Meal Program

The meal program provides students a midday meal consisting of porridge, Monday through Friday throughout the school term.  The first of the Pocketful of Joy Projects, the meal program now provides porridge to over 1,800 children attending 3 primary schools in the area, Byeya, Ntoma, and Nyakataare.  The project originally began at the Byeya Primary School which at the time had a population of 420 students.  Now, several years after the start of the meal program, enrollment has increased to nearly 600 students, reaching the school’s maximum capacity.  The quality of the students’ work has greatly increased since the start of this program, and the Byeya Primary School has been ranked number one in the district due to the record test scores achieved by students.   Ntoma and Nyakataare schools are also experiencing a rise in attendance and improved quality of work since the implementation of the meal program in each of those facilities.

Healthcare

Our healthcare program provides an array of services that promote good health to the students of all 3 schools.  Each student receives medicated soap to treat ringworm and other topical fungal infections.  Every year, dentists from a nearby town visit each school to examine, treat and educate the students in ways to maintain their oral hygiene.  Similarly, an eye doctor also visits the schools each year to examine and treat the students. Pocketful of Joy provides eyeglasses for any students in need of them.  In addition, doctors visit quarterly to examine the children and de-worm them of parasites.  Pocketful of Joy funding also provides emergency transportation or if a child is in need of specialized medical attention.

Work Study Program

The work study program has been a huge success.  28 students, wanting to continue their education beyond primary school level, are being sponsored by Pocketful of Joy in secondary school.  In exchange, these secondary school students assist elders in the community for several hours each week, bringing water, doing laundry, and assisting in cooking or collecting food.  In return, Pocketful of Joy covers all of their school expenses from purchasing desks and uniforms to paying for tests and tuition.  With this project we are able to both assist these students in their educational paths, as well as encourage them to apply their knowledge and skills within their own communities through the act of giving.  In the past few years, the number of students graduating from primary school has substantially increased.  As class sizes grow to as large as 70 at the 3 schools involved with Pocketful of Joy, we can anticipate the demand for financial aid multiplying rapidly in the next few years.  Our aim is to be able to accommodate this increase in applicants who desire to further their studies.  Sponsoring a student through secondary school costs approximately $200 per student/ per year, including all of the student’s necessary materials.

Construction and maintenance projects

Since 2002, Pocketful of Joy has provided a substantial amount of maintenance to the school buildings and grounds.  These projects include repairing old buildings as well as constructing new ones such as a library, temporary kitchens, latrines, and outdoor reading huts at two of the schools. Rain water cisterns have also been built at two of the schools providing an accessible source of water on the school grounds.  Plans to build a third cistern at the newest school are underway and awaiting the necessary fundraising before construction can begin.

Agriculture Project

Agriculture projects have begun at each of the three schools. Through these projects, students not only learn the practical skills of gardening, but also are able to take produce home to their families from the three major harvests each year.  The crops currently being grown include corn, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and pineapple to name a few.  In addition, the cultivation of a coffee farm is underway.  Our intention is for sales from the coffee farm to create a local source of revenue for the Pocketful of Joy projects.  A tree farm has also been planted to replenish local forestation, much of which has been cut down for firewood.  This project provides the community with an accessible source of lumber and firewood and functions as a reforestation project, decreasing the effects of erosion and other environmental hazards.

Sewing Program

The sewing project teaches students to sew their own uniforms through the guidance of 9 sewing instructors hired by Pocketful of Joy.  Uniforms are a government requirement to attend school and the absence of uniforms has been an obstacle for many children.  All of the materials are bought at the nearby market and each school now has three sewing machines.

Art Project

The art project began in 2007 and consisted of a week long workshop at each of the schools.  Every class had a 90 minute workshop which focused on the visual arts.  Each student created several original paintings, many of which have been displayed at community venues in the United States.  Proceeds from sales of the paintings fund Pocketful of Joy projects. Plans to expand artistic workshops and forums are underway, as are plans to create more consistent arts programming.