Mattress by Mattress: Rebuilding Bethel School in Uganda

We believe that every child deserves a safe place to sleep and a supportive environment to learn. That’s why we—three friends from Austin—are embarking on a life-changing trip to Uganda this holiday season. We’ve spent countless hours planning our volunteer journey to Uganda, from gathering support to organizing logistics with the school staff and local officials. Our mission? To transform Bethel Model Primary School, a rural boarding school in the Buikwe district that has been deeply affected by the pandemic.

Since its founding in 2019, Bethel School has been a refuge for children who would otherwise have no access to education. But with a growing student population and limited resources, the school is struggling to keep up. There are over 300 students enrolled but less than 50 mattresses in the dormitories, meaning that 2-3 children are forced to share a single mattress, while others walk miles each day to attend class when they can. With unfinished buildings and overcrowded conditions, these children deserve better. By providing them with a safe, comfortable place to stay, we can make it possible for more students to complete their primary education and avoid the challenges that come with long daily commutes.

While our current focus is on providing mattresses, this is only the beginning of needs these students must make do without. In addition to mattresses, students need beds to place them on, as well as desks for the school rooms. In the last year, most of the school’s limited funding has been dedicated to completing a well system to provide fresh water for the students, putting other essential projects—like flooring, plastering, and completing the interior and exterior of classrooms—on hold. Our long-term vision is to return for future volunteer trips, bringing additional resources and support. For those interested in ongoing involvement, or helping with more projects beyond this initial effort, we would love to connect with you.

This isn’t just a fleeting project for us. We’ve spent months carefully planning this trip to make sure our efforts create lasting change because we believe in the power of education and the potential of every child. We’ll be working on the ground, hand-in-hand with the school’s director and local leaders to make progress on one of the unfinished buildings, and most importantly, we’re raising $5,000 to provide at least 200 mattresses so each child can have their own place to sleep.

Imagine the impact—$25 can change a child’s life. A mattress means comfort, a good night’s sleep, and the chance to show up in the classroom refreshed and ready to learn. Our goal is to ensure that each of the students at Bethel Model Primary School has that opportunity. We will be teaching and creating relationships with these children, ensuring that all of the mattresses are purchased during our time there, knowing that even the smallest improvements to their daily lives can lead to brighter futures.

We are personally inviting you to be part of this mission. Your support, whether through donations, sharing our story, or words of encouragement, will help us reach our goal and give these children a better chance at success. Your donation will not only provide a mattress, but will also give these students the chance to rest, learn, and grow. We will follow up with photos and stories from the trip, so you can see the direct impact your generosity is making. Thank you for believing in this cause as much as we do.