TAOST Library is beautiful!

Through a grant from two churches, TAOST now has a beautiful working library full of text books for each subject appropriate for nursery through grade 6 as well as four levels of literacy books for the students to explore! While in Uganda this summer, I was able to work with Francis, TAOST's head teacher, on developing a Library science component for their curriculum. We are happy to announce that starting in September Fount of Mercy's new intern will meet with TAOST once a week for six months acting as a literacy coach. The goal is for TAOST's teachers to not only become comfortable bringing their students to the library but for them also to feel comfortable bringing literacy activities into their classrooms throughout each subject. Please enjoy the videos and pictures below :)

TAOST Library is beautiful!

Past/Present/Future work with TAOST

TAOST Past Circumstances

* Could not afford rent at their first location – moved to an old market (second location)
* The ministry did not approve the school’s second location
* High turnover rate for the teachers
* Almost nonexistent resources
* NO uniforms
* Consistent attendance of about 60 children
* no system for enrollment
* P1 – P4
* No curriculum


Present Circumstances

* In a ministry approved location (supported by Redeemer)
* Consistent Headmaster
* Consistent attendance of about 270 children
* Nursery through P6
* Two classrooms adjusted to accommodate and library with shelves, tables and chairs
* July 2010 stocked with close to 1300 books and supplementary reading materials. (supported by Redeemer and South Reno Baptist)
* Redeemer provide TAOST with ability to purchase
o 60 shirts
o 229 badges
o 1 badge design
o 128 pairs of shorts
o 68 dresses
o 32 t-shirts for the Teachers, TAOST staff, Board members and School community committee – building community support for the school
o This gift added into what TAOST provided for their children totaling 229 children in full uniform
* Ugandan ministry of education curriculum for P1 – P3
* Bibles to TAOST graduating students


Future Plans for TAOST
Vision for future work with TAOST: to develop the sustainability of the TAOST Jr. Academy and to increase their positive impact to the greater community.

Stay in a Ministry approved location (supported by Redeemer)

Objectives: (supported by Redeemer)

Acquire 1 to 2 acres of land
* Sustain an agriculture project that will feed the children of TAOST Jr Academy and provide income for TAOST organization.
* Operate a Piggery
* Build permanent location for the school
* Increase community interest, awareness and involvement
* Skill building opportunities to the students and community
* Continued monitoring and evaluation

Uniforms

Today, I went to TAOST to work on follow-up accountability with a recent proposal. The proposal was working towards giving the children at this school uniforms. Uniforms are an important part of the Ugandan school system - many schools require the students wear a uniform, including the government schools. The students that attend this school are not able to afford uniforms or many other clothes, and so having the uniforms now is a huge gift and encouragement to them. These uniforms reinforce the importance of education and that they should take pride in their school.

The day I visited the school I was going to check on the names of the children receiving uniforms and take pictures of the children. I had no idea how much fun I would have doing this. Immediately when I arrived, the girls gathered around me, posing for my camera and showing off their uniforms. After about fifteen minutes of this, the teachers organized it so I would visit each class and take a few pictures. The children were so sweet and giving me warm greetings as I walked in to the class room. The kindergarten and first grade classes I will never forget though - each time my camera flash would go off the children would literally scream with laughter. They had such an expressive response, that I began to laugh also, which caused them to laugh even more. Soon the children were bouncing off the wall and I was laughing too hard to actually take quality pictures. During this madness, I'm pretty sure that I grabbed the nearest teacher and exclaimed, "I love my job!"

Also...You will notice that not all of the children are wearing uniforms and this is why -
1. They are new to the school and they will be covered in round two
2. They forgot - this is especially true of the little ones
3. They have a solid taost t-shirt - this means the kid was the head of their class and they got a special t-shirt for this. There were two kids in every class that received a t-shirt like this.
4. I had a hard time getting all of the kids in the school pics.

Enjoy!
Lori, Fount of Mercy's International Development Director

TAOST Library

Written by Lori, Fount of Mercy International Development Director

Last Tuesday I visited TAOST JR, Academy. Over the past few months, this school has worked very hard to create a proposal to develop a library for their school. Most recently they put together a space for their library.

This includes converting two small rooms into one larger room and getting shelves, tables, and chairs. The nest step for this project will be buying the books.
The TAOST Organization leaders say that they want this library so they can encourage their students to have a culture of reading. The headmaster of this school, Francis, is so excited about the library, he is already planning how the teachers can make use of it and creating reading challenges for the children.

Before and After

The first photo is of TAOST's old school. The Ugandan Ministry of Education inspected the space and determined it to be unsafe. The school was in danger of being shut down.

Through partnership with Fount of Mercy and Redeemer Church, TAOST is now located in a building they are proud of. Not only is the building safe and ministry approved but it has separate rooms for classroom privacy and has allowed for growth. Since TAOST relocated their enrollment has more than doubled.

Through Travel with Purpose donations, pie sales and individual support, Redeemer has propelled TAOST into the next phase of their schools growth!

Library Construction has Begun!

Fount of Mercy’s Literacy Advancement Initiative is working to equip indigenous grass-root schools with working, culturally appropriate libraries from which teachers can teach core subjects and students can learn to love to read. In conjunction with providing reading material, Fount of Mercy's Literacy Advancement initiative offers professional development workshops for educators providing each educator with the tools needed to best utilize their school's library.

During the Fall of 2009, Francis(TAOST's principal), Rini (Fount's Intern) and Lori (Fount's International Development Director) worked together to respond to Fount of Mercy's Literacy Advancement request for proposal. The budget includes money for the following activities:

1. Renting two more rooms.
2. Tearing down the walls separating two rooms to make space for a small school library.
3. Building wooden shelves along three sides of the walls to hold books and other library resources.
4. Purchasing relevant books and library resources to fill the library shelves.
5. Putting in place the relevant furniture needed in the library such as chairs and tables.

Fount of Mercy, in partnership with Redeemer Church and South Reno Baptist Church, is granting TAOST's library proposal. Once the library's construction is finished the library will be filled with the following:

1. English dictionaries;
2. Pupils books for students in all grade and subject levels;
3. Primary school atlases;
4. A teacher’s guide in all grade and subject levels;
5. Teacher’s Thematic Curriculum texts for grade levels P1 to P3;
6. Teachers Reference books;
7. 3 types of Readers Series press grade level;
8. Various story books;
9. Bibles

In January, TAOST started construction on the Library. Picture will soon follow. Our education teams can not wait to see the library and provide professional development workshops for the teachers on how to utilize their new library.