Just like the impoverished schoolchildren of Kampala, Uganda, Pepperdine students will be trekking eight miles to gain better understanding of the daily struggles that these children of East Africa endure commuting to school.
On Saturday, students will walk in Bus for Buyamba to raise money for a bus to drive hundreds of kids to school.
One year ago, the bus that drove 75 percent of the schoolchildren broke down, leaving them to walk eight miles each day for their education.
Since then, the school has only been able to send a small nine-person van to transport the large group of school children. Each day, the children rush onto the van, cramming as many people as possible in hopes of avoiding the long journey. Those who do not make it onto the van are forced to walk the miles on unpaved roads, whether it’s under searing heat or rainy skies.
Junior Courtney Germann witnessed the struggle for herself and has since then worked to mend their hardship by reaching out to the Pepperdine and local communities.
“The students are leaving at 5 o’clock in the morning and not getting home until 10 o’clock at night. I felt that God was telling me that something needed to be done. Since I returned from Uganda in July, it has been a work in progress,” said Germann.
The God Cares primary and secondary schools serve as a spiritual and academic learning center, aiming to spread Christ throughout Uganda. The God Cares School has voiced to Germann that the biggest concern is the safety of the children. School administrators are grateful that no incidents have occurred; however, they believe it is a miracle that students have avoided injuries on considerably hazardous roads.
Uganda does not have sidewalks, making the commute more dangerous for the schoolchildren with cars speeding by. The younger students have stopped attending the school altogether, unable to endure the long walk by themselves and avoiding unsafe travels.
“While taking the summer program in East Africa, I’ve seen the struggle for myself. The struggle that these children face is real. I can’t imagine walking eight miles each day or packing into the small vans,” said junior Dujon Smith.
Raising money toward the purchase of a new bus will hopefully improve the daily lives of these children and allow the younger ones to continue receiving an education. The children will no longer feel the exhaustion after walking the distance and face the uncertainty of making the van each day.
The Bus for Buyamba organization began accepting donations Sept. 29 and has since then accumulated around $10,000. After the fundraiser, the non-profit hopes to raise around $30,000 for the new bus.
“I was able to talk to the few students who have Internet in Uganda about the fundraiser, and they are incredibly excited. They are so grateful and happy that people in the United States are talking about them and making efforts to help,” said Germann.
Oaks Christian and Point Dume Elementary School are also joining in efforts to support the cause by encouraging students to gather donations while trick-or-treating this Halloween. The goal is for each student to raise $8, representing the eight miles the schoolchildren walk each day.
The fundraiser walk begins at 9 a.m. this Saturday starting on John Tyler Drive and ending at the Gathering Church on Busch Drive in Malibu. After the walk, there will be music, dancing, food and a raffle for all participants.
“Our organization strives to do everything we can to impact people and change their lives for the better,” said Julie Deamus, president of the Buyamba organization. “Part of our mission is to make a difference in people’s lives whether it is only one person or one thousand people.”
