A High School for the Village
HELP US REACH OUR GOAL TO RAISE $36,000 FOR HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION TO COMPLETE THE FOUNDATION AND RAISE THE WALLS FOR THE GROUND FLOOR
We appreciate helping us get to this point in the construction so far. This matching grant will help push us forward as construction continues in Uganda.
We are continuing to raise funds for the on-going construction of the high school:
- 12 Classroom Block Buidling
- 8 Science Labs
- School Library
- Faculty & Staff Offices
- Boys and Girls Boarding Facilities
- Desks & School Start up Equipment
Phase 1: $246,546 - Foundation and ground floor
Phase 2: $107,206 - Second floor & Roofing
Phase 3: $35,273 - Doors and Windows
Phase 4: $53,508 - Interntal & External finishings
Phase 5: $18,601 - Laboratory fixtures
Phase 6: $69,833 - Electric and Mechanical Installations
Phase 7: $135,265 - Boys and Girls Dormitories
Phase 8: $73,523 - Desks, Beds, School Start-Up
Why is a high school in the village important?
Moreen grew up in the village of Zirobwe, Uganda. She came from a poor humble family. Her mother still worked hard to see she got an education. She earned good grades all through primary school. Life was hard for her mother to provide for 7 children, but she also saw the value in education and worked hard to pay for Moreen’s school fees in secondary school/high school. One year during final exams Moreen was told she could not take the exams unless her school fees for the year was cleared. Her mom had paid everything she could but was still short. That week Moreen was lucky enough to be chosen to be sponsored, which allowed her to take her final exams and complete her remaining years in secondary school.
This opportunity empowered Moreen to complete her full primary and secondary school education. The distance from her home in the village to the nearest county high school was far and she had to walk to and from school daily, yet she was determined. Now, Moreen completed her nursing degree through Empower a Child's university sponsorship program and is currently pursuing a degree to upgrade to a medical clinic officer. Her dream is to come back to her community after she graduates and serve in healthcare at Empower a Child’s clinic in her home village and insprie other children and youth in the community to study hard to reach their dreams.
Moreen was given an opportunity to succeed through sponsorship.
Girls from poor families who do not have an opportunity by the end of primary school are at risk:
- Some parents cannot afford higher secondary school costs.
- Walking the distance between home and school early morning and at dusk can be dangerous
- Secondary school costs and distance can discourage students and girls may opt to get married early
- Discouragement and hopelessness can also lead girls to look for inappropriate means to obtain income
A local high school within Zirbowe would provide a safe place for not only girls to continue education but all students in the community.
Is the school sustainable in the long run?
Yes! The long-term sustainability of the Empowered Leaders High School is paramount to the continuation of empowerment within the community. The annual operating budget of the school will be met through school fees from each student, which will be a manageable fee for community members who are not sponsored. We also have sponsored children in the city whose parents have interest in sending their children to a boarding school in a village to get them away from distractions a city can bring to teens. Being away from the city keeps youth focused on their studies during secondary school. In addition to our own sponsored children, our goal is to provide quality education and develop academic excellence and performance for our students. The quality of the school will attract students from across the nation to attend the school, which will increase income.
The school will also benefit the community, through employment opportunities and economic development programs.
The Empowered Leaders High School will be a bridge to higher institutions of learning hence changing a life of poverty to possibilities for many generations.