By Anzoo Evaline.

 The dream of transforming the future of underprivileged children in West Nile is taking shape with the official launch of the Jewel Michaels Foundation for Education, an initiative spearheaded by Miss Teen Pearl of Africa, Queen Jewel Michael. The foundation, whose mission is to ensure that vulnerable children have the opportunity to go to school, stay in school, and complete school, will officially be launched on Friday, September 5, 2025, at Paridi Stadium in Adjumani District.

In preparation for the grand launch, a pre-event meeting was held on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Adjumani District Council Hall, bringing together heads of department, political leaders and opinion from the fourteen districts across the West Nile sub-region. The dialogue cantered on the current state of education in the region, where stakeholders identified poor parental attitudes towards children’s education as one of the most pressing challenges. They urged parents to adopt a more supportive mindset and prioritize education as a key investment for their children’s future.

Queen Jewel Michael expressed her passion for education during the press conference, noting that many children in West Nile drop out of school due to poverty, neglect, and early marriages.

“I would like to tell you why I choose education. As a 15-year-old child, I have seen myself that very many children in Uganda starting with my own district, which is Adjumani district, are struggling with education. There are so many limitations that stop them from going to school, staying in school, and completing school. I have four cousins who have been in and out of school because of lack of finances, poverty.

I have another cousin who dropped out of school because of teenage pregnancy. And you might ask yourself, if you have four cousins and you go to school, why not help them?

And you ask yourself, why is this happening? In 2025, we have children who are being forced into marriages, little children. In 2025, we have children dropping out of school because of peer pressure. And you ask yourself why is this happening? I am 15 years old and I want to advocate for children who do not have a voice because. I’m able to be here and advocate for all of them. Education is not It shouldn’t be asked for because it is a right. It is something that we should have. And that is why I am starting the Jewel Michaels Foundation for education”, said Miss Teen pearl of Africa.

The Queen Mother Ambassador Lucy Michael has appealed to the parents more especially the mothers to support their children’s education. “Motherhood is a responsibility and the responsibility is towards the family and towards the community and the family is where our children are nurtured first. So, beginning right from the time a child is born. It’s very important first of all for mothers to watch over their health and make sure that they start school at the time they should start school at UPE, which his excellence the President of Uganda has made sure is actually accessible and it is free. So, that is a responsibility of a mother that the key milestones of a child’s life. At the beginning of life, early childhood is fulfilled. The next responsibility of mothers of West Nile would then be towards managing the teen ages of children during puberty. When children are at puberty, they have a lot of emotional and psychological, social economic needs”, Queen mother Lucy emphasized.

The retired Major Gen. Odonga Michael the father to miss teen pearl of Africa also emphasized on the importance of education. “Somehow one may wonder as to why this soldier is so much now engrossed in issues of education. Education made a big contribution to our lives, but still, we have issues and one of them is a poor education or even lack of it, which is a big problem. So, I see education as a critical tool of social transformation and development, and I am what I am because of education”, said Maj Gen. Odonga.

The launch event at Paridi Stadium is expected to draw large crowds, with Gen. Caleb Salim Saleh serving as the Guest of Honour.  

Drani Ronald the senior Education officer of Arua city in charge of Ayivu division welcomed the initiative and said. “We clearly know that West Nile has been the epitome of education in the whole of Uganda. We have very many alumni who have finished their all level from West Nile. In army, in different offices, people used to come from different regions of Uganda to come and study in our region when we went to school, there was emphasis on preparing children to read and write right from P1. And actually, it started even from the church. And that literacy which was emphasized where children were taught to first read and write in their own mother tongue, gave them the power to easily understand English and also to begin to write on their own and to read to interpret.

Our greatest challenge in West Nile, which is causing poor performance is poor reading culture. I want to start from there. Most of our primary schools that are performing like the RDC of Obongi said are from private schools. The reason is these pupils start the education from ECD’’, said Drani. He added “So, many parents complained they are poor. That poverty mindset has affected simple provision of education. And most of our homesteads people are growing Marungi, opium. And the children who are supposed to go to school, these young girls and boys, they first go and pluck this Marungi to get some 1,000, 2,000 shillings. And some of the parents send them to go and sell them. And the parents who are selling this Marungi are actually abusing, they’re chewing it and the children begin to abuse this drug. And now what happens is the children when even they’re in primary, they’re very indiscipline. They’re hostile even to teach they don’t listen to advice. So, drug abuse has greatly. The rate of strikes which we witnessed in West Nile immediately after Covid-19 was the effect of the drug abuse,” Drani added.

The RDC of Obongi district Samuel Mpibaza Hasaka has appealed to the stakeholders to work together as team in ensuring the success of the program

“I want to bear that at the end of this program launch let’s be serious let’s work together Let’s see how we can help out. The girls are suffering. The girls are being defiled. The girls are being married off at a very young age. so happened that we are having this educational campaign in West Nile, let us let work together ladies and gentlemen”, said RDC Hasaka

With the backing of stakeholders and the enthusiasm of the community, the Jewel Michaels Foundation for Education promises to be a beacon of hope for thousands of children whose educational journeys have been threatened by poverty and neglect.