May 2023 Visit

May 2023 Visit to Nsambya Police Barracks

Nursery and Primary School

History

This school was started about 50 years ago by Sanyu's mother at the request of the Nsambya Police Barracks.

Sanyu's mother died a few years ago, but with the help of weekly collections from NH4, Sanyu and Roland have continued to actively support and indeed manage the school. The headmaster, Eric, runs the school on a daily basis, as well as teaching.

The Grounds

It is a 3,300 square metre oasis of tidy, neat, clean buildings and well-tended gardens protected by its own fence and security guard. 800 neatly uniformed children from the age of 3 up to about 12 are seated at wooden benches in classes of up to 65. The children are mainly from the police barracks.

Boarders

There are 2 dormitories with a matron, each for about 30 boarders. Basic meals are provided daily for all 800 children, including 3 meals per day for the boarders.

Spanish & Knot lessons

During the May 2023 visit, Jo taught Spanish and and Mike a few knots to classes Primary 6 (9 and 10 year-olds) and P7 (11 to 12 years). The kids were really attentive, enthusiastic, respectful and keen to learn.

Greeted by the kids

We visited each of the classes and were greeted each time by the class standing up as one and chanting "Good morning our vees-tors. You are most welcome." Similar greetings were given to the headmaster, addressed as "Teacher Eric", and Sanyu as "Our Director".  

Gifts for the school

We had delivered some items for the school: 10 footballs, 3 inflatable 50cm globes, pens, small colouring books for the very young, posters of alphabets, numbers and maps, and from Sister Anna, lots of children's clothes.

Sports day

Wednesday was a sports day. We followed a crocodile of 150 primary age boys and girls as they walked out of the school gates and wound their way over the rough, potholed, muddy, reddish-brown murrum track through the police barracks.

Football & Netball

The kids, dressed in bright yellow, green and red t-shirts and blue shorts with an orange stripe down the sides, then split up into about 7 groups to play football and netball, many in bare feet, with the footballs that we had donated.