Mbale, Uganda: A group of enthusiastic teenagers gather in a circle, performing the famous Kadodi dance, a cultural symbol of the Bagisu people, who regard Mount Elgon, also known as Masaba, as their sacred ancestral homeland.
The audience watches in delight as the dancers move in synchronisation, all the more remarkable because most of the performers have hearing impairments.
The dancers are students of Mbale School for the Deaf. Cheers and ululations erupt from the audience, with some spectators tipping the performers with money.
“You must be wondering how these students can get the rhythm of the songs and dance to them. But as teachers, those are the skills we instil in our children with special needs,” one of the trainers tells the audience.
Established by the government in 2008, the institution is a secondary school with a vocational wing that provides education and practical skills training, primarily to learners with hearing and other physical impairments.
The performance was organised in honour of a visiting Stanbic Bank Uganda delegation, which had come to hand over a new hybrid solar power system to the school.
Tunde Thorpe, Stanbic Bank Uganda’s Executive Head of Business and Commercial Banking, said the donation followed discussions with the school’s leadership, which identified reliable lighting in the main hall as one of its most pressing needs.
“Following discussions with the school’s leadership, we learned that reliable lighting in the main hall was one of the institution’s greatest needs. This hall serves as both the dining area and the evening study space for learners between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Without dependable electricity, valuable learning time is lost. We believe a lack of access to power should not limit learners’ education,” Thorpe said.
The school’s vocational wing offers courses in agricultural production, automotive mechanics, building and construction, electrical installation, plumbing, welding and fabrication, fashion and design, leather tanning, woodwork and cosmetology.
Thorpe said the new solar system would provide clean, reliable and sustainable electricity, helping learners study in a safer and more conducive environment.
“Reliable lighting will enable learners to study in a safer and more conducive environment, improve their evening learning experience and support better educational outcomes. It will also reduce dependence on conventional energy while promoting environmentally sustainable solutions,” he said.
He added that the initiative aligns with Stanbic Bank’s Positive Impact Agenda, through which the lender invests in women, young people and farmers, whom he described as central to Uganda’s long-term development.
“We are equally proud to support inclusive education. Every child, regardless of ability, deserves access to an environment that allows them to learn, grow and realise their full potential. Mbale School for the Deaf continues to play an important role in nurturing that potential, and we are honoured to contribute to your mission.
“As Stanbic, for 35 years, we have remained guided by one purpose: to drive Uganda’s growth by partnering with communities and creating opportunities that transform lives,” Thorpe said.
Esther Akuku, the school’s headteacher, said the solar system would help improve students’ academic performance by ensuring that lighting remained available whenever the national electricity supply was interrupted.
“This solar system is going to improve the academic performance of our students because light will be available at times when electricity power happens to go off. Students have been facing challenges when power is off at night because they can only communicate in the presence of light,” Akuku said.
However, she noted that the school continued to face several challenges, including inadequate classroom blocks, insufficient washroom facilities for girls, limited accommodation for teachers and a shortage of water-harvesting tanks.
She called on stakeholders to provide additional support to address the gaps and improve the learning environment.
Joy Wamalugu, the acting District Education Officer for Mbale District, also appealed to stakeholders to support efforts to improve water access at the school.
“It is risky for these students to go out of the school premises to look for water. Due to their hearing impairment, they face many challenges crossing the road. Some motorists are reckless on the road. We need to find measures to keep the students safe,” Wamalugu said.
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