Muko High School Receives Solar Power and Sanitation Improvements Grant



Muko High School (MHS) is a secondary school administered by a partnership between ACT and the Anglican Diocese of Kigezi. The High School is a recent recipient of a $50,000 Rotary Global Grant to provide solar electrical power to improve education and learning along with improvements in some of the school's sanitation and hygiene infrastructure. In addition, the grant provides for teacher training to utilize computers and other electrically powered equipment to improve educational outcomes at the school and in the community.

The grant was developed through a collaborative effort of four Rotary Clubs, three of their governing Districts, and Rotary International headquarters.  The clubs in Midland, Traverse City, Petaluma California, and Kabale Uganda along with the US Districts provided 75% of the funds with the balance contributed by Rotary International.
 

Solar panels are being installed on the roofs of the school, the dormitories, and other auxiliary buildings to provide necessary power to operate the facilities. With the availability of power, our next steps are to acquire computers, science equipment, and other tools to support improved learning outcomes. The availability of lighting after dark allows the launching of a much-needed community literacy program. Only about 75% of adults in the area are literate.

The grant also underwrites improvements in the MHS site sanitation and hygiene facilities, especially in the area of menstrual hygiene. Many girls currently are absent from school during their periods because of the absence of this support infrastructure. Finally, the grant pays for teacher training by faculty from Kabale University on utilizing computers for research purposes and to improve teaching methodologies. The Uganda Ministry of Education has begun implementing a new curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and analysis to replace the rote learning practices currently used. MHS teachers will use computers to learn these new skills. They have also formed what are called "communities of practice" to share learning and to strengthen peer support in order to improve teaching methods.

We are most grateful to Rotary for their continued investment in education in Uganda. We invite those of you reading this to consider supporting the next steps!

-Dick Dolinski, Rotary Member and ACT US Board Member

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