At Colonia High School, a Walk-A-Thon that took place last year to raise money for Heart for People which helped children in Uganda build an orphanage at one of their schools. With help from Colonia High School’s Interact Club, Colonia High raised over $3,000 to benefit underprivileged students in Uganda.
Sarah Harrs, President of Heart for People, and Emma Worrall, Chapter Liaison for Heart for People, visited Colonia High School on November 21, 2015 to thank the student body for all the fundraising efforts. The goal for the day was Skype with the school in Uganda that received the money raised last year by the CHS community. Unfortunately, the students did not get Skype to due to connection issues. They will attempt to Skype again on February when the Uganda school is back in session.
Interact Club students got to watch a video the students of Uganda made to thank them and Colonia community. Students in the Interact club asked Harrs and Worrall questions since they have both visited the children of Uganda. They explained how they students live at their school and physically made every brick used to construct the building. The two college students also explained what life in Uganda is like.
Most people question what made Colonia High School’s, Interact Club want to raise money to help Heart for People. When asked, Mrs. Linda Brennan, Co-Adviser of Interact Club stated, “The Interact Club is affiliated with the Rotary Organization; the Interact Club is supposed to carry out two service projects a year…one to help the school or community and one to promote an international understanding. Our Interact Club carries out a plethora of service projects for our school and community, however, we lacked the international component. I chose Heart for People because it addresses poverty in Uganda and helps to connect schools in the US with schools in Uganda.”
Heart for People is an organization that “looks for and other organizations wiling to partner with schools in Uganda to form relationships and to supply direct aid.” This organization helps and changes hundreds of lives children in Uganda and the United States as well. This organization raises money, that is spent directly to help partner schools. A child’s education is a major factor to overcome poverty, and overall open doors to many opportunities to a better future, and that’s exactly why Heart for People do what they do!
In Uganda secondary school participation, net attendance ratio 2008-2012, female is 16.2%, and for males is 18.7% according to unicef.org. To put that into perspective, in the USA, secondary school participation, net enrollment ratio for males is 88.8%, and for females is 90.2% according to unicef.org. The statistics show that Uganda is in incredible need for financial help.
In their website you can click the tab get involved. Read the roof is a program that encourages children or student to read to support schools in Uganda. You can also sponsor a student, in which you can change a child’s life by giving them hope, and education, and a future. Lastly, you can start a chapter, which you can start in a school or a church to form relationships with students and community leaders in Uganda.
Colonia High School will continue to support Heart for People and many other organizations in need. To give to the students in Uganda, visit the Heart for People webpage.
