Asiimwe Mark’s Success Story

How a child named Asiimwe Mark went from being unhappy and struggling in school to earning the Best Performer Award in the primary leaving examinations at Nyakibale Lower Primary School.

Mark’s Background

Asiimwe Mark is a child who came to Nyakibale Lower Deaf Unit from the Buhunga sub-county. He had grown up struggling in school for many years.

His learning disability was identified at 11 years old, and he began attending Nyakibale Lower Primary School. However, teachers and school staff became concerned for his well-being when his mood, behavior, and concentration reached an all-time low. So, in December 2018, a home visit was conducted to assess Mark’s living situation, get his family’s input, and discover Mark’s support needs so that he could thrive and get the most out of his schooling.

Conducting a Home Visit

The home visit was conducted by a team of our social workers from Nyakibale Lower Deaf Unit, the unit administrator, the Unit counselor, and a probation officer. Our team discovered that Mark was living with his maternal grandparents.

During the visit, through talking to Mark, we were also able to learn about multiple causes that led to his declining behavior and focus in school. Two community members had been harassing and bullying him, making him feel unsafe and anxious.

Mark also expressed his hatred of being at home, and we learned that his grandparents had a problem with overdrinking. This often resulted in regular quarrels and fights, creating a stressful environment that greatly affected Mark. Because Mark is HIV-positive, we also knew that HIV comes with its own stresses and challenges that no child should bear.

At home and within his community, these personal stressors contributed to what manifested at school.

Developing a Case Plan

Having assessed the situation, our team was able to develop a case plan during Mark’s home visit consisting of the following:

• Mark’s grandparents would place a higher priority on focusing on Mark’s needs and also provide more consistent meals for better nutrition
• We’d facilitate counseling and increased support for Mark
• We’d also facilitate counseling for Mark’s grandparents with guidance and encouragement to control their drinking
• Our team would also help identify the two community members who had been bullying Mark to confront and counsel them

A Story of Success

After implementing Mark’s care plan, things began to drastically improve. We were able to identify and counsel the people who were bullying Mark, and the harassment case was passed along to the LC1 chairperson and a probation officer to prevent further bullying or retaliation.

Because we were able to discover what was really troubling Mark and identify the obstacles he faced each day, our staff gave him and his family the tools and support they needed to thrive. As a result, Mark felt safe and cared for and found confidence and ability that was within himself the whole time.

Today, Mark and his grandparents are doing exceptionally well and living happily together. Mark’s school performance has also drastically improved, so much so that in 2020 he earned the best performer award during his primary leaving examination at Nyakibale Lower Primary School, and seeing him smiling and holding the award was such a beautiful moment.

Appreciation

What we were able to do for Mark and his family would have been possible without donor support. Thank you so much to our donors and CCCU (Catholic Care for Children Uganda) for helping us make our work possible.

We also need to thank our hardworking staff for their commitment and passion for equal opportunities in education for children and child-centered, family-based care.

Getting Involved

If you feel called to join us on our mission of ensuring sustainable family-based care and equal education opportunities for kids, consider donating to help us impact more children and families.

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