My say

My co-Director in Uganda:

Once upon a time, there lived a Dutch lady armed with an Air ticket of the ‘Flying Dutch Man’ landed in her second homeland Uganda. The year was 2008 AD.
Ironically, I’m not going to pen a date on all what happened during Cobie’s work tour in Uganda. Not that I did not diary them because if I do so I will need more than a kilometer of writing space.

First assignment:

Cobie’s first assignment was to go and convey her heartfelt condolences to the mother of the late Martin Obbo (the Nursery child who died a month before she came).
Our sitemanager and I went with her but what I noticed was that she was emotionally touched, held back her tears and asked to go back to her apartment at Blacklines. I know while there she cried her heart out.

Working with the University whose first language is neither Dutch nor English:

On the first Monday of her working tour In Uganda, upon reaching at Makula, all the children run to welcome and hug her. Except the children in our ‘University’………what…….. a University section in a primary school!? Yes, we name our Nursery section the University.
So back to the story of the children in the Baby class being new at school, they just saw a mzungu and that was it. No big deal and thus, retaining their separate identities and this was a challenge for Cobie to make accessible concepts that are cognitively challenging for children. This meant finding out what children already know about her as a starting point as a mother she treated Baby class consistently, with respect and consideration and was more concerned for their development as learners at the end of the day, that is at noon (you know our University lessons stop at noon).
Cobie and her babies demonstrated a clear understanding with each other even though they couldn’t express it in Dutch nor English…………
This bring me to a conclusion that Cobie might be a magician to work with the babies in the University whose first language is neither Dutch nor English.
And you, what do you think of her?

The Waitress:

If you visit Cobie’s work place at Oad and find her smartly seated behind her office desk you never realize that when she is in Uganda one of her may duties is to work as a waitress. Not in a restaurant but at her school serving morning porridge and pancakes to her most favourites and that’s the Nursery section.

Madam in the meeting:

Madam Cobie is referred by the staff at Makula in one of the staff meetings commented that it is essential that all groups take an active part in the school’s process of improvement planning, love and care for the children and the teachers to strictly stick to school’s set policies and code of conduct.
She also concurred that she is currently looking at ways to ensure that each service reviews its effectiveness, using agreed monitoring and evaluation processes.

The Dream:

Since the year 2002, Cobie and I had a dream of visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park, but every time she was in Uganda we couldn’t make it. This time, after almost six years of waiting, the golden dream became a reality.
We trekked for six hours south of the equator and there we were. To tell the truth I had never seen Cobie so happy and enthusiastic about any prospect, but this was it!
Beaming with her big eyes capturing each and every animal that graced the vast plain of the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Get a time and ask her whether she saw the rarely seen lions, the giant elephant, antelopes, hippos, beautiful birds to mention a few……….. her answer will be an automatic affirmative.

Love for dogs:

Although she was very much perturbed of the disappearance of MAX…….. who is Max?……..
The children at Makula Foundation School nicknamed Max ‘Cobie’s dog’.
This time around Cobie’s dog was not at the scene to enjoy a daily morning breakfast of Spanish omelettes and bread! But still there were substitutes; JOBBA was always there to feast on the bounty.
Much more happiness was seen on her face when Jobba father Puppies!!!
By the way how many puppies were they? ………. Cobie is in the very best position to tell you the exact number because she spent most of her free time in the market to buy meat for the mother dog and to watch how the puppies breastfed.

My say:

I believe we have achieved a great deal this year and we are planning to do a great deal more in the year to come.
My co-director, Madam Cobie, has been incredible and a real joy to work with. The staff, teaching and non teaching, parents pupils have worked ceaselessly to maintain and improve upon the school’s positive ethos of achievement.
Overall, I think I can say that the school remains a happy one moving from strength to strength and embracing new initiatives whilst protecting our core values.

I will not promise but if there happens to be another story keep waiting.

Thanks you for morally, spiritually and financially supporting us
For the Generation of Excellence.

Rogers Mutebi
Kampala - Uganda