Nkuru-Nziza Foundation Progress Report 2019
Dear friends,
Hope you have had a good start to 2019. I must first apologise for taking long to send in a report on where things are since my last visit to the UK. Your prayers and support are continuously being appreciated. We continue to be blessed in different ways and we thank God for that.
Since my last visit to the U.K, I have been very busy particularly with the development of a new Vocational and Business College now known as ‘Nkuru Business and Vocational College’ which opened last year in February. I have also been busy with family life!
Family wise, we continue to push on and we send our warm greetings to all our well-wishers, supporters and friends. Our Daughter Patience is now six years and joined primary one this year! Unfortunately, my mum has not been so well and we have been in and out of hospital with various complications. She is putting on a brave fight though and she is with us now, so she can receive our support. She is nearly 80 years.
College Development and Kid’s Joy Nursery School
Through the development of the VTC, and the Nursery section, it has been possible to provide some kind of employment bearing in mind that many young people in the area are, for one reason or the other, out of employment. Over 20 people in construction alone have worked on site in the busy months of construction. During this time, they earn an income to support their families.
The income earned has also filtered through the local economy as these people spend some of this income in local shops etc we can hence talk of a multiplier effect. Much of the building materials are sourced locally too.
Since our focus is on sustainability, we brought in new ways and methods of construction including ISSB technology. This has allowed us to move on fast but also local residents have been impressed and are now wanting to copy and paste given the opportunity!
The college aims to provide quality education at the least cost possible through its sustainable methods (water harvesting, Biogas, solar energy and sustainable food production using aquaponics etc). Many of those technologies have been implemented and are beginning to bear fruits but as always, good things take time!
As a result, lots of people (both local and international) have been coming to check on us almost daily to learn from us! We have hosted people as far as from Australia, Austria, Germany and the UK! I have been invited to be part of the Namutamba Child Rehabilitation Group.
Just before Christmas, we had the joy of having ‘college and community salon’ open for student training and for community use. Being a festive season, we had lots of customers and the two staff members where kept busy indeed. The primary focus now is on new students that have enrolled to do a course in Hair and Beauty. Some are boarding students from afar.
This facility was well built, conscious of the environment where the graduate students might be working in the future.
This was in addition to ‘college and community restaurant’ having been opened some months back. Like the salon, this also doubles as a catering training centre but also as a community restaurant. Our main customers are the local people, workers from the nearby tea factory and missionaries from Namutamba.
Both the college section and Nursery section are now employing 12 teaching staff in different teaching departments and 8 non-teaching staff (20 people altogether)
Looking forward to 2019 academic year
New term started late February and slowly by slowly we are registering new students to do different courses in Hair and Beauty, building construction, Green technology, catering, fashion and design and secretarial. In the future we hope to offer Boda-boda Mechanics and repair, carpentry, electrical installations and plumbing.
Next to the college, we have added a nursery section! And this is near completion. 70% of the work has now been done and resources allowing, the rest of the work should be completed soon.
Because time was running out to get the nursery started, I came up with plan B. To temporarily use one of the available rooms for the nursery and so we opened the doors to 22 young kids as pioneers of ‘Kids Joy Nursery school
The kids as well as their parents are over the moon to be studying in a conducive environment and with good teachers. Hopefully, these kids will have their ‘new home’ soon where they can play, learn and enjoy life! During the ‘unofficial opening’, parents and well-wishers came to visit and check on the development of the college and Nursery
All together, we now just over 42 young people (college and Nursery) being educated daily. With limited boarding facilities, we are limiting numbers for now until we are ready. We want to grow at a pace that is manageable.
The Bishop of Mityana diocese briefly visited us and when we have worked out the date for the official opening, the Bishop and senior clergy will be willing to come and bless the occasion! The college has a Christian Foundation and Ethos.
This year is getting busy with various things at college but also with some groups booking in to come and visit us. We have a small family team in April. As usual, we have our SDC family team coming in July headed this time round by Zoe. We also have a Cred team that will be arriving at the same time, another team in October going to Mbale and the campsite. As always, it is our pleasure to have our home open to all our families and friends. That is what real community is about ‘sharing and learning from one another’
I am sure there is a lot that I have forgotten to include in this report but for now let me wish you an amazing new year full of God’s blessings. Love and warm greetings to you all.
Yours, John Njendahayo.
