Ikoba

We are partnered with Ikoba Secondary School, a small Church of Uganda-sponsored rural girls' school, about 30 minutes drive out of Masindi. It has four main year-groups, S1-S4 (Years 8-11 equivalent), with a growing sixth form (S5 and 6). Most of the students board (this is usual in Uganda). Madame Ruth is the Headteacher, and Chaplain Fred is the Partnership Co-Ordinator.

Every February Half-Term we send a small team to visit the school.  We work alongside the school sharing teaching strategies and learning about each other’s cultures.  It is a great opportunity to make new friends and help our students understand the world and global issues.

We have a team packing to go to Uganda in February 2025, and we are taking lots of donations and gifts for the students and staff at the school.  A group of year 7 students have been making friendship bracelets for every student.  We are also taking reusable period pants, PE kits and lots of stationery supplies.  Here are some pictures of the bracelets!

Our partnership started in 2006. This led to some exciting joint work in Science, Art, Textiles and Geography, for example. Students in Uganda love writing letters and a number of lasting friendships have started through this route.  
 
Faith and community lies at the heart of the partnership. We have found that Ikoba has a real wealth of faith, commitment, warmth, community and enthusiasm that is humbling. Consequently, as we develop the partnership, we want to keep the reciprocal visits at the heart of what we do.  We value your prayers with this partnership as it is something that we have worked hard to maintain and grow over the years.

Many staff and students from each school have made a visit. Some SMRT ‘gap year’ students have spent three months living at Ikoba school and this has led to a real deepening of the relationship. 
 
Our Friends of SMRT (Parents’ Association) and some teachers, students and churches are sponsoring needy children to go through the school. 

We have publicised and fundraised in a number of ways and would be delighted if you wanted to join in any aspect of our partnership.

Mrs K Duzniak,
Assistant Headteacher (Personal Development, Community and Faith), on behalf of the SMRT/Ikoba partnership.