Building a school in Karundi - Uganda

During our two-week trip to Uganda, on 8th of November 2019. we visited a small village Karundi, located 35 km from the city. In the district of Isigniro, a region called Mbarara.  It was truly a journey of a lifetime. It changed the way I see the world, my lifestyle and I found it has changed me as a person.I returned home, yet my heart is still there. The trip to the village was incredibly difficult as the village still doesn’t have a constructed road. The local government promised to build roads and provide wells for water, unfortunately, it never happened. The local population had to build a road to provide access to the village with their bare hands. However, the village is undoubtedly blessed with the greatest gift of all, the children! More than fifty children had waited for us with smiles on their faces. They were singing and performing their local dances. This sight will forever stay in my heart and my mind. Father Agapitus Mubangizi, who is positioned in the capital city Kampala was born and raised in Karundi. He started the project to construct a  school for more than two hundred children in his home village. The school in the village I visited doesn't have doors, windows, benches or chairs.  They don’t have electricity or toilets. As the school is situated on the side of a hill, it gets completely destroyed during rainy season. The village also doesn’t have a hospital or a dispensary. It’s not uncommon that a sick child or a woman having complications while giving birth dies as there isn’t enough time to get to the hospital. One thing that these children most certainly have are the most honest smiles I have ever seen in my life. This happiness and joy shone forth when seeing a balloon for the very first time.  The Love, unity, desire for life and modesty I felt there cannot be forgotten. These children need us! They deserve to have a future, to have dignity same as their peers. Education means the world to them. By getting educated they have the possibility of learning a craft, getting a job, supporting a family and making their dreams come true.  The success of every child becomes the success of the community and their nation.  Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world..Let’s give them a chance!!!------------------------Na svom dvotjednom putovanju u Ugandu, 8.11.19 godine posjetili smo malo selo Karundi koje se nalazi 35 km od grada, Isigniro distrikt, u regiji Mbarara.  Bilo je to putovanje života.Putovanje koje je promjenilo moj pogled na svijet, moj način života i mene kao osobu.  Ja sam se vratila, ali moje srce je ostalo tamo.  Do sela smo došli jako teško budući da selo još uvijek nema izgrađenu cestu. Lokalna vlada je obećala izgraditi ceste i izvore pitke vode ali se to nažalost nije dogodilo. Lokalno stanovništvo je rukama prokopalo cestu i omogućilo pristup selu.   Međutim ovo selo krije jedno veliko blago, a to su djeca! Njih više od pedeset nas je dočekalo s osmjehom, pjesmom i izvedbom lokalnih plesova. Prizor koji će zauvijek ostati urezan u mome srcu.  Župnik fra. Agapitus Mubangizi u glavnom gradu Kampala, inače rođen i odrastao u selu, pokrenuo je projekat izgradnje škole za više od dvjesto djece.  Škola u kojoj se djeca trenutno nalaze nema vrata, prozore, klupe niti stolice. Nemaju struju niti sanitarni čvor. .  Budući da se škola nalazi na brdovitom području tijekom kišne sezone bude potpuno uništena. Selo nema ambulantu niti dispanzer pa se nerijetko dogodi da bolesna djeca ili žene s komplikacijama pri porodu umru jer ne stignu do bolnice u gradu.  Ali ono što ova djeca zasigurno imaju su najiskreniji osmijesi koje sam u životu vidjela. Radost i sreća kada su po prvi puta ugledali balon.  Ljubav, zajedništvo, želja za životom i skromnost koju sam tamo osjetila se ne moze zaboraviti.  Ova djeca nas trebaju! Ova djeca zaslužuju imati budućnost, imati pravo na obrazovanje i dostojastvo djeteta kao i svi njihovi vršnjaci.  Imati školu za njih znači imati svijet! Školovanjem imaju mogućnost naučiti zanat, zaposliti se, uzdržavati obitelj i ostavriti svoje snove. Uspjeh svakog djeteta postaje uspjeh zajednice i zemlje.  Obrazovanje je najsnažnije oružje kojim se može promijeniti svijet, dajmo ovoj djeci priliku!