Our first project
Elementary school in Mubende, Uganda
A school built classroom by classroom by one teacher — and what has grown from it since.
Protecting tomorrow — the school fence initiative
Let’s keep the children safe. A fence to protect and secure.
The next step
Children should be able to lose themselves in play without having to worry about what happens beyond the schoolyard. In Uganda this is not a given — open grounds mean that cars, strangers, and the very real risk of child abduction are never far away.
This year our campaign focuses on one clear goal: building a protective fence around the school so that children can run, laugh and learn in safety. The lawn in front of the school is their main play area, and enclosing it will create a secure space where teachers and parents can relax, knowing the children are protected.
Thanks to your support so far, and the tireless dedication of director Agnes Owomugisha, the school already has three functioning classrooms with soundproof ceilings, a repaired exterior, solar panels providing clean energy, and a new water pump bringing fresh water to the children. The fence is the next essential step to safeguard all that has been built.
Every contribution, no matter the size, goes directly into the fence project — all administrative costs are covered by our members. By donating today you help protect the children, their education and their future.
Let’s keep the children safe. Let’s build a fence.
We are achieving this together. We are so happy with the way you have transformed our school for the children. Long live Okulaba and long live the Good Shepherd School.
The start. The milestones. The future.
Agnes, the director of the school, tells the story of how she got started, how Okulaba supported the school, and what is next to come.
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Agnes’ story
The project was started by Agnes Owomugisha, an elementary teacher who suddenly found herself out of a job due to cost-cutting measures. Instead of despairing, Agnes used the small amount of money she made from a nearby farmland to build her own school.
Bit by bit, over three years, whenever she had some money to spare, she built the first classroom. Whenever she ran out of money, the project stopped.
Now four classrooms are built, along with a little annex where the teachers stay and a small building for toilet facilities. The lawn in front of the school for breaks and playing is nearly ready, and the mango trees will provide shade.
Many schools in Uganda are started by private citizens, especially in rural areas where the state does not provide sufficient coverage.
Our previous campaign
We have come far
Most urgently needed were desks and benches for the children. Agnes was keen to start with the first classes, and desks matter more than plastered walls.
With your donations we were able to buy 60 desks and benches. Finally the school could open.
The next challenges were putting in ceilings and plastering the walls — that was our “Raise the Roof” campaign.
Why schooling matters so much
Education is the only long-term way out of poverty. Food and survival come first, of course. After that, an investment in education means children grow up with a higher chance of getting better paid jobs — and better paid jobs mean less need for children to work in the fields.
