Congratulations!! DCI Uganda/LifeSeeds Graduation Class Persevered Through The Pandemic

Jonathan writes: “We did it! I think the most fun graduation ever. It lasted all day, but there was so much energy and joy. The students are so very much more confident than they were when they began.” 

“All the host pastors came and we gave them shirts and a framed appreciation for the important role of hosting the classes. The classes have given their greetings for me to send on to you (Robin Becker) and the Life Seeds Board.” 

UGANDA: In 2023, all Life Seeds teachers attended a six day intensive teacher training, with an emphasis in phonics for the Ugandan context, as well as time spent sharing their experiences with each other. Because our villages are far apart, this is an important time to connect and exchange practical skills gained from their classes. Throughout the year, our team of dedicated Ugandan staff traveled to all the village literacy classes. They monitored, supervised and encouraged the teachers and students. Each class has a unique setting and its own culture, so management is tailored to fit their situation. The teachers report in their WhatsApp group each class day about attendance, progress and individual student issues. Meanwhile, every month they were all brought together for a group video call to learn about new methods and materials and to share experiences. We began providing new teaching manuals for each term to better enable us to keep track of class progress in the curriculum schedule. This new system will ensure that all classes are moving at similar paces so that everyone learns all the material before graduation. We continually improve our program management to make sure we meet the real needs of our communities. Some Life Seeds teachers were selected to go for intensive training in the Stoplight Approach, a system for managing emotions and reducing violence, applicable for students, kids, parents and teachers. This has been effective in addressing a wave of domestic violence during the pandemic years. We expanded and enhanced this curriculum that can now be used by other ministries. We have 8 classes that persevered through the pandemic, graduating in Jan. 2024. These students started their own businesses like wholesale produce, shops to provide essentials and agricultural enterprises. Others are working jobs in health clinics and government councils. Students are now confident citizens in their villages. Thank you so much for your prayers and support for DCI Uganda Life Seeds Literacy Program! We hope to serve even more in 2024.