Kasiisi Project Updates

Third Kasiisi Project Library under Construction

Posted on May 18, 2013

Foundations of the new library at Kigarama Primary Shool

Foundations of the new library at Kigarama Primary Shool

The foundations are being laid for the third Kasiiis Project Library. Funded by generous donations from the Trinitarian Congregational Church in Concord, Massachusetts, construction of a new school library is underway at Kigarama Primary School. The libraries are part of a wider literacy project designed to build a reading culture in Kasiisi Project schools, and which in addition to lending out books include reading circles, book clubs,  staff training and reading clubs for women taking care of young children.

Kasiisi Literacy Teacher Musinguzi Moses leads a reading circle in the completed Kasiisi library

Kasiisi Literacy Teacher Musinguzi Moses leads a reading circle in the  Kasiisi School library

We have seen state exam results in English improve significantly (the lower the score the better the performance)  at Kasiisi School where the literacy program has been active since 2008 (blue column) and there are indications that there is a similar improvement underway at Kyanyawara where the library was build in 2011 (purple column). This improvement has not been seen in other subjects or other schools.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Construction, Educational Collaboration, Literacy, Teacher Support, The Kasiisi Project, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
 

Farm News

Posted on May 11, 2013

 

Kasiisi Farm Piglets

Kasiisi Farm Piglets

Two exciting events have occurred on our project farm. To mark the visit of Kasiisi Porridge Project trustee Pat Smith and his wife Liz our first piglets were born.

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Among those happy to welcome the new arrivals were agricultural interns from Rural Training in Development (RUCID)  Organic Agricultural Training College in Mityana.

RUCID Iinterns and demonstartion beds at the Kasiisi Farm

RUCID Iinterns make demonstration  beds at the Kasiisi Farm

Kyako Esther, Kabahuma Evelyn and Komuhungi Peninah were assigned to the Kasiisi Farm for field experience.  Putting into practice what they had learned in class is an integral part of their Diploma course in Organic Agriculture. The Kasiisi Project is delighted to be able to provide these opportunities to Ugandan students and is grateful for their input.

Kasiisi Porridge Project Trustees and Kibale Forest School Program Directors visit the site of the proposed eco-campsite on the Kasiisi Farm

Kasiisi Porridge Project Trustees and Kibale Forest School Program Directors visit the site of the proposed eco-campsite on the Kasiisi Farm

 

 

 

 

 

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Kasiisi Project Farm committee and Porridge Project Trustees hold a meeting on the school farm

Posted in Conservation Education, Educational Collaboration, Entrepreneurial Development Project, General, Porridge and Farm Project, The Kasiisi Project, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
 

Exclusive Trip to Uganda with Richard Wrangham and Steven Pinker

Posted on April 22, 2013

Screen Shot 2013-04-20 at 3.22.23 PM

During this small (there are only 8 places) and exclusive trip, participants will explore the origins of human life in its birthplace with two pioneers of contemporary evolutionary thinking. The cost of the trip includes a  donation to The Kibale Chimpanzee Project, our research partner and one of the longest running chimpanzee research sites in the world. It will also include a visit to the Kasiisi Project Schools.

Limited places are still available in case anyone you or anyone you know might be interested. For more information about this trip go to African Genesis-Uganda or http://kibalechimpanzees.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/african-genesis_uganda.pdf or contact Elizabeth Ross at elizabeth@kasiisiproject.org

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Kasiisi Project Employee receives IPS Conservation Award

Posted on April 20, 2013
Rwabuhinga Francis helping students from Rweteera Primary School measure depth during Cleveland Zoo funded water qualityproject

Rwabuhinga Francis helping students from Rweteera Primary School measure depth during a Cleveland Zoo funded project to assess water quality

Rwabuhinga Francis, Director of Conservation Education for the Kasiisi Project, has been awarded the International Primatological Society 2013 Charles Southwick Conservation Education Commitment Award.

“This award is dedicated to recognizing individuals living in primate habitat countries that have made a significant contribution to formal and informal conservation education in their countries.”

Francis, a Kasiisi Primary School alumnus and Kasiisi Project Scholar, obtained a BA in Environmental Science from Makerere University and then joined the Kasiisi Project to work with our conservation education programs. We are all so proud of Francis and delighted with this external recognition of his important work.

Posted in Conservation Education, General, The Kasiisi Project, Uncategorized, Wildlife Clubs | Leave a comment
 

Bronx Zoo Photo Exhibition Opening Reception

Posted on April 19, 2013

 

Bronx Hall

Urban Assembly Hallway

 

Kigarama School

Kigarama Classrooms

 

 

 

 

On Tuesday April 16th the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Bronx Zoo hosted  a reception to mark the opening of an exhibition of photographs taken by students from Kigarama Primary School and the WCS affiliated Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation in the Bronx.

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Urban Assembly Classroom

 

 

Math copy

Kigarama Math Class

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is estimated that the exhibition, which will run through the summer, will be seen by approximately one million visitors to the zoo.

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Mark Ossenheimer, Principal of Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation

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US Ambassador visits the Kasiisi Project

Posted on April 9, 2013

 

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Ambassador Scott Delisi talks to Kasiisi Primary School Students

Yesterday was an exciting one for the Kasiisi Project when it was honored to welcome US Ambassador Scott Delisi and his wife Leija to Kasiisi Primary School.

