Subject: Hakuna matata,Friend. Joy rains at Mustard Seed.

S-1 girls are smiling and happy to be back at Mustard Seed

S-1 girls happily socialize after being away from school for almost a year.

Happy to be where we belong

The Latest from Lukaya

More classes return to school

Exams are over for both P-7s and S-4s. Students have gone home and are awaiting their results, which are expected in early July. We anticipate history to repeat itself with MSA students being among the best in the district.

Currently, in Secondary, all three levels, S-1, S-2, and S-3, are back in school with a lot of excitement for joining the boarding section. Students and their parents expressed joy and gratitude to the staff. On campus, many opportunities for extra help from teachers and small study groups are possible. Plus, living conditions at school are much better than in the typical home where our children stay.

Primary students in grades 4, 5, and 6 are back in school. Students in P-6 are boarding, while fourth and fifth graders come from their homes. First through third graders are scheduled to return to school in June. We are still waiting for word about the nursery schools reopening.

The new school year will begin in August with all classes being allowed to return to campus. The government has published a three year school calendar, which will get things back on track in 2024. In order to do this, all terms and school breaks are shortened.

Secondary boys hang out during break-time––clearly enjoying being back in school.

EGGS! 63 trays each day!

Pullets, the first eggs that hens lay, are smaller, and in Uganda, less desirable. However, students and cooks at MSA don’t mind the size––they are a delicious and nutritious treat.

Soon, the eggs will be in the normal size range, and with around 50,000 eggs to sell each month, there will be significant income for MSA— over $4000/mo. The chicken manure is another source of income. It is collected in coffee husks, which cover the floor of the poultry house and sold as organic fertilizer.

Equally important are the learning opportunities for students, staff, and the community.

Eggs from the Mustard Seed Poultry enterprise on their way to market. The hens, they are a layin'!

What's Up?

What's next for MSA's grads? While MSA Secondary School grads are waiting for their exam results, groundwork is being done to help determine what pathway they will pursue in August. In partnership with our Ugandan staff, we developed Career Opportunity Pathways (COP) for our first grads in 2016. A Mustard Seed education plus two years in the COP program leads to big dreams coming true! It also fights the youth unemployment crisis in Uganda.

The 'long rains' started late this year but are going strong now... too strong. Flooding, erosion, and muddy, slippery, impassable roads are all part of the rainy season. Rainy weather is another reason for favoring boarding on campus. Walking long distances to school in the rain means many students arrive late or don't arrive at all.

Uganda has two rainy seasons a year and two growing seasons. Long rains come in the spring, and short rains come in the fall. With climate change, the rains have become less predictable. That makes it hard for agriculture and affects food prices.

Thank You, Friend

Thanks to you, all MSA grads in the COP program from 2018 and 2019 made it back to college. Most students from the class of 2018 are finishing up exams and internships and soon will graduate from their programs.

Thanks to you, our outstanding faculty was in place and ready to begin in-person teaching again. Keeping the staff employed during the Covid lockdown and school closure has really benefitted the students.

Thanks to you, three classes of secondary and one class of primary students are boarding on campus. This means they can concentrate on studies while feeling safe, well-fed, and sleeping in comfortable beds. They have all they need to succeed in school and make up some lost time.

Thanks to you, the students who are still at home are not going hungry. And they are receiving school work that their teachers prepare weekly for them.

Biology teacher, Rose, standing in front of the secondary school office.

Just for fun– did you know?

Last month, our mystery word was barglers. While no one got it quite right, those who tried knew it had something to do with thwarting burglars. Indeed, the iron bars you can see on the doors and windows in the photo above are ubiquitous in Uganda and are meant to deter thieves.

When I first saw the term, I thought it was a misspelling. But, it is an accepted word in Uganda.

Okay, here’s an easy one: What’s a boda-boda?

You can hit reply to this email and submit your answer. Hope to hear from you!

Covid 19 Update

Teachers were among the first to be offered the Covid vaccine in Uganda. Many of our teachers are now vaccinated, and the number of cases detected in Lukaya remains at zero. The rate of Covid infection was never very high in Uganda; it peaked in December with around 700 cases per week. Recently, the weekly number is around 15. However, the outbreak in India is worrisome. There are many ties with India and a large Indian ex-pat population. The Ugandan government has suspended flights from India after one case of the Indian variant of the virus was found. Although the travel ban will cause some hardships and shortages of goods, most people welcome the move. Life is beginning to return to normal, and they fear the coronavirus.

I hope that your life is also becoming freer and that the spring weather lifts your spirits. Your interest in and support for 'our' children in Uganda is a blessing. Thank you! Please let us know if you have questions or suggestions.

With all my best,

Elaine

Executive Director, Real Partners Uganda