Rugrats, une école à la Robin des Bois!

<p> <strong>What exactly is a Robin Hood’s school??</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>    Well, the idea is very simple and is actually inspired by the values of the famous and generous Robin Hood: first, we set up a kindergarten where there are none and we provide <strong>quality education</strong> as even toddlers have the RIGHT and deserve to<strong> learn in the best conditions;</strong> it seems "normal" in France but the evidence does not impose itself here in Uganda. This school is called "Rugrats Daycare &amp; Kindergarten".</p> <p>  </p> <p>    Secondly, we push further the debate on "How can we also help those other children who cannot go to school?!" because many Ugandans still have no access to education, schools are largely private and expensive.</p> <p> And in the few public schools, called "governmental schools", classes offer a minimum of a hundred students ...</p> <p>  </p> <p> How to learn well in such conditions?</p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Idh_1749_v2-1436259790" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/216619/IDH_1749_v2-1436259790.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p>    But without knowing how to read or write, or even speak English, which is the official language though not the mother tongue in Uganda, it becomes difficult to find a job and be integrated in the society.</p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p>   <strong> Two revealing figures:</strong> (source: France Diplomacy website, updated 3/9/15)</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>6.7 children per woman</strong> = one of the world's highest fertility rates</p> <p> <strong>586 US dollars</strong> = GDP per capita per year, with high income disparity</p> <p>  </p> <p> Under these conditions, many cannot send all their children to school, especially girls.</p> <p>  </p> <p>    This is where the image of Robin Hood, redistributing wealth, appeared to me like a revelation: <strong>why don't we use the premises and the qualified teachers of <em>Rugrats, </em>our kindergarten, to alphabetize the disadvantaged children in the neighborhood?</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>    The Robin Hood’s school would be a <strong>simple and effective</strong> solution for these children: benefit from existing premises, appropriate teaching materials and a teaching staff involved in giving their time and talent during school holidays, which represent 14 weeks per year in the local school calendar.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>   A life’s gift for these children who will learn the necessary basics for free (and even more if possible) to be able to get a place in society.</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>A positive impact for all ;)</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> 1. We alphabetize disadvantaged children</p> <p> 2. We advocate sharing as a core value to all our students and we teach them the importance of sharing to live together</p> <p> 3. We offer you the unique opportunity to join our parents in making a significant gesture of solidarity</p> <p> 4. We, the teachers, feel a greater motivation to work</p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>The real highlight of this project: the LONG TERM effect!</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>    Indeed, the aim is not to ask you for a one-off project whose positive impacts would be short-lived.</p> <p> NO, the aim of this solidarity project is to <strong>be able to support in a sustainable way several generations of disadvantaged children.</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>The birth of the project</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>    Opening my own school has always been a dream ... and after some years spent teaching in Uganda, I realized gradually that it was here and nowhere else that I wanted to realize it. I love this country that welcomed and gave me, I love its people I slowly begins to understand; and it is here that I want to make this project so dear to my heart happen.</p> <p>  </p> <p>    Opening a school is a long and laborious process, but nothing insurmountable.</p> <p> But it still lacked an essential ambition for me: that of<strong> being able to get involved socially and give back, </strong>help by educating since this is my job.</p> <p>  </p> <p>    It took me two years to mature the project and the day I realized my school could also realize the dream of children who have no access to school was the day I finally felt I had the will and courage to get into its realization.</p> <p>  </p> <p>    I had found what I was missing until now: my personal dream was turning into a collective one...</p> <p>  </p> <p> So now, let’s work: a project like this, we should not let it go because the longer we wait the less we act...</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="_mg_0451-1438552385" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/222537/_MG_0451-1438552385.JPG"></p> <p>  </p> <p>   What about you? Wouldn’t you fancy being part of the trip? <strong>With you by my side, I know we can aim even further!</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>    If you decide to board, I will certainly let you know the stages of our fabulous adventure together.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>   Whether you participate or not, please do transfer this link to everyone you know; it will already be a great boost for our project and we thank you for that in advance ;)</strong></em></p>