CanHave Children's Centre

THE TRADE SCHOOL

Background

In 2005, Brother Vincent gave CANHAVE CHILDREN’S CENTRE seven acres of land near Lake Victoria in Kisubi, on the Entebbe-Kampala Road. His gift coincided with the need to consider the future of CANHAVE HIV/AIDS-affected orphans who had completed school. Many of them continue to Secondary 4; some continue to the Advanced Level, the pre-university level; and others leave before that grade. It depends on their academic achievement in secondary school.

The Trade School building was completed in 2008. It has five large rooms: 3 workshops and 2 classrooms. Solar panels have been placed on the roof and capacity for wiring was taken into account but the new building opened without electricity. A large water tank supplies water.

The Opening on February 2, 2008

The Opening of the Trade School was a festive occasion attended by almost all the 48 CANHAVE children, the Ugandan Board, the Minister of State for Children and Youth Affairs, four Canadian Board members and four Canadian visitors and many local representatives and community leaders.

The plaque was laid close to the mango tree where generous donors are acknowledged.

The gathering was entertained with speeches, dance, song and music, before all enjoyed a great feast and a game of soccer.

At the time, the sewing class was furnished with 20 regular pedal machines, 2 industrial and 1 commercial machines.

The Property and Operations in 2008

The property has been cultivated and the fishponds stocked so that CANHAVE can feed the students and staff and in future sell produce to local people as an income-generating activity.

The outdoor kitchen was built; desks and chairs were made by one of the CANHAVE graduates in carpentry and the office was opened to attract students.

First Term 2009

The CANHAVE Board has made an agreement with the Christian Brothers to provide an administrator and some teachers of carpentry, sewing and computers.

In early February 2009, classes began with 34 students, 29 girls and 5 boys. The girls have stayed in a temporary dormitory and the boys are non-resident.

The Immediate Future

CANHAVE hopes to complete the furnishing of all the rooms as workshops and classrooms in 2009 and to build a permanent dormitory for the girls. The Canadian Board plans to ship a container of materials: tools, equipment, computers, supplies and furnishings will be shipped during the year.