News Briefs 3.....
Most Ugandan families don't invest in their girls.....
so Nancy's Girls are Special!
Tree of Life Ministries Joins Forces with Nancy's Girls Program......"Nancy's Girls" is a program that had its genesis more than four years ago in the mind and heart of Nancy Squires after she heard about the hardships and inequity faced by poor Ugandan girls. The program provides financial and other support to local girls who have finished primary school and wish to continue their educations with the goal of becoming economically self-sufficient. RPU and TOLM have provided some assistance with the program in prior years but in 2011, donor Nancy Squires has joined forces with RPU and TOLM, putting the management of Nancy's Girls with our Ugandan Partners. Several improvements are already in place. The beginning of the school year was the best ever, according to the girls who are supported. Help from the TOLM leaders including General Manager George Kateregga, Rev. Godfrey Mpuuga Kasiita, and others insured that most girls went to school with all the important requirements (supplies and equipment). TOLM purchased a new 8-passenger van in February that is being used jointly for transporting and visiting the girls at their boarding schools, and for the many tasks of Mustard Seed Academy. A new social worker will be visiting and counseling Nancy's girls and coordinating closely with George Kateregga and John Robert Inyalio in dealing with the many issues of poor children and families that make up the MSA community. We are delighted to have the Nancy's Girls program as an integral part of Tree of Life Ministries.
|  Five students in the Nancy's Girls Program prepare to depart for their boarding schools. RPU Executive Director Elaine Griswold summed up our experience with Nancy's Girls in the following words...."When we (Rev. Godfrey, George, Joe and I) first met with the 9 girls in the TOLM office they appeared very shy and scared, but after a short while they started to warm up to the new situation and showed a lot of excitement about the requirements and supplies they were getting to take to school with them, and about being together. It was my pleasure to go shopping with 3 of the girls. We walked to a multitude of small shops in Lukaya and did a lot of bargaining for items as diverse as hair gel and reams of paper. I loved being with them and getting to know them. I was very flattered when they told me that I was a "good bargainer." This was after we went to 6 different shops to get a good price on a case of shoe polish." |
