Meet the Teachers
Madiina Magale:
 I am 31 years old and I teach the nursery class at the Rock Foundation School. Teaching children can be a hard task, especially teaching young ones who are entering school for the very first time. I love to watch the children grow up and trust in me just like a parent. The more I concentrate on the children’s needs, the more I learn from them- it is sad to part with them when they graduate to older classes. I am married and have two children, ages 7 and 4, who both attend Rock Foundation School. I enjoy reading bible based literature and listening to country music. I love to sing with my family and friends. I long for moments to be together as a family but the demands of work make this a rare opportunity. Our home is 4 km away from the school in a small village. I pay about 55 cents for a ride on a motorcycle to get to work- all three of us ride at once! But usually we walk to school so we reduce our daily expenses because even the money we earn is not enough for our basic needs. When it’s hot, rainy or we are sick and after a long and hard day’s work, our walking can be difficult. My dream is to open my own school one day and my hero in life is my husband who handles our family with love and care.
Betty Tumushabe:
 I teach what we call the “baby class” which is our nursery school. I have been a teacher here at the Rock Foundation School for seven years. I am famous here because I am the very first teacher hired by Harbert when the school was just beginning. The reason I like teaching is that it’s a good profession – all people respect me. There are also opportunities to get other jobs. My parents wanted me to become a nurse but I refused because I wanted to be a teacher. I completed senior four and then one year of college at the YWCA before becoming a teacher. I’m married and I have a three year old son, Isaac, who is in my class here at school. I love to eat meat, rice and matoke, watch television and listen to music, sing and play games with children and go out with my family to the beach at least once a month. My salary is $81/month and I have to spend a lot of this money just getting to work each day. My hero is Harbert Ganyana, the director of the Rock Foundation School, because he sponsored my brother Daniel’s school fees throughout grade school.
Jimmy Tabinika:
 I am a Mugwere by tribe. I was born the second of six children in the family of the late Reverand Thomas Tabinika. I taught History and Christian Religious Education in Kaliro to secondary students until 1987, when our family was forced to run away because of cattle raiding. When I came to Kampala, I was jobless for a long time until I got my credential to teach in the primary schools. I have taught here at the Rock Foundation School since 2003.
The most interesting day in my life was on the 9th of January when I entered marriage. And the most annoying day of my life was November 7th, 1987 when my cows were raided and taken by the Karamajongs. I will never forget this day.
The problem I find at work is the tiresome journey of walking everyday to come and teach. It is a 7 km. walk from my home to the Rock Foundation School.
I am proud of my school and its administration because the salary is prompt and the pupils are well disciplined. If the school acquires permanent buildings, it will have excellent standards. The only problem I have noted is that many parents can not afford to pay school fees due to poverty.
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