Semuliki Batwa

In 2020, SeeeMe began working with the Semuliki Batwa Pygmies, one of the most marginalized groups in Uganda. The Batwa lived as forest dwellers in what is now the Semuliki Forest National Game Park for countless generations. Like the Bwindi Batwa Pygmies to the south, they were evicted by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in the early 1990s, without compensation, when the park became a “protected area”. The small group of remaining Semuliki Batwa now live on a meager patch of land across the highway from their former home.

The Batwa children are physically smaller and have very different cultural backgrounds are outcasts when attending local schools and the only school where they are not bullied and can practically receive a proper education is a local boarding school. SeeeMe has paid to support schooling and board for the Batwa children through much of 2022. Without this support, it is very likely that the Batwa children would not be receiving education at all. 

Queen of Peace Junior School

Queen of Peace Junior School was built in the summer of 2017 in Mbale, Uganda. The doors were opened in September 2017. The school started with a total of 24 students, and as of October 2018, there are 75 students. The school is administered by SeeeMe member and friend Judy Nalube.

Although there is public education in Uganda, classes are severely overcrowded and staff are chronically underfunded. This environment has created a vacuum in which many children do not have access to a quality education which is so often required in order to prosper. This is especially important in a developing country such as Uganda, where a small boost to education can have a profound impact on quality of life. Through the creation and support of the Queen of Peace Junior School, SeeeMe hopes to, at least in a small part, help fill this gap for students in the Mbale area.

Read much more about the story of this school here and how you can help support the Queen of Peace Junior School here.

Eyeglass Clinics

Every year SeeeMe sponsors eyeglass clinics in schools, medical facilities and villages. Our target group is older men and women who need reading glasses. The glasses come from a variety of sources, including Restoring Vision and generous donations from schools and individuals. When possible, we also give the elders hats and sunglasses to prevent further degeneration of their sight. Nearly all individuals that we see have some kind of eye damage from the intense Ugandan sun. In this age group, the most common conditions that we see are cataracts and pterygium.

Various churches and civic organizations help this process by sewing, crocheting, and knitting eyeglass cases.

The most exciting part of eyeglass clinics is restoring vision to those who have not been able to read or do handwork in several years. Elders bring their books, bibles, and sewing equipment to the clinic to check out their new glasses and vision.

Uganda Girls’ Pad Project

When we first began working in Uganda at Byana Mary Hill Orphanage we noticed that many girls stopped attending school around the 5th grade (P5). This occurred whether the girls came from local village families or were orphans. It occurred across all income levels. The girls were not dropping out to go to work or attend other schools.

After interviewing teachers and girls, we found out that girls stopped attending school when they started their menstrual cycles.

Upon returning to the US, the First Presbyterian Church of Logan, Utah, started the Sew and Sews group, which works year-round to sew washable pads. (Learn more about the Sew and Sews group here.) Once the pads are ready to go, we also buy knickers (underwear), soap and bags to hold all the materials. We visit villages and schools to talk about girl’s health and menstrual cycles. In addition, we provide micro loans, sewing machines, and starter kits so communities can set up their own pad production businesses and use the proceeds to buy more materials to sew more pads. For information on how to make pads for this project, look at these instructions.

Recreation Equipment

Playground equipment gives children a break from heavy labor demands. At an early age, many Ugandan children are working in gardens, fetching water (which can be quite a distance away), helping raise smaller children, or helping with livestock. Having access to playground equipment gives children a place to learn social skills and provides an opportunity for a child to just be a child.

Women Seminars 

We present women seminars which empower women and talk about issues women face. In many communities, we buy sewing machines and start-up-kits to help the women start small businesses of their own producing reusable sanitary pads for themselves and their communities. The women are taught about savings and are given savings books and ledgers. They are also provided micro loans that help purchase materials and begin production. After the micro loan is paid back, the money is paid forward to another woman in the group for her business needs. By providing the women a means to earn and save their own money, they are able to be more independent and provide for themselves, their children, and their families. Empowering the women empowers their communities.

Wells and Solar Power

Access to clean water and power for lights, computers, or appliances can have a substantial positive impact on a community. SeeeMe has installed wells and solar power in many locations, a list of which can be found here.