Christmas Greetings From Uganda   You are in · RoscreaOnline · Community · Features

It is now just three months since that wonderful concert in Grant’s Hotel. Readers might be wondering how the funds collected are being put to use. As if on cue, an email arrived just this week from Sister Mona. In it she outlines the progress so far. Below is the text of the email with all the relevant information.

It is Christmastime in Uganda and together with all the children being helped by the people of Roscrea and surrounds, I wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

Since our Variety Concert in Grant's Hotel on September 24th the Uganda Mission Fund has gone from just over the 22,000 announced on the night to in excess of 28,000 presently (the account is still open in Roscrea Credit Union should anyone wish to contribute). Thanks a million for such generosity.

The new school year begins on February 1st here in Uganda, and thanks to you, approximately 600 primary students and 100 secondary school students will be receiving their education. We have selected six poor areas of the country and a sister is designated to do research in each area regarding the needy children. The children have been designated into three needy groups using the following criteria:

Sr Mona With Children Who Wish To Have Their School Fees
Paid For Them Next Year.

The first priority group is the total orphans

Next the children with only one parent

The final group is the one whose parents are unable to cope financially

Each of these six areas has been allocated 100 primary school places and 16 secondary school places. All that remains is to decide which children in each of our six areas get the opportunity to attend. During the coming year, the selected pupils will receive their education and be helped to become less dependant. After two years, hopefully, many of them will be able to manage for themselves.

This week the Ministry of Education in Uganda have released the following two relevant statistics:

In 1998, two million children began their primary education.

Only 433,000 (43%) of these completed primary school.

Thanks to you who have so generously contributed to the Uganda Mission Fund, we are hopeful of better days in the future.

Nollaig faoi shin is faoi mhaise daoibh go lir!

The work is underway. The labourers are willing. All they need is our support. We have made a great start, and the organising committee would like to add their best wishes to all who contributed to the fund in any way. It now remains only for us to continue our support for Sister Mona's Mission.

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