“You have almost halved their social challenges,” — A Letter to Far Away Friends
“I am confident you have almost halved their social challenges and [they] will face the world on a better built foundation,”
Back in June, when our students at Global Leaders were still in school before more vaccination-related school closures took effect in Uganda, Far Away Friends had the privilege of inviting community training expert, Rachael Okuja, to conduct several empowerment trainings with students at Global Leaders and our partner schools across Namasale sub-county. In case you missed it, we shared a bit about these trainings on our blog here.
After her visit, Rachael sent us the most beautiful letter about the impact of our mission and what we’ve created together at Global Leaders Primary School. For those of us in the USA, sometimes it’s easy to feel distant from the power of the work we get to be a part of alongside Collines and her team in Uganda — but after reading Rachael’s account of her experience with Far Away Friends at Global Leaders, I am re-ignited and reminded that distance means so little when something means so much.
I hope Rachael’s letter inspires you as much as it did me:
“Dear Global Leaders & Far Away Friends,
It would be very unfair of me not to say you are a committed team with a great vision and your positive vibes will pay off.
Thank you for engaging me to interact with your children at Global Leaders’ primary school - Amolatar district. I must say it was a wow moment for me to interact with such confident, focused and amazing children.
Besides the academic background that you are giving these children, you are building a great foundation for them to face the unequal world with unequal opportunities —
I can confidently say, you are trying to level the ground for these children.
With vast challenges that rural children in such a community face, these children have got their feet on ground and just keep up with the responsibility you chose. For all the schools I have visited and interacted with children, to be specific a rural school in a fishing community, you are exceptional — Global Leaders is exceptional. The kids only reflected the commitment and energy you put in your daily endeavours.
And this will never go unnoticed because those kids will never be the same out there.
I am confident you have almost halved their social challenges and [they] will face the world on a better built foundation.
Yes the community is cruel to children, we can all do a little something to half their challenges. Your efforts are noticeable. It’s amazing to have such confident children. I loved their energy and response with full command in English. Their willingness to learn is super.
Your teachers are smart and organized and friendly to the children (those are the people you have entrusted with these kids). In fact, in my interactions with the children, so many of them wanted to be like their teachers, to be like the Director (Collines). Very few wanted to be like me because I drive a very small car. We have some ambitious brains there and all professions (Doctors, teachers, lawyers, accountants, bankers, pilots, drivers, policemen/women, members of parliament) Wow and Wow! These dreams can come true.
I love your school and only hope we can consolidate the energy with all like minded stakeholders in and out of Amolatar. No doubt this will be a model school in the district and before we know it, Global Leaders will be on national headlines (The school in a fishing community — Trust me it’s very unusual, it is not there in Uganda) A fishing community with a school as powerful as Global Leaders, Amolatar.
I would write pages about your school, the teachers, the pupils, the structures, the compound, the girls dormitory, the cleanliness of the children, the discipline. IMPRESSIVE.
Hold on, is this an email or just a full write up — I’ve got to stop here because I want to say the community is going to benefit more than any other.
Confidence and Character will always take us to places!
Bravo Global Leaders/Far Away Friends.”
Kind Regards,
Racheal Okuja
