2004 to 2014
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Ten years Gilgal Nursery and Primary School, Namaliri, Uganda
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Ten years ago we, Peter and Maureen Schnyder, packed our suitcases and flew to Uganda, the „Pearl of Africa“. Uganda is bordered by the Sudan, Congo, Kenya and Ruanda. Arriving in Namaliri in 2004 we found two simple buildings being used as a poor school without books, hygiene or electricity. Led by Pascal Murenzi a handful of teachers did their best to educate the local orphans and the poorest children in the area. Their aim was to keep them away from child labour and prostitution. Pascal Murenzi died five years ago and was succeeded by a school committee with his wife as headmistress. The school has grown in size to seventeen buildings, all simply and practically built. They include a nursery, a primary school, dormitories, sleeping quarters, a kitchen, stock rooms, an office and sleeping quarters for the teachers. The school is now accredited and on a level with government schools. The academic level has improved from year to year and the school is now known as being successful in all areas.
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It is only fair to emphasise the excellent work of our Ugandan partners, both teaching and non-teaching staff members. In all, the school consists of 525 children, 19 teachers, two cooks, two guards, two farmers, four matrons and cleaners.
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Farm land
We have about nine acres of land. After four years of harvesting pineapples we have changed to coffee as our cash crop.. The second crop is growing well. Coffee can be sold for a good price and the husks are a valuable fertiliser. Other fruits and vegetables on the land are transported to school, and the surplus is sold on the local market.
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Solar energy and water purification
A solar energy plant, necessary for our computer, outside lighting at night, and for our water pump was installed as a hybrid with the national grid in 2013. A few teething problems were successfully solved during our visit this year thanks to the help of a Ugandan and a Swiss engineer while a Swiss electrician dealt with the electrical system in the school.
Last year we installed a water purifier which now provides 600 litres of drinking water in an hour. Rain water is collected in seven 10000 litre tanks, and this water passes through a filter and ultra violet light, producing pure drinking water. Clean water and hygiene are the best medicine against infection and illnesses. The solar system was donated by Preisig AG, Zurich, sanitation, roofing and solar. The water purifier was donated by acquapura Swiss. We are very grateful for their generosity and help.
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New projects
Uganda needs well trained workers and our aim is to support young people capable of secondary school and higher education. About seventy pupils leave Gilgal Primary School every year. It is our wish that each one should have the chance of going to secondary school, vocational school or to college. School attendance is obligatory in Uganda but the parents must pay each term. This is practically impossible for the poor, and absolutely impossible for orphans. Nevertheless education is the only way to democracy and prosperity, and a great help in the fight against corruption. We intend to ask all trained former pupils of the school to pay a certain amount of money back into the school fund in order to support other youngsters. This is a sign of thanks, solidarity and hope for the future.
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Plastic is the bane of most developing countries. As with education and the medical system, waste disposal must be paid for by the people of the country. We have begun a project by asking a Ugandan specialist to encourage both our school community and the scattered village population to collect all types of plastic and metal with the aim of selling it for a small profit. The idea was greeted by great enthusiasm and the first success was visible on the school campus before we left to fly back to Switzerland.
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Each visit to the school encourages us to continue investing our time, energy and money in this project. We are thankful for all the support and help we have received during the last 10 years, and look forward to further developments.
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Peter and Maureen Schnyder
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