Adesso Primary School

Library Project

We plan to build a library at the school by 2012. Currently pupils struggle to speak and write English. This is mostly due to a lack of faculties. Pupils are expected to write and speak it in their classes and exams yet most of the books available to them are written in the local language, Atesso. What reading material there is in short supply and usually very dated.

HOW YOU CAN HELP?

Raising money to build the library is progressing well, we have over half of our target. Any donations would be gratefully received.

DO YOU HAVE ANY UNWANTED BOOKS?

We would be delighted to receive any book donations. All of the below would be very welcome.

• paperbacks
• Hard cover books – not too many for transport reasons.
• fiction
• nonfiction
• books for adults
• books for children
• textbooks
• general reading books

Eyalama Noi! – Thanks for your support.

So Far…

During 2008/9 I spent six months working at Adesso. Whilst teaching I used kind donations to try and improve conditions for the pupils. These included putting doors and shutters onto each classroom to protect them. Some money was also used to purchase cows and build a shelter for them so that their milk could provide children with porridge each day. Other initiatives included purchasing of much need class textbooks and also sports equipment for games lessons.

Perhaps the easiest but most necessary task was to whitewash the walls because classrooms were so dark and pupils found it difficult to see the board. Educational posters  were put onto the walls to help learning.

Many Thanks to all those who have supported this work so generously.

School History

Adesso Primary School is located 5km from Kumi Town, in Eastern Uganda. It is a state run school of about 900 pupils ranging from 4 to 16 years old.

The school is staffed by fifteen teachers including the headmaster. Classrooms are very basic they do not have windows or doors and have only recently been shuttered to protect them from wind and rain. Desks, books and other learning materials are in short supply. The pupils work tirelessly to keep the school grounds clean and tidy though cutting the football ball field with scythes is a big job.

Class sizes are very big ranging from about 60 in the top year to 170 in the lower year groups. This means that resources are very stretched and need replacing frequently. It also impacts on exam results. Each year the top class (Year 7) sit the exam to graduate into secondary school. Presently only a handful will get sufficient grades to progress.