We are delighted to be able to share with you a very happy news update all the way from Uganda!
Here at The Great Projects you may think that animals are our key focus and you would be right! However, we also feel that education of any sort is a crucial tool in increasing human-animal relations, and as a result we wanted to play our small part!
This brings us onto the story of Gedion.
Gedion is a 12 year old boy who lives in Uganda, and he has been deaf since birth. However even with his disability he was always determined to make the best of his situation. The Great Projects first came into contact with Gedion through our project facilitator Harriet. Whilst running the Great Gorilla Project in Uganda, Harriet visited Gedions school looking to link up with a local establishment and to help them out through the project. As soon as she visited the school she knew that this was the one. Gedion must have certainly made an impression as, even though his sign name for her was “chubby cheeks”, Harriet chose to sponsor him herself throughout his primary school years! This is why after graduating primary school we are delighted to announce that we are sponsoring Gedion on a Vocational Training Course!
Gedion will now have the chance to take part in Carpentry and Joinery training at a local centre which will provide him with invaluable skills for the future. Over the next three years he will learn how to construct and plan different structures, and maybe one day he can go on and help to build an enclosure for some of the animals on our projects with his newfound tricks of the trade!
Term started on the 7th of September so Gedion has settled into his boarding accommodation and is finding his feet on his new course. You can see Gedion here with his mum on the first day, and you'll have to trust us when we say he is happy as smiling is considered rude in pictures in Uganda! Unfortunately a few bits of his equipment did not turn up at the school in time for the start of the year, but Gedion had soon caught up and is very happy on his new course!
We are delighted to have been able to provide Gedion with a chance to learn some new and exciting skills and help, alongside the school, to provide him with the best possible chance of getting a job once he finishes the course. We will of course keep you up to date with Gedions progress as and when we hear about it, but until then I’m sure you’ll all join us in wishing him the best of luck!