Kasiisi Primary School students perform for Ambassador and Mrs Delisi

Ambassador Delisi was joined by the Member of Parliament from Burahya County, the LC Five Kabarole District, the Town Clerk, Community Elders, the Reverend Kasiisi Church,  Kasiisi Project Head Teachers,he KFSP Board of Directors and the Resident District Commissioner Kabarole District,  to watch  performances by Kasiisi Primary School students. They sang  the American and Ugandan National Anthems and performed traditional dances.

Ambassaor Delisi takes a look at the One Laptop Per Child program

Ambassaor Delisi takes a look at the One Laptop Per Child program

This was followed by lunch and then a tour of Kasiisi Primary School to take a look at some of our programs and then a visit to the Kasiisi Project farm.

The US Ambassador and The Kasiisi Weston Stars Pre-School

The US Ambassador and The Kasiisi Weston Stars Pre-School (Elizabeth Otali on his left!)

Peace Corps Volunteer Keith Miller explains the water collection system from the Kasiisi Dormitory Roof

Peace Corps Volunteer Keith Miller explains the water collection system from the Kasiisi Dormitory Roof

Of particular interest to Mr. Delisisi were the Biogas Digester built by US Army Cadets from West Point, and the farm which has been the focus of much of the work carried out by our Peace Corps volunteer Keith Miller.

Scott and Leijah Delisi and Keith Miller on the Kasiisi Project Farm

Scott and Leija Delisi and Keith Miller on the Kasiisi Project Farm

The Ambassador was very impressed with the projects he saw and said that he was proud of the support American citizens have given to the children of the Kasiisi Project.
We are too – a huge thank you to all of you, even the ones who are not Americans!

Keith and agricultural interns harvest greens from the farm for the Ambassador to take home.

Keith and agricultural interns harvest greens from the farm for the Ambassador to take home.

Posted in Community Organization KFSSSP, Construction, Educational Collaboration, General, Nursery School, OLPC Computers, Porridge and Farm Project, The Kasiisi Project | Leave a comment
 

Interview with Dominic Akandwahano

Posted on April 6, 2013

Screen Shot 2013-04-06 at 5.31.28 PM copy                                      Dominic Skypes with Brookwood students

The Kasiisi Project is engaged in a second year of the Brookwood School’s Clean Stove Project. Children from Rweteera School will collaborate with students from schools in the US, Brazil, Tanzania, Rwanda and India on a program to build and test clean and fuel-efficient stoves. Last week Kasiiisi Project scholar and Harvard freshman Akanwahano Dominic shared his experience of growing up  close to Kibale National Park with students from Brookwood school.

If you would like to hear the conversation you can do so here or copy http://cookstoves.wikispaces.com/home into your browser window.

Kyanyawara Students build a stove in 2012. This year it is Rweteera's turn

Kyanyawara Students build a stove in 2012. This year it is Rweteera’s turn

Posted in Conservation Education, Educational Collaboration, General, Scholarships, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
 

Kasiisi School Principal – a great leader

Posted on March 17, 2013
Lydia Kasenene, Principal of Kasiisi Primary School

Lydia Kasenene, Principal of Kasiisi Primary School

Harvard Business School professor  Rakesh Khurana was recently on a BBC panel program on leadership. At the end of the program they were asked to describe an impressive leader. Rakesh’s fellow panelists chose different CEOs, Rakesh chose Lydia Kasenene, Principal of Kasiisi Primary School,  advisory board member of the Kasiisi Project and member of the Board of Directors of our Ugandan partner The Kibale Forest Schools Project.

Listen to what he has to say here starting at minute 24 or you can download a podcast at http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/bizdaily

 

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Kasiisi Project Student Photos at the Bronx Zoo

Posted on March 17, 2013

ONE WORLD DIFFERENT LENSES

THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP, THE FASCINATION WITH NATURE AND THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD WHEN LOOKED AT THROUGH THE EYES OF CHILDREN

The Kasiisi Project has partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society in an exhibit of photos taken by students from Kigarama Primary School in Uganda, and and the Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation  in the Bronx. The exhibition which opens April 16th at the Bronx Zoo runs until June.

Screen Shot 2013-03-16 at 6.07.07 PMWe hope that any of you visiting New York will include the Bronx Zoo  in your places to visit, and see this wonderful exhibition of photographs taken by students from two very different worlds  – and please tell friends and family.

If you live close enough or want an excuse to visit New York next month and would like to attend the opening reception please let me know at elizabeth@kasiisiproject.org so that I can send you an official invitation. This is an after hours event and to be admitted you will need to be on the official  list o of people attending.

 

Posted in Conservation Education, Educational Collaboration, The Kasiisi Project, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
 

Esther Kanyanyuzi – New Kasiisi Project Employee

Posted on February 21, 2013

On February 1st Esther Kanyanyuzi joined our team in Uganda as Assistant Field Director of  The Kibale Forest Schools Program. Esther who has a BA in Public Administration, is the youngest of 11 children. Before coming to us, Esther worked for the Social Science Ministry of Water and Environment and the Ugandan Electoral Commission. We are very happy to welcome Esther on board!

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