rose. Kazairwe Maureen, former Field School scholar and current Kasiisi Preschool teacher, acted as lay leader. Last year, Maureen volunteered for weeks processing the 2010 books.

Former Kasiisi Scholar and Current Kasiisi PreSchool Teacher Maureen

At about 11, Emily Otali, daughter Pani, Mathew Koojo, and I drove to the new KFSSSP (Kibale Forest Student Support Project) farm. Mathew acted as guide, explaining the overall plan and progress to date. The farmland has 200 yards of footage on the Mahoma River and we walked to its edge. Beautiful! Eventually the farm will grow crops and livestock, and will even have a visitor’s lodge. The initiative will make the porridge project sustainable.

Mathew and Pani at the Farm

Foundation for Chicken House

I returned to Kasiisi School in time for a 1:30 pm Mother’s and Grandmother’s meeting, one of the true highlights of my trip. Kyakyo Beatrice has led the group every other Sunday from 3 to 5 pm since August 8, 2010. The group meets to advance literacy amongst themselves and especially to build the foundations of literacy in their young children who range in age from 2 months to 5 years.

Womens' Literacy Group

There are 42 consistent members of the literacy group. Beatrice has kept great records and I noticed that in April, the women began meeting 4 times a month. They have decided to meet twice for literacy and twice to promote entrepreneurial ventures.

Kyakyo Beatrice Leads the Womens' Literacy Group

Lydiah and John Kasenene, Joshua Kagaba, and I had dinner at Kyaninga Lodge, set on a ledge above Lake Kyaninga. We watched the sun set behind the Ruwenzori, or Mountains of the Moon.