Raise funds to educate the futures of 100 Ugandan students!

**The Current Situation**

The local community has already raised $448 to rent out a school building. This money will secure their rent for the next 3 months. The following image is a list of all contributors thus far (with their surnames blurred for security).

Joseph has already activated his community, and has garnered support from Mr. Kasenene Nelson Kalyango, the Mayor of Namayumba Town Council in Wakiso District, Kampala, Uganda.

But this is not enough. We still need to raise funds to pay for school fees, educational materials, teachers' salaries, food, other bits of infrastructure

A story of resilience and persistence against all odds; a story of thriving despite lack of access to resources. A story of the power education has to transform lives, and change futures. A story of 100 children needing access to education --- URGENTLY!

This is the story of Joseph Bumpenje and his community in Namayumba, a village close to Kampala in Uganda. About a month ago, Joseph contacted me [Stefan] via LinkedIn. After a few back and forth exchanges, Joseph shared his situation with me:

"For the past three years, I have been working as a principal at a school here in Uganda, while also being a foster parent to vulnerable children. Unfortunately, things took a difficult turn recently. At the end of the term, as we entered a long two-month holiday, I, along with the other teachers, realized we had not received our salaries for the past four months.

When we sought answers, we were shocked to learn that instead of addressing the issue, we were only given half a month’s salary for September – about 500,000 Ugandan Shillings (around $145). Worse still, the school decided to terminate our contracts, citing that my vulnerable children were a financial burden, and they stopped these children from continuing their education as well.

This situation has left me deeply shaken and uncertain about what to do next. My colleagues and I are exploring the possibility of starting our own school, one that would focus on supporting local vulnerable children and providing free education. However, we are currently struggling with resources and are hoping to find someone who can help us create a GoFundMe page to begin fundraising for this initiative."

Who is Joseph? What is his story?

Bumpenje Joseph's story is one of resilience and determination, shaped by a childhood full of adversity. Born and raised in Namayumba, Joseph faced early challenges when his parents, grappling with life's difficulties, left him and his five siblings to fend for themselves. This led to years of hardship, and the siblings ended up on the streets, seeking shelter under a large tree that became their refuge. However, when the government cut down the tree to build a road, it marked the end of their sanctuary. In honor of the tree that had once been their protector, Joseph and his siblings decided to plant trees on their birthdays annually, a symbol of resilience and a tribute to the shelter they lost.

Their struggle didn’t stop there. In order to survive, they participated in cleaning various schools, hoping to earn enough to feed themselves. Despite these harsh realities, Joseph remained determined to change his life and the lives of others. He aspired to become a teacher, driven by a passion to support vulnerable children and ensure they didn’t have to face the same challenges he had.

In 2015, Joseph's dream took a significant step forward when he joined Makerere University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Education. His vision was clear: to create an environment where vulnerable children could access education free of charge, while also promoting environmental conservation.

Today, Joseph is a professional high school mathematics teacher, dedicated to inspiring and educating the next generation. His leadership journey in education has been marked by several notable positions. He has served as the Director of Studies at Greenlight Islamic Secondary School in Nansana, Director of Studies, Head Teacher and Principal at Extreme High School in Namayumb. His exemplary performance in the academic field also earned him the position of West Buganda Pathfinder Director from 2014 to 2020.

In addition to his educational career, Joseph is deeply involved in his community and beyond. He serves as a Church Elder at Nansana Town Church, a Climate Speaker, and a Foster Parent. His commitment to the well-being of vulnerable children is evident, as part of his salary is dedicated to supporting their school fees, supplementing a work program that further aids their education.

Joseph is a married man with one wife and one biological child, embodying his values of family, care, and responsibility. As a motivational speaker, he shares his journey of overcoming adversity to inspire others to persist and pursue their dreams, no matter the obstacles they face.

Through his work and life, Bumpenje Joseph has become a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration for many in his community, demonstrating the power of perseverance, education, and compassion in changing lives.

If you want to know the details of what we need funds for, feel free to check out the budget sheet

In short:

Joseph is working hard to give his community the visibility it deserves, you can see him in this recent interview on TV speaking about his cause in his native Luganda language.

If you want to see more images and videos of Namayumba's community and the children sharing about their dreams and aspirations, click on this link.

But the story doesn't end here.

After we succeed in securing the short term needs of this community, and to ensure the children will see their education through to the end, we must move past the rented facility and bring land into community ownership.

We also need to make sure we don't create dependencies on foreign capital to support the basic needs of this community. For this reason, Joseph and his community are working on a plan to upskill the students with highly demanded skills, such as construction, so they can leave the village and access higher paying jobs. More on that later, so PLEASE stay tuned!