About Our Mentors
As any parent of a teenager knows, once that teenager is in high school, parental guidance is not enough. Teachers, counselors, club advisers, and coaches assist in the raising up and the education of each of those teenagers. Imagine a teenager you know leaving home to live at high school. The Children UP family of students do just that. They leave whatever security they knew in their community, their family, and their friends in order to attain a secondary education. To guide and assist our students, Children UP has incorporated the expertise of mentors, individuals experienced in the field of education, either involved in the pursuit of advanced degrees or currently teaching at Gulu University.
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Currently Children UP’s mentor team is composed of Ambrose Okot, our Secondary School Project’s Educational Consultant and two veteran teachers, Jennifer and Allan. In 2011 Children UP has identified a teacher at each school who will be there to assist students as needs arise. These teachers will be in contact with the menor team throughout the year.
The team oversees each student’s academic, social, emotional and financial situation. The mentors meet with the students at the beginning of each term in a school year providing them with the school and personal supplies that they will need. In addition to this, the mentors meet with the students to talk with them, check their course work and counsel the students. During these visits on the school campus, the mentors meet with a teacher to keep abreast of the students needs and accomplishments.
The mentor team handles payment of tuition and purchases supplies for each of the three terms.
The team also is available for emergency calls. When a student needed emergency care for a severe ear infection, Ambrose took him to the hospital at midnight.
Mentor reports are filed with Children UP each trimester so that the board is aware of the progress and the needs of each student.
Meet our Children UP Mentors
Ambrose Okot
Ambrose Okot is a faculty member of Education and Humanities at Gulu University. Ambrose received his Master of Educational Administration with Honors from the University of New England in Armindale, New South Wales, Australia in 2000. He received his Bachelor of Education from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.
Ambrose has been with Gulu University since 2002. He served as head of the Department of Educational Management and Administration from 2003 through 2008. He then became Dean of the Faculty of Education and Humanities in 2008. He is on the University Senate Committee as well as other committees. Children UP was privileged to meet Mr. Ambrose when he was at the University of Minnesota instituting a partnership between the two centers of higher learning.
Ambrose Okot has been our leader in the search for academically excellent students who were financially unable to continue their secondary education. He is a gentle powerhouse who has enthusiastically taken a leadership role in identifying and working with the Secondary 1 students who are supported by Children UP. We are honored that Ambrose Okot is working with us.
Jennifer Oyaro
Ms. Orayo is an English teacher at Mary Immaculate Primary School for Girls in Gulu, Uganda. She presently is studying for her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Literature from Gulu University. She received her Diploma in Education at the National Teachers’ College in Unyama, Gulu.
Jennifer has participated in a number of workshops on counseling, psychosocial support and girl guide training. We are very pleased to have Ms. Oyaro join us in mentoring children. She has an understanding of young people coupled with warmth and calmness that promotes confidence in students. Children UP is thrilled to have this educator as a model for the young women in our program.
Allan Ongom
Mr. Ongom teaches at Sir Samuel Baker Secondary School in Gulu, Uganda. He also taught at Gulu High School for twelve years. He received his Bachelor of Education at the Institute of Teacher Education in Kyambogo, Uganda. His expertise is in geography and he has been selected to grade the S6 geography exams at the national level.
Mr. Ongom is a master of organization. He helped the Director of Children UP find and interview the children who were scattered throughout two districts of northern Uganda. He brings a professionalism and confidence to the mentoring process, which is reassuring to the students as well as to the members of Children UP.