Step Up Infant and Primary School

Location:Masaka, Uganda Setting: Semi-Urban Established: 1999 Staff: 20

Organization Overview:

Founded in 1999, Step Up Infant and Primary School is dedicated to educating children in the local community as well as orphans and vulnerable children. Step Up currently has over 500 students enrolled with over 100 students boarding at the school and actively works to ensure that OVC are able to access this education by fundraising to pay for school supplies and school fees. Step Up also provides basic vocational training for its students so that may acquire valuable and potentially profitable skills.

Subject Areas:

Youth and Education: Scholastic support for orphans and vulnerable children(OVC), extracurricular activities, vocational education
Organization Objectives:
• Providing Pre and Primary education to children in the locality including orphans and vulnerable children.
• Teach children according to their ability.
• Provide basic vocational training

Program Information:
I. Youth and Education.

Opportunities:
• Organize and lead extra-curricular activities for the children and youths
• Help group members fundraise to support orphans and vulnerable children go to school
• Introducing new games to children and having organizational skills and instructions.
Requirements:
• Experience working with youth, particularly orphans and vulnerable children
• Knowledge of different fundraising methods
• Creative and flexible

Apart from education, students also get involved in other curriculum activities like Art and crafts where they make things like pots, dolls among others, and games.
• Willingness to work with Children’s families and/or communities

Working Conditions:
Step Up is a small community without much support other than that put in by its members. Most of their work is done directly in the school. Interns should be prepared to spend most of their time at school and interacting with community members. Interns are also advised to come with their laptops.
Monday to Friday work starts at 7.am. But Government states 8.am. With a school parade followed by prayers and classes start. At 10.30am, it is break time for both children and teachers. Lunch is at 1pm, both teachers and children. Nursery closes at 1 pm. Lessons continue from 2pm to 4pm. At 4 pm, children from P1 to P2 return home. The upper primaries go for music, dance and drama training. At 5pm, the children go back to class for home work

Program Supervisor:
Asingwire Justus (Head Teacher) is the program supervisor, he holds a Diploma in primary education from Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi where he graduated in 2006 and joined the school in 2007.

Organizational Background:
Both Directors and trained teachers bought land which was their home. There were few schools in the locality. They developed an idea of starting a school to accommodate orphans and offer them education.
The wife started with a friend. They were few children at first but the numbers increased. Some children were supported by the family, but some parents were able to pay. Now the numbers have increased and more structures have been put up from the fees contributed. The school started off with 6 children. Now the number is 538. Boys are 266 and Girls are 272. Funding is from parents’ contributions. No external contribution.

About Step-Up’s clients:
Step Up’s clients are the children and the community

Previous Projects:
Some previous projects initiated by FSD interns with CRO have included:

• The introduction of sewing and knitting classes along with the provision of sewing machines and looms in order to provide the children with basic vocational skills
• The construction of a tippy tap, a rudimentary hand washing device built with locally available materials. This was done in conjunction with a series of health and hygiene workshops designed to improve the health of the students
• The construction of an anonymous disclosure box where students can ask questions about subjects including: Health, Sexual Health, Family Problems, Report abuses or misconduct etc. these questions are answered at regular school assemblies.