Letter Exchange And Long Distance Education In Uganda
In January of 2008, two RESPECT International volunteers, David Marino and Lauren Garrity, from New York, USA began volunteering in Uganda for the Global Pen-Pal Exchange Program and the Distance Learning Program for RESPECT University in Uganda.
These programs, headed by Obonyo Tom Fred, RESPECT Uganda and ACDA's (Agoro Community Development Association) coordinator, are intended to educate the local students in vocational studies, provide outreach opportunities.
ACDA has educational outreach established with both North America and Japan. It was founded to provide a voice for the oppressed and disadvantaged groups in the community and to make an effort to lobby for support to alleviate their plight and improve their situation.
These valuable programs have recently faced some problems with students being unable to post their assignments to the tutors, and the tutors being unable to get in contact with the students.
Through the help of the volunteers, they hope to reinforce the educational program's focus and resolve issues with communication through the posting system. The volunteers will also help to train the students for their exams.
This added service from the volunteers is sure to be an encouragement and will help interested students get the feedback they need to continue their education. According to ACDA's website, the programs are not intended to replaced education in local schools, but they are sometimes the only educational opportunity many of the students have.