Mulembe!

"EDUCATION BRINGS ABOUT OPPORTUNITY, AND IN TURN INSPIRATION."  - Bill Frist

The courtyard of the Arlington Academy of Hope
(photo by Kristina Heino)

 I first heard about Marymount University’s relationship with the Arlington Academy of Hope (AAH) during a meeting with Mary Gibson, the director of one of the Master’s in Education programs at Marymount University.  At the time, I was not yet enrolled in a Master’s program, and was considering the different options Marymount offered.  I remember taking notes as Mary described the different courses and requirements of her particular program.  When I heard her say that the ED 550 Research and Methods course involved a trip to a primary school in Uganda, I was a little surprised.  I even looked up and asked, “Did you just say you go to Uganda?”  Mary explained that she had led the trip for several years and described it as a very rewarding experience.  From that moment, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it.  Now, a little over a year later, I’ve just returned from a month in Uganda as a student of two Marymount University courses: ED 550 Research and Methods (led by Mary Gibson), and ED 526 Cross Cultural/International Curricula (led by Dr. Elizabeth Langran).  

The Arlington Academy of Hope's School Mission
(photo by Kristina Heino)

In preparation for the trip, students of both courses had the opportunity to meet with the founders of AAH, John and Joyce Wanda.  They shared stories with us about their childhoods, families, and educational experiences.  They also discussed their inspiration for starting the AAH organization and school.  There were many memorable moments from that meeting, but the one that really stood out to me was when John explained that he and Joyce felt that they had a responsibility to give back to their communities in Uganda.  To paraphrase, John said that it was luck, rather than anything they had done, that had provided them with the opportunity to come to the U.S.  I have to disagree with him.  John and Joyce Wanda are two remarkable individuals who were fortunate to have families that recognized the value of education.  However, it was Joyce and John who, through hard work and commitment to their educations, put themselves in a position to receive a diversity visa from the U.S. government. 

 

Enjoying the view while walking to the school from the guest house
(photo by Kristina Heino)

 

John Wanda participating in a workshop exercise with
Teacher Rebecca and Teacher Phoebe.
(photo by Kristina Heino)

Since fiscal year 1995, the U.S. government has made approximately 55,000 visas available each year to immigrants from countries, such as Uganda, that have had historically low rates of immigration to the U.S.  According to the results of the fiscal year 1995 lottery, which I believe is the year Joyce’s application was selected, the program received more than 6.5 million applications during the one-month application window.  Of those applications, almost 200,000 were initially selected with the expectation that many of the applicants would not complete the entire process.  In order to be eligible to receive a diversity visa, applicants must provide proof of a high school education or a certain level of work experience (Diversity Visa 1995 Lottery Results).  In 1995, it was estimated that just 1.3% of the Ugandan population aged 25 and over had completed secondary school (X Liang, 2004).  Joyce and John not only completed secondary school, but also earned university degrees.  So while a little bit of luck was involved due to the random selection that occurs in the lottery process, Joyce and John certainly increased their odds of being selected!      

 

Students practicing their jump rope skills in preparation for
Sports Day - an opportunity to shine in front of "Uncle John!"
The jump ropes are made of banana plant leave fibers.
(photo by Kristina Heino) 

Our stay in Uganda coincided with John’s annual visit to the village where he was raised.  It was nice to see the level of adoration for him that exists in the community.  The students refer to him as “Uncle John.”  The guest house also had a steady intake of milk and chickens during his stay (which I appreciated after discovering that I love milk tea!).  They were gifts from families who have benefited from John and Joyce’s efforts.  It was apparent that he continues to serve as an inspiration for the community.  In fact, one of the first students that John and Joyce sponsored is now a teacher at AAH.  I was reminded of this “pay it forward” environment as I listened to the head teacher’s remarks at the farewell ceremony for the ED 550 group.  She thanked us for traveling so far to be there, for leaving our families for the length of our stay, and for spending the money to visit.  She said that we had shown the students that there are people in the world who care about them, and that perhaps our actions would one day inspire them to give back to their community and others in some way.  I hadn’t thought about the impact of our visit in that way before, but I hope she is right!      
 

Posing with some of the girls :)
 

Sources:

Diversity Visa 1995 Lottery Results.  Retrieved from http://www.ulitka.com/files/green-cards-lottery/dv-1995-results.html

X Liang.  (2004, March).  Uganda tertiary education sector report.  Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XYamvtgylgcJ:siteresources.worldbank.org/AFRICAEXT/Resources/no_50.pdf+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us