Students collect coins for a good cause

By Jason Gabak

Editor

When Matt Wolford, a 2012 Skaneateles graduate and 2016 graduate from Union College applied for a Minerva Fellowship, he wasn’t sure where this opportunity might take him, but he had hoped for the opportunity to serve in Uganda.

“I applied for a Minerva Fellowship, you do not get to choose where you will be placed, although I wished to be placed here, because I really liked the premise upon which it was founded and thought that I had a lot to offer the communities in which fellows are placed,” Wolford said. “It was not entirely a selfless desire though I also wished to learn a lot about the cultures of the world and this gave me a chance to go beyond just tourist destinations and do that. The fellowship was found on the principle of social entrepreneurship meaning companies that turn a profit and also provide social benefits to their communities. Our clinic is a business and does not provide anything for free, healthcare is far too expensive for the people of Uganda to pay entirely so we share the cost with each patient and revenue is made up through donations from the US, a store on the clinic compound, and through the sale of locally made crafts.”

Wolford has been working in Uganda since July and will continue to be there until April.

While there Wolford works as a private health clinic

“When the clinic is busy we are helping staff to conduct laboratory tests for diseases and infections such as malaria and HIV,” Wolford said. “In addition we work in the pharmacy helping the pharmacist count and fill prescriptions for outgoing/diagnosed patients.”

Wolford said other projects include renovating a bunkhouse into a library as well as assisting two local start their own business with grants provided by Womentum as well as helping repair bore holes to help with water access and promoting literacy.

“The clinic sponsors roughly 30 of the brightest kids to go to the best schools in our region. Everything they need from uniforms to school supplies is paid for by the clinic,” Wolford said.

Back at home, Wolford’s mom, Ellen, a teacher at State Street, is proud of what her son has taken on.

She said his adventure has been a learning opportunity for her students who have interacted with Wolford over the internet, learning more about what he is doing.

“It is a good experience for them,” Ellen said. “It is eye opening for a lot of them. They can see that these students in Uganda have a very different life than they do here.”

Perhaps one of the biggest revelations for the Skaneateles students has been how different education is.

For students in Uganda, school is not readily available like it is for Skaneateles students.

Ellen saw an even larger opportunity for her students to learn and get involved.

For one week students through out State Street brought their change in, with all of it ear marked to help benefit students in Uganda.

“They were very excited about the idea,” Ellen said. “They were excited that there was something they could do that would make a change in some else’s life.”

By the end of the day Friday, $1,173.50 had been collected and Principal Steve Widrick offered to make a donation to round it up to $1,200.

Ellen said it was a good experience, brining the entire school together in the fundraising effort.

Back in Uganda, Wolford said he was impressed to see what these young students were taking on.

“I love that the students are willing to help children their age, half a world away,” Wolford said. “In the US we have so many things that we take for granted, not everyone in Uganda has the opportunity to attend school and get an education or have access to clean reliable drinking water. What the students of Skaneateles are doing is raising money to provide opportunities for the children of our community here in rural Uganda.”

According to Wolford these funds will go a long way.

“The funds will be used to purchase school materials for the clinic sponsored students such as required textbooks, pens, paper, etc.,” Wolfrod said. “In addition money may be used to fund materials for the library such as the purchase of books, scissors, paper, glue, pencils, markers, etc.”