The teachers at Kabahinda primary school had one more request for their school. Sometimes, they said, it's tough to just keep the school and the school's latrines clean. They didn't have the tools to make a clean environment possible. Sometimes, when you see a problem that needs solving, you have to take a situation into your own hands. That's what these teachers wanted to do. And we wanted to help them. We got new brooms to sweep away all of the dust that gets tracked in from all over Nakivale. We also got soap - for cleansing the latrine floors and sanitizing classrooms. “We need to protect our learners," said Edgar, the head teacher. "That's why this is so important." These teachers have a number one priority - and that's keeping their students safe. They give everything to their students. And now, that includes a cleaner classroom. This day of change brought to you by Edmentum's We Can Learn Foundation … [Read more...] about Keep it Clean

A pickup game of basketball, soccer, or football is one of the best ways to bond with friends - especially for kids. Whether it's getting out there and moving your body, or meeting new people, sports have a special way of bringing everyone together. The teachers of Kabahinda Primary School know how powerful group sports can be for their students. So they had a simple request. More sports! “Sports for teachers and students are important," said the head teacher Edgar. "When they're active, their minds are calm. When they play outside, they come back to class and think more clearly.” Now, both the students and teachers will be able to calm their minds with volleyball, badminton, and soccer! These teachers are such superheroes. Even in their requests for themselves, they are focused on making sure it can benefit their students. What a great example to the next generation they're helping to grow! This day of change brought to you by Edmentum's We Can Learn … [Read more...] about More Sports, Please!

One thing we hear a lot in refugee settlements is the need for sanitary pads. Especially when you talk to teachers - they're especially tuned into this need because they see first-hand what happens when students don't have access to them. Sometimes, it can mean the difference of whether or not a girl stays in school. One school in Nakivale told us just that. So today, we decided to show up with some help. We brought pads, underwear, and soap to the school. After everyone had their own set of supplies, the group let out a loud cheer of excitement! “These will make a big, big difference to the students,” one teacher told us. Pads and underwear can go a long way in making sure that these young girls are feeling confident and ready for class. For today, these students can rest assured that we've got them covered. This day of change brought to you by Edmentum's We Can Learn Foundation … [Read more...] about Staying in School

You know that story grandpa told you about needing to walk miles in the snow, just to get to school?That story is real life right now for school kids in Nakivale. There's no snow, but there are bumpy, dusty roads. Many children all over the settlement lives miles and miles away from their school. Getting there takes time. And it's also hard on your feet - especially if you don't have shoes. Today, at the request of the teachers of Kabahinda primary school, we set out to make that epic trek not exactly shorter, but definitely easier. We laid out all of the shoes for the children to see, and one by one they chose what pair and size they wanted. There was so much excitement - and pride - as they picked out their very own pair. “These kids travel long distances to school," said the head teacher. "And many of them don’t have shoes. These shoes will help protect theirs little feet and carry them to their school safely.” These kids will still have bragging rights when … [Read more...] about New Kicks

Teachers change the world. We know that. You know that. But sometimes it doesn't hurt to remind the teachers themselves. At the secondary school in Nakivale, there's nothing right now that unites teachers visually. And they'd like to change that. "Having the same t-shirt makes us more visible," said Groetti, one of the teachers at the school. "It motivates the staff and brings them together. They would remember that they're in this together." Getting some t-shirts for these teachers seemed like a no brainer. And on the front, splashed loud and clear for everyone to see? TEACHERS CHANGE THE WORLD! These teachers are teaching classes with 100 or more students, when the standard size is 53. They're truly superheroes. "These t-shirts make us so proud," said another teacher, Edgar. "They make us feel like we are really changing the world!" This day of change brought to you by Edmentum's We Can Learn Foundation … [Read more...] about Teachers Change the World

Sarfa is the art teacher at the secondary school in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. She believes in the power of art to heal, grow, and excel. But she's constantly faced with a challenge - there aren't enough art supplies. Art is the type of discipline that is a little bit tough to do without paint, colored pencils, clay - the things that help express yourself visually. So we wanted to do something to help Sarfa feel a little more confident in her lessons... We got Sarfa and her students a boost in supplies so their creative spirit won't be hindered by a lack of materials. "We need to improve the visual arts of the school," said Sarfa. "I'm most excited about using the pastels." "Seeing learners excel is my favorite part about teaching art. These materials will help all of the students grow. They're going to be so excited!" This day of change brought to you by Edmentum's We Can Learn Foundation … [Read more...] about Color Your World

As we've seen, the 27 teachers at Nakivale's Secondary School sometimes get a bit antsy. They all live on site, and sometimes it's a struggle keeping up with normal routines. One of those routines is hitting the gym. We all know what it's like to want to get in shape, but feeling the lack of time, resources, or willpower to do so. This was a gap these teachers felt in a big way. "I would like to get in shape," said Linnet, one of the teachers at the school. "I've been lazy!" There's not a gym nearby. But can we bring the gym to them? We pulled together an ad hoc "gym" with all the basic equipment - weights, dumbbells, jump rope, resistance bands, and active games like badminton. Then we asked everyone to give their best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression. They were amped and ready to pump some iron! "This will give me some motivation," said Linnet. "I think other teachers feel the same way. I'll look for a partner so I can get someone to push me. I can skip rope … [Read more...] about Hitting the Gym

There are 27 teachers that live at the secondary school in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. That's a lot of people in one space, most of whom are living apart from their families and friends. Needless to say, sometimes they can get a little stir crazy. There's not a whole lot to do at night, aside from grade papers and prep for the next day's lessons. So our team had an idea...what if we could do a little something to help the time pass, to help bring these teachers together? The idea was simple. Indoor games! We got together the classics - Scrabble, checkers, chess, darts, and ludo. The teachers jumped right in, throwing the dice and moving pieces around the boards. Teachers in Nakivale work really hard. These games will help them relax - and have a little fun - after a long day. This day of change brought to you by Edmentum's We Can Learn Foundation … [Read more...] about Fun & Games

We all know how incredible a ripe orange or sweet mango can taste on a hot day. Or at the end of a particularly long one. And for teachers at Nakivale Refugee Settlement, days can be hot, long - and really challenging. We wanted to do something special to say thanks to these hardworking public servants...a tasty treat at the end of the day that might help lift their spirits and spur on their energy. Fruit trees grow well in the fertile Ugandan soil. So today we're planting enough trees to keep supply these teachers with fruit for years to come. Despite the driving rain - which will nourish the newly planted trees! - we brought 50 orange trees, 50 avocado trees, 50 mango trees, 50 gravel trees, and 50 jackfruit trees! The fruit they'll bear is not only delicious, it's nutritious too. Which is especially important in the refugee settlement where an abundance of fruit can sometimes be hard to track down. The trees will do much to nurture these teachers - a small but … [Read more...] about Bearing Fruit

One of the biggest challenges of being a refugee is access to the outside world. Without news, stories, and images of other places and people, it can feel pretty isolating. It gets tough to dream about what’s possible. A TV may seem frivolous. But for refugee students in Nakivale, it’s far from. The headteacher, Ali, at Nakivale’s secondary school had a request – can we help these students get access to a TV? Can we give them a window to the outside world? The answer, of course, was YES! We got to work, purchasing not just a TV but a TV subscription for the school. “This is important because it empowers students with resources that they don’t have at home,” said Ali. "It offers access to news and let’s them know what’s happening in the world. Even the teachers will be together with the learners, with channels like Discovery they can all learn.” Gathering together and watching TV is more than just a learning experience, it’s a chance to spend time together, too. … [Read more...] about Window to the World