Individual Sponsorship

While the focus of ACC is to enable children access a primary education, it is difficult to deny them further progress. This has been made possible by sponsors who agree to fund the further education of individual students, initially, up to Senior 4.

Secondary Education

In 2008 the Ugandan Government introduced Universal Secondary Education (USE). As a result Government Secondary Schools which have opted into the scheme may no longer charge tuition fees. However, tuition fees remain a very small part of the dues required from each student at the start of each term. Most secondary schooling is boarding, given the travel problems. But for our students this means regular meals and the freedom to study. We notice the physical change that takes place after only one year at secondary school.

The cost for the first 4 years of secondary education is about £80 per term, to include personal allowance and scholastic materials. There is a set up fee at the start of secondary school to cover necessities like uniforms and mattresses. The charity arranges sponsorship of individual students – all personally known to us or our colleagues in Mbarara – by individuals in the UK. In each case, the student is disadvantaged by his or her personal circumstances and would not have had this opportunity of education. In most cases, these students are ones we have supported through primary school.

We aim to arrange for each student to enter one of a small number of selected schools where we know they will be well cared for, to provide both mutual support and ease of administration.

We ask sponsors to agree to support a student for four years to S4 (O level) after which they will seek employment or skills training. In some cases, sponsors have agreed to continue support to S6 (A level) if this is in the best interests of the student.

Students and sponsors exchange letters at least once per term – some much, much more frequently – so a regular correspondence is established and both parties can learn much about the other’s culture. Sponsors usually find the very personal aspect of this relationship very rewarding.

One of the conditions for the student is that school reports are sent to sponsors at the end of every term. Nothing more is expected from the UK side, but small gifts may be sent from time to time.

Currently, through individual and group sponsorship, we are supporting 40 children in Secondary Education.

Post Secondary Education and Training

While we offer sponsorship to S4 level, in some cases sponsors choose to continue their support towards further academic or skills training. One is now following a medical course at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Another is training as a nursery nurse and child carer. Another student, Sembuse Emmanuel, who has been sponsored through both primary and secondary school to S4, has now begun a 2 year mechanics apprentice. Two others are training as electricians.

We have also supported 2 young women to successfully complete midwifery training. Both are now fully employed as midwives, and one has ambitions to open a clinic in her home village. We also support 2 primary teachers who are topping up their basic training to enable them to take on more responsibility, and have enabled a student to complete her degree in Adult and Community Education. In none of these cases would such training have been possible without the help of ACC and their sponsors. In each case we have been convinced that, with such support, they will not only be able to provide for themselves and their families, but will, in future, make a valuable contribution to their community and, perhaps, to their country.

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