SODIS

One of the programs we are able to operate here at Kibaale Community Centre is SODIS.  We have been blessed to receive a generous donation from Compassion Canada in order to fund this program, and we are excited about the benefits it will reap in our centre community and the surrounding areas.

SODIS is a water disinfection method that uses solar; the rays from the sun.  Dirty water (from a lake, river, puddle, unclean borehole or well) is poured into a specific plastic water bottle, placed on a table made of corrugated metal, and left to soak up the sun’s rays until it is purified.  The water needs to stay on the table for about five hours in intense sunlight.

Yobu, a former student of ours and now an employee here (he was sponsored all the way through university and has a B.Sc.), does SODIS training in our schools as well as in the community.  At the community level, he first trains several leaders on the process and benefits of the program and then has them mobilize the community, distribute the equipment, and report any problems that may arise.  He also tests the water being purified (before and after) every two weeks to ensure that best practices are being employed.

There are several advantages of this program.  The initial cost for supplies is minimal, and as our centre can provide it, the equipment is free for those in our area.  As most people were boiling water (over a fire) before SODIS to try and purify it, they had to purchase firewood, charcoal, paraffin etc., which can be expensive.  And, of course, the health benefits of drinking and cooking with clean water as opposed to using dirty water, as many people still do, can literally save a person’s life.

The community that I visited with Yobu last week is SO thankful for the provision of the equipment to purify their water, and is already experiencing a decrease in water-borne diseases in their families.  I didn’t see one table that didn’t have at least several bottles of water on it.  We are looking forward to expanding the program into more villages in the New Year and seeing our community’s health improve as a result! 

Computer Lab

In the summer we finished the construction of a new computer classroom in the secondary department. We've decided that before we offer computers as a class to our students we want our teaching staff to be capable on them first. 

Yesterday was our first day that we opened the "Staff Computer Lab". It was exciting for us to see all the staff's enthusiasm in wanting to learn how to use the computer. Some teacher's were making notices for their classes, or writing certificates and asking a lot of great questions.

Sean Davis has donated his afternoons to the lab to help the teacher's with questions they have.

KCC Daycare

We have recently started a Daycare for our staff in Kibaale. There are up to 30 kids coming throughout the day!! 

The younger kids that are there all day are already learning to sit in a circle for meals, songs and stories. The older kids come after lunch and seem to provide extra entertainment for the babies!!

We have been blessed with several donations already; clothes, blankets, toys and books, which was a big help to us as we were setting up. As we get into routine we've realized there a few other items that could really help out through the day, such as bumbo seats, bouncy chairs and a play mat. 

If you have a donation for our daycare you can drop it off at the PAOS office at Pacific Academy School.

Thank You!!!

Talent Show

In August our social committee put on another successful all staff event, a talent show. There was athletics, dancing, modeling, laughing, yes laughing, and eating!!!! 

White Ants

White ants live underground in Uganda and come out after it rains. Even after a very light rain like we had on this evening in July. A few of the kids on the property ran into our yard to sit down and have a delicious snack! YUM!?

Cassy, who was on last year's PA Outreach Team, had the opportunity to volunteer in Kibaale for a couple weeks in July. She was a great sport and tried one of the ants herself!

Avin, who lives with her family in Kibaale, is not too sure about this!

New Water Well

We just installed a new well on our farm. The timing couldn't have been better as the rainy season has still not started in Kibaale!! This well is on the other end of our property, near staff housing. 

What a blessing it has been to our staff to have a clean water source nearby. It also benefits our farm and our neighboring community.

Pray for Rain

We are hopefully coming to the end of the dry season in Kibaale. The rain has already come to many of the villages around us, but here, we are still waiting. The line-ups at the local bore holes have been getting longer and longer as tanks dry up, ours included. This is especially hard on the farmers, nothing is growing.

Everyone is praying the rain comes soon.