Vered’s Blog

Yes We Can - has a living proof.

Change that real people are creating. It’s not taking place in the mighty USA, but in a much less known place – in Kagadi in the region of Kibaale in Uganda.

For the last 2 years Open Circles Academy was supporting the URDT girl’s school in Uganda. Our students donations supported in building a whole new school in one of the poorest regions in Uganda.

This October I went to visit the school in Uganda. I was amazed to find a whole community that lives, breathe and manifests the principles of Feminine Leadership. The girls in that school were a living proof of the power of women and the unlimited potential that we have.

Those girls come from the poorest of the poor in the region which is anyway poor and neglected. They were chosen to this school as they showed willingness to take leadership and responsibility in bringing change to their lives, the lives of their families and their community.

When you speak with those girls you see in their eyes the willingness to learn and grow. When you listen to what they talk you can hear the commitment to being a change agent and the drive and trust that they can bring change and become leaders in a region where women are treated less than men.

I was privileged to give some workshops to those girls and students and each time I worked with them I was touched to the bottom of my heart with their joy, their power, their openness to learn and their trust in themselves.

These girls were grateful for every little thing that they have received; most importantly they immediately put it into action.

I have no doubt that those girls will actually change the system in their country. They are real DOERS.

This amazing project was originated by an inspiring man called Mwalimu Musheshe. His concept was to build the future generation leadership that would help eradicate poverty in the rural areas of Uganda. He realized that the only solution will be to educate better the future generations; therefore he chose to focus on a girl’s school.

Today the school has 240 girls (8 to 17 years old) from low-income, rural households that are participating in this unique, successful, and proven educational program. Their co-curriculum includes the approved national curriculum plus applied courses in organic farming, appropriate technologies (solar, computers, internet, water treatment, sanitation, etc.), radio programming, journalism, drama, music, gender/sex education, and visionary leadership training.

The curriculum also incorporates a two-generation approach – students empower their parents with the skills they learn and, through “back home” projects, work with their families to improve their family’s living conditions and increase their incomes.

Around the school a whole range of activities has opened from rural radio broadcasting (one of the most successful ones in Africa!), solar heating systems and micro-financing groups.

This visit was an unforgettable experience.  It will forever stay in my heart as a living proof for the power of following your life’s mission, dreaming big and following your dreams.