Thanks message from Dickie and Janice Barr, Charlene’s Project.
We recently returned from Uganda having visited the 8 Primary Schools in the area in the north west where we are working.
We started working in Kahara Primary School in 2012 – new classroom block, community hall, teacher accommodation, borehole, water harvesting tanks, sports field, farming equipment, maize sheller and grinder have been provided by Charlene’s Project over the last few years and progress on the ground is amazing. When we were there Janice and I had the privilege of breaking the ground for the Nursery Block Charlene’s Project is providing.
One of the highlights of the visit was seeing the mothers play the daughters at Kahara in football in the brand new kit we had brought from Ireland, courtesy of Ulster Hockey and Northern Ireland Football. It is not that long ago that the community told us that only boys play sports. What a transformation.
Charlene’s Project is supporting Kahara, Kirwala, Bunyama, Runyanya, St Livingstone, Diika, Kothongola and Nyinga Primary Schools, 6,500 children attend these 8 Primary Schools. We were able to give each school their own kit and already the 8 schools have had an interschool tournament in their new kits. These schools are very rural and experience dreadful poverty.
• School drop-out rate is high
• Girls are particularly disadvantaged educationally
• There is no secondary school in this whole sub-district
• Immediate needs are for teacher accommodation and latrines
1. In the long term Charlene’s Project plans to build a secondary school for these children in their own community.
2. In the short term Charlene’s Project is encouraging more children to attend school and in particular helping girls receive an education through these 8 Primary Schools.
3. Charlene’s Project is offering secondary school scholarships to 2 boys and 2 girls currently in P7 in each of the 8 Primary Schools as a result of a sponsorship programme. Many of these children will be the first not only in their family, but in their clan to go to secondary school.
Thanks Ulster Hockey for all your support of Charlene’s Project,
Dickie and Janice Barr
On behalf of Charlene’s Project as we continue to work in Uganda, Guatemala and with Syrian refugees in Turkey and Jordan
Other Background
1. Charlene Barr started Charlene’s Project in 2009, deciding when she had to drop out of school due to failing health that she would fundraise to build a school in Uganda. Charlene died in 2010 but Charlene’s Project continues the work she started.
2. Natalie, Bethany and Serena Barr have all represented Ulster at hockey at various age levels. Natalie currently plays and coaches at Lurgan, Bethany plays for UCD and Serena for Beeston.
3. Ulster Hockey have previously donated kit, sticks and equipment for schools and hockey camps that Charlene’s Project has been involved in in Uganda and has supported Charlene’s Project through the Super 9’s and other events.
