HOW WE BEGAN.
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In 2010, Eddy Kaliisa was doing an internship with his University. A friend had asked him to go with him to meet his parents in Namaganda Village in Kamuli District. On the way, they passed hundreds of children in rice and sugar cane plantations; some weeding, some planting, some cutting - during school hours! They passed many other children along the road that looked unhealthy, dirty, and in either no clothes or ragged ones at best. This touched Eddy deeply, and with the help of his friend, he reached out to a few families to ask why their children didn't go to school. They said that schools were too far away and too expensive; they didn't have money for school supplies or even for clothing. Many public schools were in bad condition, had no teachers, or had overcrowded classrooms.
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Once Eddy got back home, he started working hard! He saved money every way he could - he bought less for himself, skipped meals, walked more, trying to save up for school supplies for the children he saw in this village. In February 2011, he had enough saved to buy some pens, books, pencils, and a few more school supplies for the kids. When he returned, many locals weren't open to the idea of him working with their children. They didn't trust him, thought he was too young and not serious. So Eddy started with 4 children. He was teaching them on the weekends; they never had rooms, they worked under tree sheds, in banana plantation sheds sitting on mulches, or in open fields with grasses in the mornings. They didn't have books for class work, so they wrote on banana leaves, on the ground using sticks.
By 2013, the locals started warming up to Eddy now that he proved himself as a dependable and caring young man, so his class size grew to 11. He taught them about hygiene and discipline; he bought them clothes, cut their hair, and gave them Vaseline. He taught them handmade weaving and they became the best in their village! The children had learned and improved so much just by working with Eddy on the weekends! Eddy couldn't imagine how much they'd learn if they had a real school to attend!
Eddy graduated in February of 2014, and he knew he wanted to save up money and start a local school for these children in his area. He started working multiple jobs and would regularly work from 6:00 am to past midnight. He'd pick up small odd jobs as well, like lifting luggage for traders in order to bring in more money. In 2015, Eddy had saved enough money to get a start on this school. So, with that and the help of donations from his friend Claudia Panti, the school was built in February 2016 and the Visionary Learning Center (VLC) got its start. It started as just an empty shelter and the students had to sit on the floor. Eddy wanted to make the school better for the children, so he kept working!
With the help of a monetary donation from Stephen Jones, Eddy was able to make desks. Eddy also received help and donations from his mother & Kathy Stock and together they bought a sewing machine. The kids at VLC and other schools started coming to learn how to sew. Later, Margie Patton helped with the digging of a borehole to provide water for the students and the animals. Eddy continued to make new friends (he now considers family): Viviane, Conny, Edith, Anke, Gail, Deborah, Emma, Wilson, Heather, Mama Cher Rose, & the Behan family.
With everyone's support, the VLC now has permanent school and library buildings with over 200 students!
By 2013, the locals started warming up to Eddy now that he proved himself as a dependable and caring young man, so his class size grew to 11. He taught them about hygiene and discipline; he bought them clothes, cut their hair, and gave them Vaseline. He taught them handmade weaving and they became the best in their village! The children had learned and improved so much just by working with Eddy on the weekends! Eddy couldn't imagine how much they'd learn if they had a real school to attend!
Eddy graduated in February of 2014, and he knew he wanted to save up money and start a local school for these children in his area. He started working multiple jobs and would regularly work from 6:00 am to past midnight. He'd pick up small odd jobs as well, like lifting luggage for traders in order to bring in more money. In 2015, Eddy had saved enough money to get a start on this school. So, with that and the help of donations from his friend Claudia Panti, the school was built in February 2016 and the Visionary Learning Center (VLC) got its start. It started as just an empty shelter and the students had to sit on the floor. Eddy wanted to make the school better for the children, so he kept working!
With the help of a monetary donation from Stephen Jones, Eddy was able to make desks. Eddy also received help and donations from his mother & Kathy Stock and together they bought a sewing machine. The kids at VLC and other schools started coming to learn how to sew. Later, Margie Patton helped with the digging of a borehole to provide water for the students and the animals. Eddy continued to make new friends (he now considers family): Viviane, Conny, Edith, Anke, Gail, Deborah, Emma, Wilson, Heather, Mama Cher Rose, & the Behan family.
With everyone's support, the VLC now has permanent school and library buildings with over 200 students!
