St Theresa’s School is a major project by Fr. Paul Bigirwa’s organisation, “Sustainable Action For Rural Sector” (SARS). They have previously set up a health centre in an area which had no health facility or access to health care. St Theresa Nursery and Primary School has been an ongoing project since 2015.
GETA was formed by David Rose, a parishoner from St Margaret's RC church Twickenham who along with his wife Dorothea were inspired by Fr Paul to help provide ongoing financial support to educate the orphaned and underprivileged children in rural Kibaale.
In 2017, GETA provided a £5,000 contribution towards the installation of a deep well/borehole at the school to provide clean water. Previously the children were having to walk miles each day to collect water in buckets.
Currently the school is funded entirely on fees paid by parents or donations from charities like GETA. Poor harvests and a stressed local community means that parents are often unable to pay the fees expected to keep the school running. To give an idea on the costs associated - it costs £8,000 per year to run the school, of these costs the teachers salaries are approx. £150 per month. The school is currently relying on loans to stay open.
To keep costs low, the children are growing vegetables and crops in order to be self sufficient and learning to live on the limited resources available.
What investment is required:- Dormitory Block for the Boys – they are currently sleeping in a classroomo New classroom block – classes are overcrowded & a need to stream the children
- Solar power system to keep electricity costs low
- Additional Water Tank – The water tank is having to pump several times a day and uses a lot of electricity – this is not sustainable
- Library – books & educational toys required
- Computers to assist with literacy and to help with skills required in a fast changing technological world
- Extra sanitation facilities
- A new school bus to replace the existing one which is in need of expensive repairs. The school is located in a very rural area, so the bus is vital to transport the children to and from the school.
GETA is hosting a music event at St Margaret's Parish Hall on Sunday 23rd September to raise much needed funds to support the education of the children at St Theresa's Nursery & Primary school. Tickets are available from the GETA team http://geta.org.uk/contact-us. Alternatively if you wish to make a regular donation please contact Angie Keane directly:angie.keane@geta.org.uk who can provide further information.