Help the MASE Foundation fund girls' education

WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE ARE

 

The MASE Foundation Education Fund-Uganda is a local charitable initiative that aims to implement primary, secondary and vocational education to children (especially girls) in vulnerable and underprivileged areas in Kasese and Kamuli.  Kasese is in western Uganda at the boarder of Uganda and the Congo and it's dominated by the Bakonjo tribe and Kamuli is in eastern region dominated by the Basoga people.

The MASE Foundation Education Fund is a passion project for Masereka Adidas - who works as a nurse at the MASE Foundation - a community clinic that he founded in  2013 .  He was shocked by the number of girl patients he treats after suicide attempts because they were prevented from continuing their schooling due to poverty, early marriage expectations or abuse.  Keen to help these girls and their families, he decided to start an education fund.

 

MASE aims to tackle the various social/cultural and religious beliefs surrounding the education of girls, as well as helping families of uneducated children. Helping families realise that through studies their children will be able to seize job opportunities and earn a living for themselves, rather than forcing girls into marriages where they will still face poverty. While the Ugandan government has introduced universal education for both boys and girls, females tend to be marginalised due to the cultural and religious beliefs of the communities who consider them to be more valuable as wives and mothers.  Whilst the Government provides some money per capita, the majority of school fees need to be paid by the parents or guardians of every child.

 

MASE believes that introducing educational support packages will contribute to the effectiveness and longevity of the programme as the community will be involved.

WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE

 

The project aims to provide children in underprivileged communities with the high-quality education and skills necessary to improve their quality of life. The MASE Foundation further hopes to:

- Promote job opportunities

- Improve the general well-being of the students

- Encourage further education

- Provide care and support services

 

MASE hopes that the increase in educational opportunities/care services for children in rural communities will enhance the well-being of vulnerable children by presenting a support network to help them through their situations by teaching them and their families.

 

WHY WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IT

 

Being a local charitable initiative, there are quite a few challenges that the MASE Foundation is facing. These include:

- The general perceptions and beliefs of the community towards educating girls

- Lack of confidence in parents/guardians – resulting in no contributions towards resources/materials for their children

- Lack of training materials for children

- The organisation does not have enough resources/finances to provide for the children

- Village children lack access to proper nutrition and healthcare

 

WHAT YOUR MONEY WILL BUY

These are the payments required by parents or guardians to contribute annually per child and have been calculated as an average by local research from schools in the area.   The majority of rural families struggle to meet their expected annual contribution to school fees especially as the rise in temperatures have meant that many crops have failed.

Not only can some parents not afford these fees, but they can also could benefit financially from giving their daughters to be married early. Take away the financial worry of schooling, introduce education programmes for parents and extend the education of their children and you open up a whole new world of possibilities.

There is also the possibility of sponsoring one child right the way through their education from primary to upper sixth.  If you are interested please get in touch.   Fee Structure 

If you would like to see the MASE Foundation's full report please follow this link:  Full Report  

Jacqui Doughty is a TV Producer in the UK who is working with Zuleika Kingdon,  on a documentary series in East Africa.  They have agreed to facilitate this GoFundMe for the Mase Foundation and will see that every penny donated will reach them minus Go Fund Me fees and bank transfers.