Pencils and Books for Butamira’s Children

My name is Sylvester Mugabi. I am a middle school math teacher in Minnesota, a life coach, and a man committed to lending a hand to communities that struggle with poverty. I believe in lighting candles for others—because one candle can light another without losing its flame.

I grew up in Uganda, in a small village called Butamira. I remember sitting in classrooms where one textbook would be shared among three or four students, and pencils were treated like gold. A pencil was not just a tool; it was a key to learning, a symbol of hope.

Now, teaching in the U.S., I see a striking contrast. Here, pencils are tossed into the trash when they’re barely used. Libraries throw away books by the hundreds to make room for new editions. What is waste here would be life-changing treasure in Butamira.

I want to bridge that gap. I have collected used books and pencils—tools for reading, math, and learning. But the challenge is shipping them across the ocean. That’s where I need your help.

Your support will directly help us send boxes of pencils and books to Butamira, where many children still walk to school without even a pencil of their own.

Imagine:

A child who no longer has to borrow a stub of a pencil to write.

A classroom where every student can hold a math book instead of waiting for their turn.

A girl who discovers her future in the pages of a donated storybook.

Together, we can turn what is discarded here into what is priceless there.

✨ $10 helps us send hundreds of pencils.

✨ $25 ships a box of books to a classroom.

✨ Every gift—big or small—brings light, dignity, and hope to children who deserve a chance.

I have seen firsthand how a single pencil can change the trajectory of a child’s life. Will you help me ship hope home?

Thank you for standing with me, for lighting candles, and for giving these children the tools to dream.

✏️ What we throw away here can rewrite the story of a child’s future there.