My name is Eric Ayamba, Co-founder of Jasper Primary School-Nyairongo in Uganda, a two-time Mastercard Foundation Scholarship recipient, and an education advocate passionate about creating opportunities for children from underserved communities.

I completed a BSc in Finance (Economics) from United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) in 2025 through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. I am currently a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at Sciences Po, pursuing a Master’s degree in International Economic Policy.

Today, I am reaching out to ask for your support in raising €5,000 to build a dormitory for Primary Seven learners at Jasper Primary School.

A School Built on a Simple Belief: Every Child Deserves a Chance

In early 2025, Jasper Primary School opened its doors and welcomed more than 500 children from Early Childhood Development (ECD) through Primary Five.

For many of these children, returning to school was already a major achievement. Most of the learners we admitted had missed at least a year of schooling because of poverty and the financial challenges faced by their families.

We started Jasper Primary School with a simple but ambitious belief: every child deserves access to quality education, regardless of gender or economic background.

We wanted to build a school that would not only provide access to education, but also contribute to building a stronger and more resilient community through inclusive, innovative, and quality learning.

In our first year, our learners demonstrated remarkable resilience. We have witnessed encouraging improvements in their academic performance, particularly in their literacy and numeracy skills.

We also achieved something particularly meaningful for our community: 51% of our enrolled learners were girls, representing a record level of girls' enrolment in the community.

But as our children grow, so do their needs.

Why We Need a Primary Seven Dormitory

Jasper Primary School currently operates as a day school. However, in 2027, we plan to introduce our first boarding programme, beginning with Primary Seven learners.

We have made this decision because Primary Seven is a crucial stage in a child's education. It is the final year of primary school and an important transition point before learners move on to secondary school.

At this stage, our learners need more academic support, closer mentorship, adequate time for revision, and a safe and stable environment where they can focus on their studies and prepare for the next chapter of their education.

We expect to welcome more than 30 Primary Seven learners into our first boarding cohort.

Many of these children come from families facing significant economic challenges, and some live considerable distances from the school. Long daily journeys can leave learners tired, reduce the time available for studying, and create additional barriers to learning.

By introducing boarding at the Primary Seven level, we hope to provide these learners with a safe place to stay, more time to study, closer mentorship from their teachers, and a supportive environment in which they can prepare for secondary school.

This is why the dormitory is much more than a building. It is an investment in our learners at one of the most important stages of their primary education.

Preparing for Our First Boarding Programme

Recognizing the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for our Primary Seven learners, Jasper Primary School expanded its land in July 2026 to make room for the development of our first boarding facilities.

Our immediate priority is to construct a four-room block, including accommodation for learners, a reading room, and a matron's room.

We are now seeking your support to make this first boarding programme a reality.

How Your Support Will Be Used

We are raising €5,000 to construct and establish the dormitory.

The funds will help us purchase essential construction materials and cover the labour required to bring the dormitory to life, including:

To put our fundraising goal into perspective, a single brick in Uganda costs approximately €0.04, while a bag of cement costs approximately €8.

This means that every contribution, regardless of its size, can become a physical part of the dormitory that gives a child a safer and more supportive place to learn.

Every contribution, whether €5, €10, €50, or €100, brings us one step closer to making this dormitory a reality.

And if you are unable to contribute financially, sharing this campaign with your friends, family, colleagues, networks, or community can make an equally meaningful difference.

More Than a Building

For us, this is not simply a construction project.

It is about making sure that a child does not have to choose between distance and education.

It is about giving a Primary Seven learner a safe place to sleep, read, study, receive mentorship, and prepare for their future.

It is about supporting children who have already overcome poverty and missed valuable years of schooling so that they do not face another barrier to completing their education.

And it is about building a school that the community can be proud of, one that creates opportunities not only for today's children, but for generations to come.

The dormitory is also an important step in Jasper Primary School's long-term strategic plan to establish permanent, quality school infrastructure, including classrooms and other learning facilities, by 2030, creating a more conducive learning environment for our learners.

Will You Help Us Build This Future?

When we opened Jasper Primary School, we knew that transforming education in a rural community would not happen overnight.

But we also knew that meaningful change begins when people are willing to believe in something bigger than themselves.

Today, I am asking you to believe with us.

Help us raise €5,000 to build a dormitory for our Primary Seven learners.

Your contribution can help turn bricks, cement, timber, and iron sheets into something much more valuable: a safe space where children can learn, grow, receive mentorship, and prepare for a brighter future.

Together, we can help ensure that distance, poverty, or circumstance does not determine how far a child can go.

Thank you for believing in Jasper Primary School, our learners, and the power of education to transform communities.

Learn More About Our Story

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Launch a School

Eric Ayamba transforming education in rural Uganda