Kikondo, UG – Jaja Sarah’s Kindergarten Recalls History and Plans Future – 30 Nov 2022
JaJa Sarah, who leads Wamukisa Support Organization in Kikondo village, will celebrate more than 40 years of teaching young children when she opens kindergarten the first term of 2023 in the new school building next to her house.
Becky (girl on left wearing light blue dress marked B) and Rachel (girl wearing white and pink dress marked R and standing in front of Sarah) were members of Sarah’s 2007 class pictured here. Becky (age 18 left of Sarah) and Rachel (age 16 right) in the top photograph have grown to be educated young adults who attend Destiny Secondary School and look forward to University when they graduate. Rachel hopes to teach at the kindergarten in the future.
After retiring from public school education in 2006, in a small room of her house Sarah began providing care, a nourishing breakfast, and lessons to young children preparing for Primary School. Many Kikondo parents bring their children to Sarah and also mobilize through the Zinabala VICOBA with Sarah’s encouragement. Children who attend her Kindergarten later join Destiny school, Kikondo public school, or Hills private school.
Pandemic caused hardship for education in Kikondo village and the country of Uganda. Students lost two years of instruction. Along with many other students, Becky and Rachel will start University two years later than they expected. Many schools have failed or raised education fees to compensate for economic losses. Living expenses consumed much of Sarah’s personal savings. With remaining savings and a loan through Wamukisa, Sarah will be able to finish her school building and buy education materials to open the first term February 2023.
The new school building has two rooms for instruction and a small office for parent meetings. Up to 25 students can learn in each of the two classrooms. Her school’s fees for quality education will be less than other schools in the area charge, yet sufficient to enable savings for repayment of Sarah’s investment over time.
Sarah dreams of other expansions to continue her lifetime of service to her community. With renewed savings she hopes to build a day care center, a social center for parents to meet, a chapel, and additional classrooms.
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