Girl's Hoima Hostel

Girl’s Hoima Hostel, COBURWAS Club and Think Humanity. A partnership to help girls with their education.

•When and why formed: Think Humanity, a positive change for refugees in Africa was formed as a 501c3 in December, 2007. The Girl’s Hoima Hostel project is a project to help girl refugees get an education. The idea was organized in the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp through the great leadership of the COBURWAS Club. The mission of COBURWAS Club is to unite, transform and develop communities in Africa through education, social entrepreneurship, volunteerism and humanitarianism. In 2008 the hostel consisted of 17 girls and 10 boys, but in February 2009 they separated males and females and this hostel is now 65 girls. Girls hold all leadership positions. The boys now have a separate hostel project. The girl’s project was formed because in the African culture girls are mistreated and their educational rights are abused. Twelve years and 80,000 refugees in the camp and no girls had ever finished A level (senior 5 and 6). The hostel was created to improve the lives of girl refugees so that they can get an education, start speaking for themselves, empower them and to give women emancipation. •Mission: The mission is that our girls will attend the best schools in Hoima District. By getting an education it will change the lives of girl refugees who have in the past only married, had children and labored hard by digging/farming.

•Accomplishments: 1) 65 girls are going to the best schools in the district. 2) Girls have been able to recognize their rights and freedoms. 3) the girls are the best students in their schools, even competing with Ugandan nationals. Mahoro Tisia is the top student at Kitara Secondary School out of 600 students. 4) Our girls are learning about leadership and management. President Jenipher Barega was chosen at her school to work with the school administration. These girls are also becoming great speakers in the refugee camp and also at their schools and other organizations, such as Coburwas Club and Think Humanity. 5) They are learning spiritual guidance and counseling. 5) They are competing in sports such as football (soccer).

•Main activities: Some of the activities that these girls are involved in are sports. They run as a group every Saturday morning. They do community work such as visiting orphans and people with HIV/AIDS. The girls wash clothing and take them food. They visit hospitals to comfort others. They use drama, debate and acting as a way to teach, train and educate about issues such as HIV/AIDS and the importance of educational roles for women. All girl students must attend school. They have a strict schedule which requires them to study every night between 7:30-10:30. They get up at 4:30 a.m. to study before school and eat breakfast. They go to school at 7:00 a.m. Every Saturday the girls have to clean their bedding, clothing and uniforms. They have chapel every evening after supper between 6:30 and 7:30. It is required to attend all activities.

•Top priorities in the next year and importance: Rent is the top priority because without rent there can be no education. The girls need a place to stay while living in the nearest town to the refugee settlement. Otherwise, in the settlement camp there are no quality secondary schools where they can get their education. Tuition, transport, food and medication are also high priorities. Think Humanity is committed to helping the Girl’s Hoima Hostel in partnership with COBURWAS Club. We deeply miss the leadership, great volunteerism and dedication of James Kazini who was recently resettled in Canada to help his aunt and her three girls.The hostel is in good hands with Jenipher, Tamari, Sarah and Consolatrice, to name a few. These are also leaders in the COBURWAS Club, a great organization that is changing the face of Africa through great service to others.Sincerely,Beth HeckelThink Humanity