This was probably the favorite part of my trip: the children. When you arrive at the school, there are 100s of children learning and playing.
We asked many of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. Watch the video to see their responses.
When I asked them what their hopes and dreams were 3 years ago before they went to school, they really had none.
I spoke with 16-year old Rachel. She told me “Before I started going to school, I was going to get married. So I would not have gone to school. When you are married you don’t go to school. I wanted to be a doctor, but you need to go to school for that. If I weren’t in school now I would be married with children.”
11-year old Rebecca said she wanted to be a lawyer (I can’t remember how she knew what a lawyer was). I asked her what her life was like before she went to school. She said “I was digging in the sugar cane plantation all day. We had corn flower and beans for lunch, then we went back to work. I wanted to be a lawyer. But my mother couldn’t send me to school. My brothers were hunters, they were not going to school, but they’re going to school now. When we gave our lives to Christ we started going to school. I still want to be a lawyer. I will need to go to university.” Then she looked at me sternly and corrected herself, “No I will go to university.”
It was clear to me that the UCSS school has completely transformed these children’s outlook from one of hopelessness to dreams for their future.
Please watch this incredible video as we tour the school and speak to some of the children.