On our first Monday morning at KSPH, we were given a tour of the school, dorms, and vocational training areas by the Deputy Headmaster, Sam. Since agriculture is an important part of the Ugandan culture, the children and teachers all work in the garden. They grow bananas, popo fruit (papaya), jackfruit, avocados, maize (corn), cabbage, and other crops. Even students in wheelchairs who are able to work with their arms are helped onto the ground and into the garden to do their part.
Another vocational activity taught at the school is cloth dyeing. The students are instructed by Winnie, a delightful woman who was a student at KSPH many years ago. Her perseverance inspired us!
Each Tuesday morning, plastic tarps are spread in the field. Bolts of cloth are laid on top of the tarps; porridge is ladled on the cloth to dry in the sun, or the fabric is gathered for a marbling effect. Dye is then poured on the cloth from a watering can to form the various designs.
Once dried, the bolts of cloth are washed and rinsed in a bucket brigade of tubs and then hung to dry. Each student in the vocational training class is responsible for part of the process.
After being pressed with a flat iron, the fabric is ready to be cut and sewn by the tailoring students. Beautiful quilts, garments, and aprons are sold to provide the school with additional income.
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