Loving school: Eunice Atim of Uganda needs our support to advance to secondary school

Note from Leroy Moore: Poor Magazine taught me that journalism is relationships, starting with “I,” going to “we,” and they go deeper than a story. It’s been almost five years since I met Ronald Galiwango, journalist of Kampala, Uganda, on Krip-Hop Nation’s Facebook page, and in those five years we accomplished many things for Eunice Atim, but we are not done.

by Ronald Galiwango

Articles with the titles “Disabled and riding a wheelbarrow: a father’s love” and “Exchanging her wheelbarrow for a wheelchair, Eunice Atim in Uganda finds education still out of reach” were published on Sept. 26, 2013. and April 5, 2014, respectively. Happily, the two articles which indicated how Eunice needed a wheelchair and funds to complete her primary level in education yielded good results; she was able to achieve them.

Eunice-Atim-in-school-Uganda-by-Ronald-Galiwango-300x225, Loving school: Eunice Atim of Uganda needs our support to advance to secondary school, World News & Views
Eunice prefers to use her old wheelbarrow while she’s at school to keep her custom-made conveyance clean and new. What an inspiration she can be to other disabled people once she finishes school! – Photo: Ronald Galiwango

Eunice Atim and her sister Sarah Atiano lost their mother many years ago and are now being brought up their father, Alex Ekolu. The two daughters are disabled, and their father says it is very expensive to sustain them even in terms of taking them both to school.

The funding Eunice got was through publishing articles in a Black-owned newspaper, the San Francisco Bay View, and posting on Facebook. Eunice’s education had stopped in 2007 and was able to resume in 2014 after getting funding. With her education, she wants to be an advocate for youth and adults with disabilities in Uganda.

Uganda’s education system is divided into four levels – kindergarten, primary, secondary and higher education. Primary level takes seven years, Primary 1 to Primary 7. Secondary level takes six years, Secondary 1 to Secondary 6. Institutions of higher learning, including universities, take two years and more.

Eunice, who had completed Primary 5 when she had to leave school in 2007 because of her lack of funding, is now thanking God and all funders that this was achieved. This year she is completing her Primary 7.

With her education, she wants to be an advocate for youth and adults with disabilities in Uganda.

Eunice is now expected to join secondary level next year. This level is divided in two parts, Ordinary Level and Advanced Level, which take four years and two years respectively.

Eunice’s physical limitations mean she needs a great amount of attention. Many schools can’t even admit her because they believe a lot of effort is needed to sustain her.

Having discussed school fees, meals, medical care, transportation and other items with the school that did agree to admit her for Ordinary Level, we have learned that a total of $5,000 is required to have Eunice continue with her education. Therefore, Eunice is back again looking to you for the $5,000 she needs.

Just imagine a person whose education had stopped in 2007 and was only able to resume in 2014 after she got funding. Please help her continue with her education next year. If we don’t stretch our hands to help her, she will have to stop her education.

We have learned that a total of $5,000 is required to have Eunice continue with her education. Therefore, Eunice is back again looking to you for the $5,000 she needs.

Eunice has been so grateful to Krip-Hop Nation, Leroy Moore and the San Francisco Bay View newspaper, and she hopes that one day soon Krip-Hop Nation can come to Uganda, her village and school for a meeting and concert for all people with disabilities.

It is on us to support Eunice’s educational future. We’ll have an Indiegogo campaign page for donations soon. Follow Leroy Moore, Krip-Hop Nation and my page on Facebook.

Ronald Galiwango is a journalist in Kampala, Uganda. He can be reached directly at galiwangoronald@yahoo.co.uk or through Leroy Moore, founder of Krip-Hop Nation, at Kriphopnation@gmail.com.