Millennium Villages Blog

With Rieko and scholarship beneficiaries Daphine and Mary Gloria at Maryhill High

Japan can feel like a very long way from Africa, and after 21 hours on a plane and a few delayed connections, this feeling certainly rung true for the delegation from Millennium Promise Japan who recently paid a visit to the Ruhiira Millennium Village in Uganda.

And yet connection was the theme that characterised a week full of new encounters and experiences. Aside from Rieko Suzuki (Director of Millennium Promise Japan), it was the first time on the continent for the other seven visitors, who included Masayuki Tadokoro, a Professor of International Politics at Keio University in Tokyo, three representatives from the Japanese sports-based NGO Amitie, and three volunteers from Millennium Promise Japan, a national affiliate of Millennium Promise. Prior to visiting Uganda, the delegation also visited the Sauri Millennium Village.

Stedius at her new school - Kyeizooba Secondary

Millennium Promise Japan came both to inspect progress in the Village because it has received much funding from the Government of Japan, as well as to monitor the progress of the 11 girls who, beginning this year, are beneficiaries of secondary school scholarships from MPJ. As visitors from Millennium Promise Japan and Amitie, a Japanese sports-based NGO, drive toward the Millennium Village in Ruhiira, the cellphone of Mr. Honda, business adviser for Amitie, trills; it’s a Japanese number. Flying over bumpy roads and swerving to dodge wandering goats and bicycles weighed down with matooke bananas, it’s often difficult to hear the person next to you, and yet, after securing a business deal in 2 minutes, Mr. Honda experiences a rare moment of speechlessness at the fact that the reception from the depths of the African bush was better than in Tokyo, thanks in great part to the partnership between Zain, Ericsson, and the Millennium Villages, which is literally connecting and empowering entire swathes of the population in a way that just a year ago was inconceivable.

This crystal clear connection between Japan and Uganda was to be representative of a series of revelations throughout the day about the way in which increased connectivity is transforming lives and restoring hope to the people in Ruhiira. Wireless internet and mobile connectivity, thanks to local network Zain, means that schools can partake in the ‘School 2 School’ program, an online video-partnership between Omwicwamba Primary School in Ruhiira and Whitby School in Connecticut. The internet connectivity also allows for data clerks to enter all the patient information obtained at the health clinics on a daily basis, adding immeasurable value to the efficiency of management and accountability at the clinic before ultimately sending it off to New York for analysis. It also enables the Community Health Workers to contact the project ambulance at a moment’s notice should a mother go into unexpected or complicated labour, enabling her to reach the hospital for a safe, midwife-assisted delivery

All these things were explained in depth by local experts as the group moved around the Village, and with choruses of ‘how are you, my friend!’ always one step behind, it became increasingly clear that this is a community getting its foot on the ladder, and one that is becoming increasingly aware that geographical distance is no longer a justifiable barrier against connection.

With secondary school fees out of reach for the majority of families in Ruhiira, graduating primary school all too often signifies the end of the road in terms of education, and for girls in particular (note: click here for more information on Connect To Learn, a newly launched partnership to fund secondary education scholarships for girls and boys throughout the Millennium Villages). The 2009 PLE results saw the first ever girls to score within Division 1 in the district, a wonderful example of progress being made toward MDG 3: promote gender equality and empower women. This MDG is integral to the achievement of all others, as empowered and educated women are more likely to send their children to school, know the importance of family planning and HIV prevention, immunise their children and adopt good agricultural practices, to name just a few examples. In providing the eleven scholarships, Millennium Promise Japan both wanted to both celebrate the achievements of the girls themselves, whilst bringing girls’ education further into the spotlight and creating ambassadors who, when returning to their villages can talk in schools, take part in local council meetings and play an active role in community development, in order that they can educate their peers and be more powerful voices for tomorrow.

As we visited some of the girls in their new schools, it was evident that they’re putting in the hours in recognition of the opportunity they have been given as they’re all amongst the top of their class; pretty amazing considering they are up against some of Uganda’s most privileged. Previously poring over books by candlelight, using every pencil down to a stub and juggling schoolwork with the hours spent fetching water every day, it’s mind-boggling how far these girls have come from their lives in the village. And yet, as one of the girls, Kiconco Happy, said to me, “Everything is possible if you are willing. Am I willing? Yes!”

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