SCHOOLS & PROJECTS

SCHOOLS

St. Francis de Sales, Nursery School for deaf children, Jinja, Uganda Special needs school

*Sebastian Waiswa, Director, Organization of Parents of Disabled Children (OPCD)*

Specialist school for children with hearing loss and other disabilities
The latest of the HUGS funded schools
Built in 2020/1 during COVID lockdown
Initial intake 70 children with disabilities
Opened in February 2022
Teaching accommodation and smoke free kitchen built
Set in 5 acres of beautiful land for future development, 13km outside of the town of Jinja

The school has a particularly safe design with a central quadrangle and protected walkways. The school is built in partnership with the Jinja Organisation of Parents of Deaf Children, a grassroots collective of parents and professions concerned with the wellbeing of children with disabilities. Future plans are to make it a centre of excellence for educating children with hearing loss.

Little Shepherd School. Rutunguru, Uganda Primary school and nursery in a remote area

Started in 2015
350 children attend, and numbers are increasing, with a need for boarding facilities
HUGS has funded the building of 7 classrooms, water catchment, latrines and sports field. HUGS funded the development of a coffee plantation which will pay for 20 of the most impoverished children, a year, to attend school
We have just built a girls dormitory for 100 students so they can live in security and do not need to travel long distances to school

Good Shepherd School, Fort Portal, Uganda Primary School for children with special needs. There is also a school outreach programme, supported by Improving Chances, where handicapped children and parents are brought into the school for therapy and vocational training

Started 2007 and completed 2018
HUGS has funded most of the school building programme and supports some revenue costs each year
The school can teach up to 150 children with 25 on the outreach programme
The school has extensive farmland to help feed the children, it even has a fish farm
There are excellent vocational resources
Recently added a further 3 acres of land to the school to help provide more food for students

St Gabriel’s Children’s Home, Fort Portal, Uganda Is part of Good Shepherd School

Home for abandoned or orphaned children
Started in 2017 completed in 2018
HUGS and Bury African Outreach have funded the buildings
Currently home to 20 children
Children cared for by the Sisters or the school congregation
Vibrant, fun and caring community

Asili Girls Secondary School, Lira, Uganda Girls Day and Boarding Secondary and Vocational school

Started in 2014 and building work continues today
HUGS has funded all the buildings and services and equipment including a science block
The school is currently operating up to O Level with 230 attending. The aim is to extend this to A level in the future
Vocational and laboratory facilities have been provided
Recently HUGS has bought equipment for a Computer Lab. This will greatly prepare students to get well paid professional jobs
Offers courses for single mothers and ‘school drop outs’ to improve their employment skills

St. Therese’s School, Rukira, Rwanda Primary school and Nursery

Started in 2009 and completed 2011
HUGS has funded most of the buildings and equipment for the school, and paid for school meals for the youngest children
With the associated nursery school there can be around 600 children attending
The school is closely linked to a vocational school which is on the same site.

St Zoe’s Primary School, Mubende, Uganda Primary, Nursery and Boarding

Started 1999
HUGS has funded most of the buildings (about 12), water catchment, internet café, and currently sponsors 9 children
570 children attend
Since opening over 1500 children have attended
Results in the Primary Leaving Exam at year 7 are generally in the best 5% in Uganda
Set in 40 acres of farm land. The school is entirely self sufficient

St Zoe’s Secondary and Vocational school, Mubende, Uganda Secondary and Vocational to O Level

Started 2007 and completed 2011
HUGS has funded all the buildings, including vocational wing, carpentry and textiles with help from other charities.
Years Senior 1 to 4 and capacity c.150
Children have to change schools to do A levels
The school has extensive farmland to help feed the children

PROJECTS include:

Partnering the Organization of Parents of Disabled Children (OPDC) to build a special needs school in Jinja
Funding new science equipment and sports kit at the Asili Girls School
Expanding the facilities at Little Shepherd School at Rutunguru and funding a new dormitory to allow girl students to safely overnight
Continuing the sponsorship of c.85 students, primary, secondary and university
Supporting the higher professional development of teachers
Sponsoring student doctors, midwives and social workers
Support to the Lira Babies home (for abandoned babies)
During COVID pandemic we provided funds to help feed hungry families

We have been involved in:

Building 7 new schools that educated over 1,500 children a year
Sponsoring primary, secondary and university students
Providing teacher training
Paying for school meals for reception classes
Giving sports and play equipment
Ensuring malaria protection for residential children, by providing hundreds of mosquito nets
Assessing sight and hearing problems
Paying for sight treatments and hearing aids
Vocational skills training opportunities within school
Funding the creation of an income generating coffee plantation, and bullock farm
Flattening a slope to make a football pitch
Funding latrines and sanitation
Providing an Computer lab at a secondary school
Paying for water catchment facilities so children do not have to carry water long distances
Teacher exchange programmes
Supporting a women’s cooperative to help them earn money to educate their children

Please consider sponsoring a student or supporting a project.