Uganda
| Full country name | Republic of Uganda | Republic of Ireland |
| Population | 28.9 million | 4.6 million |
| Area | 241,038 sq km | 70,273 sq km |
| Capital City | Kampala | Dublin |
| Language | Swahili, Luganda | English, Irish |
| Religion | Christianity, indigenous beliefs, Muslim | Catholicism, Christianity |
| Infant Mortality | 63.7 / 1000 | 3.89 / 1000 |
| Literacy Rates | 66.8% | 99% |
| Population below the poverty line | 35% | 4.2% |
Uganda achieved independence from British rule in 1962. However, the wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures prevented the establishment of a working political community.
The dictatorial regime of Idi Amin from 1971 to 1979 was responsible for the death of some 300,000 opponents. Guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton Obote from 1980 to 1985 claimed at least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri Museveni since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda.
World Vision Ireland works with three Area Development Programmes (ADPs) in southern Uganda: Busitema, Lunyo and North Rukiga. Each of these ADPs made great strides in 2011 - click here to read more!
Primary School Education
Primary school education begins at 5 or 6 and has been free in Uganda since 1997. However the dropout rate is extremely high, with only 52% of children completing primary exams. Families face real challenges trying to send their children to school. Frequently there is simply not enough money in the household to buy school materials or even a packed lunch. Without food the children become lethargic as their concentration dwindles together with their academic performance. It is also a huge challenge to attract and retain quality teachers in more rural areas.
There is still a need to work with older generations to promote the importance of education and why school is so vital instead of having children help in the household or on farms. World Vision has been working closely with the community on several projects aimed at increasing school attendance. These include awareness campaigns where the government, parents, teachers and children come together to discuss education as well as forming strategies to monitor performance, absenteeism and career guidance.
In Busitema ADP, World Vision has also started dialogue between local government, teachers and parents to develop ways to ensure that children receive one meal a day during school. Community members are also trained to have the knowledge and skills to lobby local government for the delivery of a quality education that their children deserve.
View World Vision Ireland Ugandan ADPs in a larger map
