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Menschenbrücke e.V.
c/o Friederike Kenneke
Pinienweg 9a
D – 41469 Neuss
Tel.: 02137 – 73 08
Menschenbrücke e.V.
VR-Bank Dormagen
IBAN: DE76 3056 0548 2113 5350 35
BIC: GENODED1NLD
After almost two years, the world’s longest school closure is finally over in Uganda. Students are starting the next grade up without having finished the school year. Schools finally reopened in early January. They had been closed because of Corona. In Uganda, 50% of the population is under the age of 15. For these children, no school meant no education. Families have no money for computers and tablets, mobile data is expensive. Homeschooling like here in Germany, does not exist there. The children there had one main task, to support their own family. Many parents lost their jobs due to the pandemic or earned less. Therefore, the children had to work to support their families. Girls were hit particularly hard. Cases of abuse and rape increased massively. Pregnancy among girls between the ages of 10 and 14 increased by 360%. Girls were forcibly married off. School fees are now needed for newborns. Many children and adolescents (it is estimated that about 30%) will not return to their school after the long break, as it will be difficult for them to catch up on the material they have missed. It could also be that many parents can no longer afford the school fees and are dependent on the financial support of their children. The children can no longer free themselves from poverty through education.
Menschenbrücke has provided Corona aid several times during the pandemic and supported people with food and medicine.
THE “MIHOM” CONCEPT
“Education is one of the crucial factors in the development of people, society and economy. Education not only gives people the ability to draw on other resources, but it also enables them to face not only present challenges, but also future ones.
Even though Uganda has one of the best education systems in sub-Saharan Africa, it is overly exam-oriented and theoretical, leaving out certain core aspects of human nature. These include education in values, critical and creative thinking, self-help, and developing the ability to survive.
There are other problems in Ugandan society in this context. Youth unemployment, HIV/AIDS, teenage mothers, diseases due to poor sanitary conditions,drug abuse, school dropouts and hooliganism. Indeed, there are a multitude of problems to which we must give our immediate attention! However, we can shine a light in the darkness.
Even if the state education system is the key in combating these problems – not everyone gets a chance. Menschenbrücke e.V. and MEMA can proudly report that we are working on another form of help, called “MIHOM”- Multipurpose Inspiration Home:
This project wants:
– Encourage individuals as well as groups to apply a “three-in-one solution”
– Literate adults
– Open a children and youth library (the first in the region!)
– Offer help and advice to the sick and stumbling blocks
– Provide free meals to the elderly and children at least once a week
– Create recreational spaces for children and youth
– Offer people opportunities to pray close to home
– Helping young people who have been dismissed from school to help themselves through motivational workshops
– Show young and old villagers other educational opportunities (both governmental and non-governmental)
– Establish an educational/research counseling service
It is our firm belief that students in poor regions do not need additional academic knowledge, but rather life skills that will enable them to positively shape their economic future and well-being. This means education in business and entrepreneurial skills; health care and leadership skills, plus skills in administration, teamwork, problem solving and project management. This new school focused on life ….”
This was the vision of Father Genza to offer an additional and somewhat different educational experience to both children and adults.
In the meantime, the “Mihom” building has been completed and is being actively used!
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Encounter Festival:
Whenever possible, Pastor Musoke Genza comes to Germany once a year to visit his “Mutti”, Josefine Freibeuter.
During his stay, which usually lasts two weeks, Menschenbrücke e.V. organises a gathering after a service which Pastor Genza celebrates with the congregation (sometimes only in St. Andreas Norf, but sometimes also in St. Peter Rosellen), where it is possible to talk to Pastor Genza, the executive board and the members of the association.
Everyone who feels addressed is invited.
For the cosiness, the members and friends of Menschenbrücke e.V. have provided an abundant selection of finger food and there is a small selection of drinks.
Again, everything is free of charge – we would appreciate a donation!
Ecumenical Church Festival:
The congregations of the Protestant Friedenskirche and the Catholic St. Andreas Church in Norf alternately celebrate a joint festival around their respective churches once a year.
The proceeds from these celebrations go to a charitable project that each parish decides for itself – or a joint project is found to support.
Menschenbrücke e.V. is often the beneficiary of the events, but is also always involved in the community celebrations by helping out (handicrafts for children, selling solidarity bread, fried potatoes or other culinary delicacies, etc.).
Since 2018, the company PERFACTS GmbH has been donating € 0.10 from each item sold of its own brand RUN & MOVE to Menschenbrücke e.V. several times a year, to ensure the water supply for the children at St. Aloysius School.
Drum Journey:
The drum journey is an event organised by the Misereor relief organisation for kindergarten children. In this case, the focus was on the theme of bread.
In the week before, bread is baked with the children in the nursery schools, African songs are practised, bread is sold, the children have received small donation boxes to take home and a service is celebrated together. This is a joint action of the Catholic Family Centre. The proceeds from the bread sale, the donations from the collection boxes and the collection from the church service go to Misereor with the obligation to pass it on for the work of Menschenbrücke e.V..
During the drum journey itself, each child receives a small drum and the practised African songs are sung. An event that Josefine Freibeuter reports about with great enthusiasm!
Paul und Luise:
Paul and Luise
Paul and Luise are two hand puppets who are always present in “Kinderkirche” (the church services for young children) and also in the day care centres. Paul has a cardboard box as his home, with which he goes on journeys – whenever he is allowed to go home with a child for a while. His friend Luise has travelled all the way to Africa to play with the children in the day care centres and to “tell” stories about the partner kindergartens (St. Andreas Norf, St. Michael Derikum and St. Peter Rosellen), as she stands as an identification figure for this partnership. The collections from the children’s church regularly go to the partnered day care centres in Uganda.