One of Peace Corps goals is to share the culture of the country you live in with those in America. One of the ways that I plan to do that is through Still Life Uganda. I plan to highlight a different student every couple of days in order for people who follow the Instagram or like the page on Facebook can read and learn more about what life is like in Uganda for children. Here are some samples of three students that I have already highlighted on the pages.
First meet Shamirah, a Primary 4 student (which is about fourth grade), she lives with her parents who are both in the medical profession her mom is a nurse and her dad is a doctor. “When I am at home I wash plates, sweep our compound, and wash clothes. When I have down time I like to sing and dance. One thing that I have always wished I could do was go to India.” Something that I learned from her was that children in Uganda are really worried about having good manners and not being stubborn.
Next, meet Brenda, a Primary 7 student (which is about seventh grade), she lives with her grandmother on her father’s side and sometimes stays with her mom. “When I grow up I want to be a lawyer and a good citizen in Uganda. I want to work to make sure that people don’t violate children’s rights. My biggest wish in life is to study very hard so that I can be a great woman in our country in order to help make Uganda a better country. My biggest fear is running out of funds and not being able to continue my studies. One thing that I want people to know about being a child in Uganda is that life can be hard for us.” Something that I learned from her is that children in Uganda work very hard and try their best to pursue their dreams.
Next, meet Sheira, a Primary 6 student (which is about sixth grade), she lives with her parents. She likes to sing dance, and play football. “When I grow up I want to be a doctor. One day I wish to be able to drive a car and even fly an airplane. I want people to know that I will be a leader of this country and that I will fight corruption. As a child in Uganda, we sometimes go to school without shoes or any books. My biggest fear is that I will have to get married during my schooling” Something that I learned from her was that children in Uganda dream big and plan to fight their hardest for those dreams.
I need to explain one comment that Sheira made and that was her biggest fear. It is very common for girls in Uganda to not be able to finish their schooling because they are forced to get married. As a Peace Corps volunteer we try our best to encourage young women and their families that going to school is better for them in the long run and early marriage actually hurts more than anything.
If you like these stories and want to hear more please like Still Life Uganda on Facebook and follow @stilllifeuganda on Instagram. I should have one or two new students up each week. I will eventually interview teachers and other community members but I plan to start with my beautiful students.
