In countries all around the world and in Uganda, the COVID-19 lockdown that began in March, 2020 resulted in school closings. What a challenging time for all, and especially for the children of our charitable partners, where AWAGO teaches TM to women and girls.
Two of these AWAGO partners are EDAPO (Economic Development and AIDS Prevention Organization) providing food, shelter, education, and basic medical care to hundreds of children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic; and UWOPED (United Women’s Platform for Empowerment and Development) serving single, illiterate mothers and their children in Kampala offering various training and educational programs, including the Transcendental Meditation technique.
For the last several years AWAGO has been fortunate to be able to provide education scholarships for girls from EDAPO and UWOPED to attend Ideal Girls High School in Mbale. We currently sponsor 82 girls at IGHS. With the school closings in March all these girls returned home.
AWAGO took action!
The challenges presented by the coronavirus have called for a new way of delivering education. As schools continued to remain closed AWAGO decided to jump in!
We created three “Education Hubs” in the Kampala area to provide continued learning for our 82 scholarship girls. Utilizing government learning materials, radios, and hired tutors from top schools, we set up our three “Education Hubs” in tents using existing facilities at EDAPO, UWOPED, and our TM center.
For several weeks now we have been providing continued learning for 19 girls who are candidates studying for S4 and S6 exams, and another 63 from grades S1, S2, S3, and S5. These girls are so happy to be studying again, and we are so happy to be able to give them this opportunity to continue learning and to be on track to pass their exams next March, 2021.
Good news is that schools are opening for candidate students and these girls will be returning to IGHS next week, where all the necessary COVID-19 protections are in place. IGHS passed the inspections with 92% rating, best in their area. Girls in the other grades will continue with our “Education Hubs” programs.
Go girls!!!!
