Happiest regards from Okere City!
2022 was a rollercoaster. We rose over and above our expectations, making sure that indeed, we continue to ensure that a living wind continues to blow in Okere as our motto reminds us. Our 2022 started on the highest note because schools were finally reopened after being closed down for over 90 weeks as a COVID-19 prevention procedure. We didn’t only re-open our early childhood development center but also opened a primary school and welcomed 150 children as our incredible learners. Despite many challenges, such as drought which threw many of our community members into difficult financial challenges making them unable to afford school fees, we still persevered and prospered. Thanks to Segal Family and Tenacre Foundations that significantly lifted many burdens off our shoulders and gave us the wings to fly to ensure that children in Okere continue to receive excellent educational services.
2022 also saw the birth of seven amazing initiatives at Okere City. Firstly, we started Aero-Kwan
Functional Adult Literacy Project that is providing adult education opportunities to 150 rural women in Okere.
Secondly, we also started Yaa-Malu (RISEUP) Tailoring Center which in 2022 gave 30 female youth in Okere the opportunity to receive vocational skills in tailoring, fashion, and design.
Thirdly, we also started expanding our health center to provide laboratory and maternity services thanks to a meaningful donation from Stanbic Bank.
Fourthly, we also started the Yei-Okere Peacebuilding Camp brought through a partnership with Yamora, a local NGO in Yei County, South Sudan, and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Fifthly, we started the #ExploreOkere project to strengthen Okere City as a top community tourism destination in Lango sub-region in particular and Northern Uganda in general.
Sixthly, our Shea trees planting campaign enabled us to plant 1,000 shea trees in 2022 as a pilot Shea parkland initiative. Lastly, we also started Okere SDGs Summit through a partnership with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung which is intended to demonstrate our attempt toward the attainment of sustainable development goals in practice. Many infrastructural projects were also started including the construction of 3 classroom blocks, a school toilet, sports grounds, and a health center.
Our work also continued to receive spotlights both in international and local media. Among others, CNN featured our work in their Africa Changemakers series; Climate Tracker wrote about our Shea tree planting initiative; Urban TV and Africa News documented our post-conflict reconstruction agenda. National Newspapers such as Makers The Observer, Daily Monitor, and The Independent also elaborately featured our community's transformative efforts.
If you are an African or someone passionate about development in the African continent, may you flip through the pages of our 2022 Annual Report and be inspired to join our efforts in making African villages more prosperous and sustainable by doing something small for your village. For others across the world, our noble community transformation efforts need your emotional, physical, and financial support. Please be a part!
