Home visits – encounters that stay with us
Over the past few weeks, our staff have been out and about again with the visiting teams, visiting many families of our PMCO children at home. These home visits are an important part of our work, because real change begins not only at school but also in families.
A particular highlight was the distribution of glasses generously donated to us from Germany. We were able to pass many of the glasses on to parents and, in particular, grandparents of our children. Older family members especially often suffer from sight problems, yet have hardly any access to eye care or cannot afford glasses. The joy and gratitude were overwhelming. For many, the new glasses meant being able to see and work without difficulty again after a long time, or to manage everyday life more independently.
Besides handing out the glasses, the main focus was on time spent together. The teams visited parents, grandparents and other carers, listened, talked about the children’s development, prayed together and strengthened relationships with the families. In Uganda, grandparents in particular often play a central role in bringing up the children and achieve a tremendous amount, often in difficult circumstances.
These visits remind us again and again that education goes far beyond the classroom. It happens where people are seen, encouraged and supported. By strengthening the families too, we create better conditions for the children to develop healthily and fulfil their potential.
We are grateful for every encounter and for all the supporters who made such visits and these valuable donations of glasses possible.