Invite IRT to your School IRT's Penpal Project in Uganda Penpal School Profiles
Who are the people IRT works with? Why are they displaced? What are their lives like? Is there anyway we can relate to each other?
At IRT we believe that there is great value in learning about different people's lives and knowing their stories. We can give your school the opportunity to share these stories. We hope that this experience will allow children to become informed, open-minded and tolerant global citizens.
Below are some options for your school to join in. However, we are keen to hear your thoughts if you had something specific in mind, so please get in touch with us!
Invite IRT to your school
We love coming to schools and talking to pupils directly about our work and especially about the young people in the countries where we are active. We have tonnes of photos, videos and stories which we would like to share with you.
We run workshops with classes or hold talks at school assemblies. Topics can range from specific IRT projects, a specific school you would like to get involved with or refugee related issues. Talks are always accompanied with lots of visual aid like pictures and videos as well as activities and group discussions.
If you are interested in inviting IRT to come and talk to your class or your school, please get in touch and we can discuss all the available options.
IRT's Penpal Project in Uganda
Drawing of a student's mother cooking in the family home. Toloro Primary School, Moyo District in Uganda.IRT supports many projects in northern Uganda and our emphasis lies greatly on children and education. We have now set up our very own Penpal Project for schools in the UK to write to schools in northern Uganda.
To find out more about the Ugandan schools, visit the School Profiles.
What is IRT's Penpal Project?
Through letter writing students communicate and educate each other about the differences in their lives and schooling, providing an amazing and interesting insight into each
other's cultures and ways of life. They will be
surprised to find that even though their lives 
A Penpal Project letter to a school in the UK from a Primary 5 student (Year 4 in the British system).are so very different, they still have a lot in common.
How does it work?
IRT has several schools in Uganda that want to take part in this project. We will match your school with one of these schools. You'll exchange letters, drawings, photographs and any other items you wish to send. The intensity of communication can be tailored to the needs of both schools involved. We understand that teachers and students alike are very busy!
A poem written by a student in Primary 5 about Uganda. The project will be successful if both schools benefit from it and it is really important to us that we create as good an experience as possible for you and your students.
What’s in it for IRT?
Often organisations charge lots of money for these kinds of projects. At IRT we believe that the Penpal Project will help the students in Uganda, therefore we see it as part of our work and do not charge schools. However, the stark contrast in distribution of wealth between the UK and northern Uganda is a
In one of the letters from Uganda a boy describes his daily timetable and made a self portrait. fact. We therefore ask that schools who take part in the Penpal Project help fundraise for the schools and/or their communities.
Many schools choose to fundraise for the school that they are linked to, and it is incredibly rewarding for UK children to see what their 'sister school' has been able to do or purchase with the raised funds. This personal connection teaches them the value of things we take for granted, like pens, books and other basic materials.
Would your school be interested in getting involved with the IRT Penpal Project with a school in Uganda? Please get in touch and we'll discuss how to make this work for your students and the students overseas!