Meet Alice Nyaromo
This interview is especially important if you support or would like to make a positive difference through Project SmartBox Uganda:
My name is Nyaromo Alice. I am a 32-year-old Ugandan woman. I am a passionate educator who holds a bachelor’s degree in Education with Arts. I am a born-again Christian who loves Jesus Christ. I love music, travel, and adventure. I am a strong believer in transformational leadership and desire to cause change in the community in which I live. I am a product of charity. A long time ago, an American by the name of Mr. Wayne Walker left the comfort of his home in America and came to Uganda, where he started an orphanage where a number of us lived and were given a chance to attain quality education and were practically shown and taught the love of Jesus Christ!
I, having come from northern Uganda at the time of the civil war that lasted over 20 years, know that God had hand-picked me for a reason. As a result of Mr Wayne’s obedience to God, a seed was planted in my heart, and today, I’m so passionate about helping other people to achieve their Dreams through education in all ways that I can!
WHAT IS THE GENERAL CONDITION OF EDUCATION IN UGANDA?
Generally, education in Uganda comes in many forms. We have government-aided, private mediocre, and very high-end private schools. Private schools are very expensive, and while government-aided primary and secondary education are supposedly free, there are still associated costs that households must cover, including uniforms, school supplies, and school lunches, among many others. Also, the products they bake most times leave a lot to be desired. Most parents who have a little more money opt for affordable private schools as a middle ground. While all these schools charge fees, they also solicit lists of compulsory requirements.
WHEN DOES IT GET VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET OR CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION?
Learners drop out of school at different points and for many reasons. It’s very difficult for most young people to get into or continue during secondary school. Most young people from impoverished backgrounds or families will struggle to at least finish primary education, which is for seven years, but joining the secondary level most times is a bigger challenge. The secondary schools are fewer and far apart. Also, the requirements are much more owing to more subjects to cover. Most learners, especially in rural Uganda, don't go beyond the ordinary level.
WHO ARE THE MOST AFFECTED BY LACK OF EDUCATION, OR WHO ARE THE LEAST HELPED?
Both girls and boys are affected by lack of education however, young girls are the most affected. Away from marriage, fewer options exist for uneducated girls
In most communities, most parents consider it a waste of resources to educate a girl child as they are soon married off! However, in reality, this is not true; instead, to educate a girl is to educate a nation! Through education, future mothers are empowered to take care of themselves and their families.
However, personally as an educator, both boys and girls need assistance to remain in school and achieve their dreams to have a society where each and everyone is carrying out their roles and responsibilities respectively. Therefore, assistance is vital to anyone willing to remain in school and attain their dreams.
HOW CAN ASSISTANCE WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND OTHER ITEMS HELP?
The assistance with school supplies and other items will help improve the wellness of the individuals in different ways. In cases where an individual was not able to access study materials like books and pens, then one would consider this as a problem solved through the assistance given and can now concentrate on achieving their academic goals. The assistance will help reduce school dropouts or reduce school absenteeism. For instance, it’s on record that many teen girls miss school monthly during their menstrual periods due to a lack of sanitary towels or pads. Emotionally, an individual will be more settled and happier with not having to worry about where the school supplies will come from!
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES THAT WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A GOOD PICTURE OF THE CONDITION THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR?
Families with several children. Due to the high cost of paying school fees for several children at once, households prioritize which of their children should attend school. In most cases, boys’ education is prioritized over girls’ education. For instance, a mother once told me, One of my sons finished senior four and shouldn’t be home right now. He wanted to train as a driver. But we have to wait for another son who is doing vocational skills training to finish his course. We can’t afford to have both of them in school at the same time. However, when I asked about the daughter, she reluctantly said she was waiting for a good man to marry her off. Assistance given to such a family can help keep all the children in school.
Furthermore, In the event of the death of one or both parents, the surviving parent (in most cases the mother) is unable to fill the earning gap created by the death, increasing the likelihood that children would have to drop out of school. In these cases, assistance will help to keep the children of the deceased in school or help the surviving parent to keep his or her children in school.
The long period of conflict or civil war in northern Uganda resulted in impoverishment (stripping of assets, land, and livestock) and social/cultural changes weakened the extended social networks that cared for its vulnerable members as in the past. Now, in the absence of any government assistance, when immediate needs are barely (or not at all) met, it is nearly impossible for families to prioritize the education of their children
The loss of one or both parents, coming from a single-parent household and large family size. Having a large family makes it harder for households to afford to send all their children. In some cases, parents withdrew their children from school during part of the year until they secured enough money to enable them to attend again. For instance, Ms. Adong Jennifer is a widow with a family of six children - four of whom had been enrolled in school. However, by the time I interacted with them, they had all dropped out because their mother, a widow, was unable to afford their school fees. As one of the children explained: I stopped attending school in primary five in the second term because there was no money to pay the fees. We are six children in the household, but two are still young, and four of us were going to school. But right now, none of us are going to school because there is no money.
The children had dropped out of school to perform chores and agricultural work in support of their household. In some cases, young girls marry at an early age, while young boys take over the head of their households – becoming responsible for bringing in the household’s income.
