Pen Pals in Uganda

Nothing empowers youth like making connections with other kids all over the world. These kids in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, Africa, would love to communicate with other children from different parts of the world. Please contact Sekitto Kisakye if you would like to begin a pen pal relationship with any of these Ugandan children.

The Ugandan Schooling System

Experience Africa is an excellent site for a bit of background on what life is like in Uganda. Read their article on Primary and Secondary Schools in Uganda.

Uganda's education system began when the country was still a British colony. A student typically begins school at age 7 and spends 7 years in primary school, 4 years in secondary school and 2 years in high school before entering university. Free education is offered to 4 children in every family: the typical size of a Ugandan family is 8. Uganda's school year consists of 3 terms, beginning in February and finishing in December. Each term lasts approximately 3 months and is followed by 3 weeks off. Education is highly respected in Uganda and children are very eager to attend and do their best.

This program is just beginning and is developing as it goes. Actually sending mail through the post and receiving a letter from your pen pal in Uganda is exciting in itself. Letters to these children will all be handled by the contact in Uganda, Sekitto Kisakye. He will distribute them for the children. Mr. Kisakye has put together an excellent article on how to send things to Uganda, Africa. Letters are all that are requested for this program, however, please be advised that ANYTHING being sent to Uganda will have its value estimated if no receipt is included and it will be taxed upon the estimated value. Your gift's recipient will not be able to collect their package until they pay the tax.

Connecting students across the globe.

In 2008 CGPP worked with over 10,000 students in Wisconsin, Utah and Uganda, creating a cultural bridge between these communities. With the seed of its idea coming from Theresa (Tajali) Tolan in 2004, this project advanced in 2007 with the inclusion of Kevin Lockwood. In 2008, Oneness Project contributed a small grant and fiscal sponsorship. This allowed for the launch of The Childrens Global Peace Project.

The Childrens Global Peace Project has connected classrooms in the US, Uganda, Tanzania, Uruguay, Norway, India, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This organization was called to my attention by a fellow Squidoo'er, RinchenChodron.

My Ugandan program with all the kids listed here is (at the moment) real grassroots stuff. It is a joint venture between myself, Sekitto Kisakye (a Ugandan with a big heart who is there 100% for his community), and these kids from Kampala. After reading today about The Childrens Global Peace Project, I will be reaching out to them via email to see if we can collaborate!

If you would like to donate to the Childrens Global Peace Project, you can make an online CGPP donation here. You can also find out more about The Childrens Global Peace Project here!

So you can ask your pen pal relevant questions, check out a few books about Uganda. Life in Despite their beautiful country, life is difficult for many children in Uganda. Be sure you learn a little about the issues in this African country.

Make a donation or buy some crafts made by Kampala's widows.

The Uganda Program For Needy Children's Pen Pal program is a grass roots operation between a couple in Chicago, IL and a Ugandan student in Kampala. The cost of postage from Kampala to other countries is high. The value of this penpal program becomes questionable when it places a further burden on these impoverished families. Feel free to chip in with a monetary donation to help fund the postage for Ugandan children to send letters to their penpals abroad.

Another way to help these kids in Africa is to purchase the African Jewelry that widows in Kampala make out of recycled magazines.

All of the children listed below are of various ages and schooling old and would love to have a pen pal. At times it can be difficult to determine birth dates and thus ages for these kids. Please send your letters in care of Sekitto Kisakye.

Click on a child's name for more information on that child. You can also click on a specific age group to view more children.

All of the children listed below are 4 years old and would love to have a pen pal. Please send your letters in care of Sekitto Kisakye.

All of the children listed below are 4 years old and would love to have a pen pal. Please send your letters in care of Sekitto Kisakye.

All of the children listed below are 6 years old and would love to have a pen pal. Please send your letters in care of Sekitto Kisakye.

All of the children listed below are 7 years old and would love to have a pen pal. Please send your letters in care of Sekitto Kisakye.

All of the children listed below are 8 years old and would love to have a pen pal. Please send your letters in care of Sekitto Kisakye.

All of the children listed below are 9 years old and would love to have a pen pal. Please send your letters in care of Sekitto Kisakye.

All of the children listed below are 10 years old and would love to have a pen pal. Please send your letters in care of Sekitto Kisakye.

Click on the child's name that you would like to view information about. You can also click on another age group to view other children.

Click on the child's name that you would like to view information about. You can also click on another age group to view other children.

Click on the child's name that you would like to view information about. You can also click on another age group to view other children.

Of course, the best information you will get on what life is like in Uganda is from your Ugandan pen pal! To compile the basics for you, these are the websites and individuals we referred to.

Sign up at Squidoo and start your own pen pal program! Its really easy, no html or web site publishing knowledge required!

Leave a note here with suggestions on how this penpal program can be promoted (i.e. if you know of an organization that would be interested in participating), words of encouragement, questions on how else you can get involved and make these kids lives better, or also just to say hi.

Contact Laura Schofield

I suggest contacting me via email privately if you wish to begin a penpal relationship with a child in Uganda. Clicking this link will begin an email for you. The Ugandan coordinator of this program, Sekitto Kisakye, will be cc'd on all emails, ensuring you get a timely response to your request. Mr. Kisakye is the program's coordinator in Uganda: He actively works with all these children.

*If you would like to suggest any links or have your own photos and / or stories published, please send me an email. I can be contacted through my personal homepage, laura-schofield.com. If you enjoy the work I've done here, I do offer professional copy writing, photo restoration / manipulation, search engine optimization and web design services. I can again be contacted for any of these services through my website.