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About the school
Siriba Primary School is located in Bweyale Town Council, Kiryandongo, Uganda. It was founded in 1993 by the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) community in Siriba village. The children had struggled to walk very long distances to access education.
Note: Internally displaced people (IDPs) have not crossed a border to find safety. Unlike refugees, they are on the run at home. IDPs stay within their own country and remain under the protection of its government, even if that government is the reason for their displacement. They often move to areas where it is difficult for the UN to deliver humanitarian assistance and as a result, these people are among the most vulnerable in the world. Read more here .
The community mobilised the local resources, teachers, and land owned by the Church of Uganda to establish the school. What started as a gathering of students under the mango tree now has 15 classrooms (12 for primary and 3 for secondary) and a 3-room building for vocational activities. Student enrolment has reached 1,154 children across grades P1-P7. Although the government of Uganda took over the management of the school in 1998, they have struggled heavily with funding.
About the cause
As a second-generation British immigrant with Ugandan heritage, I recognise that giving back to the community you have originated from is essential. I also appreciate that people often want to support similar causes but are unsure how to, or are unclear about how much is passed on to those who need it when donating to charities.
GOAL 1: Exercise Books, Pens, Pencils & Sports Equipment
Our initial goal by June 2022 was to:
- Provide the children in classes P1-P3 (aged 5-14) with exercise books and pencils so they have a means to take notes during class and complete homework to support their learning. There are ~500 children in grades P1-P3, each requiring four exercise books across the school year (one each for English, Maths, Literacy, and Religious Education).
- Provide the school with some sports equipment (e.g. footballs etc.) to be used during recreation time and to support their Physical Education lessons.
With the initial £680 raised we managed to purchase:
- 2,304 books
- 2,550 pens
- 528 pencils
- 12 footballs
- 1 football bag
- 2 football pumps
- 4 rounders bats
- 4 rounders balls
- 12 frisbees
- 100 training cones
Meaning in total we gave out:
- P1 to P3: 4 books, 1 pencil, 1 pen per student (Total 520 students)
- P4 - 2 books, 1 pencil, 1 pen per student (Total 182 students)
- P5 - 2 books, 1 pen per student (Total 215 students)
- P6 - 2 pens per student (Total 178 students)
- P7 - 2 books, 1 pen per student (Total 59 students)
This means that together we managed to make a positive impact on 1,154 students! All the pictures and videos from our visit can be viewed here.
GOAL 2: Benches for the students in P1
In July 2023 we reached our second goal of providing benches for the approximately 179 students in grade P1. Previously P1 were one of two classes to be sat on the floor which was not ideal in an education environment. By hitting our target of £1500 we were able to enlist a carpenter to make 30 benches for the classroom. All the pictures and videos can be viewed here.
P1 Before:
Benches:
P1 Now:
GOAL 3: July 2025
After consideration on what to target for Goal #3 I have landed on:
- 1,500 exercise books
- 1,500 pencils
- A collection of sports equipment - cones, footballs, etc.
- A collection of musical instruments - drums, xylophones etc.
For reference based on current quotations:
~ £1 will buy 1 student 4 exercise books and 4 pencils to be used for note taking in class
~ £5 will buy the school 1 small drum
~ £10 will buy the school 1 football
~ £35 will buy the school a big drum
~ £45 will buy the school a xylophone
Organizer
