Above the Crowd: Meet Joanita Senoga

"I went to my parents and said, " ‘Mom, Dad, you always said education can open doors.’ And with that I started Circle of Peace School on their porch in Makindye, Uganda," laughed Joanita Senoga.

"In Uganda, students have to pay for education," she explained. "My parents had 10 children. To raise money, my mother sold doughnuts—I can remember her with my sister on her back going to the train station to sell them."

"When young, I went to live with my grandparents in the country," she continued. "I was fortunate because they paid for my classes. After finishing Kibuli Teacher’s Training College, I taught at the Buganda Primary School."

Joanita witnessed the misery of children being turned away. "So many could not pay but wanted to learn so much."

With little more than determination, Joanita started Circle of Peace School in 1993 with eight students. By month’s end, there were 24.

Today the Circle of Peace School educates about 200 students from pre-school through grade 7. "Thirty-five percent of the students are AIDS orphans; along with education, we provide housing, medical care and emotional support," explained Joanita. And despite the shoestring conditions, it produces the highest-testing students in the area.

With family members doing day-to-day operations, Joanita and a long-distance network of volunteers devise creative ways to fund-raise.

David Davenport is President of Givology Spiders, the University of Richmond chapter of the online organization, which supports schools in the developing world. "Joanita has opened my eyes to the necessity of educating the children in Uganda," he explained. "Students and adults from the Richmond area all help. At Harvie Elementary School and Collegiate School, students write letters and collect supplies."

Iria Jones, is part of the U.S. Task Force for the Circle of Peace School, a group of volunteers dedicated to helping the school. "I traveled with Joanita to Uganda and was deeply touched by what I found—children’s faces full of hopes and dreams."

Joanita’s exile began in February 1996 when she was forced to flee her country— leaving behind two young daughters.

"Friends arranged for me to come to Ashland, but along the bus journey I was robbed—and all was lost." With experiences as vivid and moving as any Dickens’ novel, Joanita survived.

"I am writing my memoirs!" she laughed. "So I won’t go into too much detail. But I will say that Richmond has very good people who were helpful and loving to me—Dr. David May, the Pastor at St. Andrews Episcopal Church and his wife Mary; Betty Allen, the Senior Warden, and other church members. They gave me a job as a church sexton and helped with immigration so I could be granted political asylum."

Despite severe financial challenges, Joanita supported her school. "I always work two jobs," she explained. "At the moment I am Library Night Supervisor at the Boatwright Memorial Library at the University of Richmond and also work part-time at the Roslyn Retreat Center on River Road."

Dr. Dick Leatherman of the University of Richmond School of Continuing Education also recognized the strength in Joanita—encouraging her to get a degree from U of R and to tell more people about the school.

That continues to be her mission today.

"Circle of Peace School needs so much," said Joanita. "We are presenting two exhibits of drawings from the schoolchildren. The first part is Aug. 28th at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and the second, all September at Artworks. It is a blessing so many people are helping."

Fundraising Exhibits
Saturday, Aug. 28
6:30 to 8 p.m.
St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Parish House in Oregon Hill.
Sept. 1 through Sept. 30
Artworks, 320 Hull Street
(804) 291-1400

Would you like to help the Circle of Peace School? Please make donations payable to:
Circle of Peace School P.O. Box 44. 28 Westhampton Way University of Richmond, VA, 23173
ugandapeaceschool.org
givology.org

If you know of someone who deserves to be recognized for his or her selfless and inspirational dedication and contributions to society, please send your nomination to Celebrations@timesdispatch.com, Subject: Above the Crowd