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Humanist Academy
Visit Report Nov 09
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Supporting children

A basic aim of the humanist schools is to provide secondary education to children in deprived rural areas.

Although, like other schools in Uganda, the schools need to charge fees, they also aim to provide free or subsidised places to AIDS orphans and other needy children. Given that the schools are relatively new and poorly resourced the only way they can offer this help is to appeal to donors for funds.

Donors are invited to provide, for the start of each school year, full student scholarships of up to £120 a year. The schools also seek to raise money in smaller amounts so they can operate hardship funds. These enable the schools to provide assistance to meet specific short-term student needs such as the fee for a single term, school uniform or the purchase of food during the school day. Many students come to school having had no breakfast, so it is essential that schools provide food during the day. Most children require financial help at some time during their schooling so, for some time to come, the schools will need to call upon donations.

The Isaac Newton School has 130 students but they have so far only raised sufficient money to provide bursaries to 20 of them - many of the others are falling behind with their school fees. Similarly the Humanist Academy, which started in February 2008 with 35 children, only managed to raise money for 7 students during 2008. Large numbers of other students ended the year in arrears with their school fees.

For the 2009 school year, which started in February, the Trust raised money which enabled the schools to offer 55 additional scholarships. All but 14 of these have only been offered for one year, so we are trying to raise funds to allow the schools to extend support for scholarship holders through their secondary schooling If you think you would like to help then click here...