We thank you and all of our partners for their unwavering support, financial assistance, and prayers. As we move into the new year, we aim to continue to aid in nurturing young minds through supporting ROA, enhancing their facilities, and fostering a spirit of togetherness and excellence!
First we would like to take a moment to recognize our long time Board Member, Mackenzie Gotham, as she steps away from her Director role with H4U to pursue other life passions. Mackenzie has been a part of the Hands4Uganda leadership since 2016. She has taken various trips to ROA through the years, most recently visiting in 2022. Mackenzie has a big heart for these students and we are so grateful for the time and talents she has dedicated to this team and organization! Thank you Mackenzie- you will be missed!
1. Hands-On Skilling
Throughout the year all grades participate in school gardening and farming projects that coincide with a particular academic focus for their level. Students helped tend to the on-site chickens, dairy cows, and the newly completed fish farm. They also aided in planting, tending to, and harvesting various on-site fruits and vegetables. At the end of each term (or season) the school as a whole would celebrate their hard work and dedication with special meals and snacks prepared with their harvest!
2. Sports Achievements
Students and players celebrating their victory at the Ugandan Primary School National Championships
The ROA sports program gained recognition following their National Championship Netball win this summer! In December they received an invitation to a national tournament hosted by Africa’s Talent Project in Kampala and were able to participate! This event provided invaluable exposure for the ROA children! We look forward to further developing the ROA sports teams talents in the new year!
3. Academic Milestones
Joseph Journey: One of the first students of Rock of Ages (ROA), Joseph, has completed his studies and begun hospital training at Butabika Hospital, Kampala. His story is a testament to the power of education in transforming lives.
Junior’s Achievement: Junior was among the top performers in the country and has been awarded a full two-year Advanced Level scholarship. We praise God for this milestone.
Advanced Secondary: For the fist time in ROA history, funding has been provided for a select number of students to continue in their academics in the advanced secondary level! We are so incredibly grateful for this financial support as this opportunity is something we have prayed for since our first graduating class!
4. Celebrations and Events
P7 Party/Prom: On October 26th, Primary Seven students celebrated their leavers’ party with swimming, food, and dancing. It was a day of joy and reflection.
Secondary Fellowship: On September 8th, secondary students gathered for a fellowship at the school. The day included prayers, counseling, and discussions on mental health, discipline, and academic improvement.
5. Infrastructure and Development
This year brought significant developments for the ROA campus:
Installation of additional solar panels, a diesel generator, and much needed water runoff drainage system.
Fencing off the new school property to ensure the security of students who stay on site as well as equipment and materials.
Murals of all kinds were completed around the school campus by local painters, covering subjects including geography, science, health, and more!
ROA completed its first year of running the aquaculture farm. Stocked in March with over 4,000 fingerlings, this year was a big learning curve for the aquaculture team! The fish are doing well and will be harvested on a monthly basis in the new year!
6. Mission and Support
A Girl Scouts Mission: Girl Scout Cadette Hannah chose to support the girls at Rock of Ages for her Silver Award! Hannah sewed some awesome dresses and was able to send them with the mission team this spring. The girls loved them! To make her project sustainable, Hannah created a YouTube video to show others how to also sew the dresses! You can view that HERE.
This year’s mission team visited ROA in April. Key highlights included:
Secondary School Visit: The team safely arrived and visited St. Joseph Secondary School, where sponsor September met her student, Merble. This year, for the first time, H4U supported top-scoring students' continuation in secondary education.
Sponsorship Letters and Goodies: Every ROA student received letters and small gifts, regardless of sponsorship status. These heartfelt messages brought immense joy and encouragement to the children.
Movie Night Debut: The team delivered a projector to ROA, making its debut with a movie night for boarding students, complete with popcorn and soda—a memorable moment for all!
Home Visits: The team visited the homes and families of their sponsored children, bringing gifts and gaining a better understanding of each students unique situation and way of life.
Essential Supplies: Recognizing the need for socks, the team ensured every student received new socks and underwear. We so appreciated their care and attention to student well-being!
We extend a heartfelt 'thank you' to the mission team, sponsors, and supporters for making these incredible moments possible!
7. Looking Forward With Gratitude
As mentioned in our Christmas card the current ROA property is being taken, by imminent domain, for the Eastern Standard Gauge Railway. They will not be taking the entire school property, only the area where the new school currently stands. This means ROA has no other choice but to move to a new location. We do not have many details at this time, but have been notified that the estimated value of the land and any improvements will be reimbursed. Once that estimate is paid out to our ROA partners, we will have 2 years to rebuild and relocate. With this said, our ROA team has already begun the hunt for a new parcel of land to rebuild a new school building for the 350+ students ROA currently serves. While very difficult to process, as we have just completed the current building in 2020, we are choosing to look at this as an opportunity to improve the learning environment for our beloved students even further. The next school building will not only boast a full kitchen, but we pray that it will also provide space for a small, combined library and computer lab. We ask for your prayers and if possible, your financial help to make this new project a reality!
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
