PROJECT-SUPPORT UGANDA

Bienz Fiona, Canton Zug, Switzerland

Country / Place

Uganda, Chopelwor

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. It borders South Sudan to the north, Kenya to the east, Tanzania to the south, Rwanda to the southwest, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. The borders with Kenya and Tanzania run partly through Lake Victoria, and the equator runs through the south of the country. The capital and largest city is Kampala.

In Uganda, over 60 ethnic tribes live together, each with their own languages, cultures, customs, and religions. More than half of the population, 60% in total, belong to the Bantu tribe, which lives in the areas south and west of Lake Kioga. The largest Bantu group are the Baganda. The country name Uganda refers to their kingdom of Buganda.

General

Fiona Bienz is a student of International Emergency and Disaster Relief. Since 2020 she is a member of the Foundation Board of the Foundation Light for Forgotten Children. For the foundation, she travels to Uganda twice a year to support their children's home "Home of Joy" in Chopelwor.

Beneficiaries

Chopelwor is a small village in the Kiryandongo District in Western Uganda. About 1’500 people live in the village, 700 of whom are children. About 80% of these families live from subsistence farming. The villagers are thus dependent on good environmental conditions, but the adjacent national park poses a great challenge. Elephants, monkeys, wild pigs, and other small animals regularly invade their fields and cause severe damage to the crop. These circumstances cause not only an often precarious food situation, but also a miserable economic situation for the inhabitants.

If families cannot raise the necessary funds for school fees, children are not sent to school. Many young adults have attended school for less than four years and thus have few prospects for the future. People lack resources, as well as opportunities for further education and getting themselves out of poverty.

Project-support

Project: Education Centre Chopalwor, Uganda

In order to give the inhabitants of Chopalwor and the neighbouring rural region the opportunity for further education, an education centre was built. There, the villagers can acquire basic knowledge. First and foremost, reading, writing, and arithmetic are taught regularly. In addition, workshops are offered on various topics, such as basic medical knowledge (malaria, polio, first aid, etc.), family planning, women's and human rights, basic business skills, and practical workshops on agriculture and handicrafts. These courses are held by professionals and specialists.

The education centre was built on an approx. 1'000 m² plot of land. The location is ideal as it is next to the village centre and easy for everyone to reach. The building consists of an office and a large room. The room has been equipped with a blackboard and there are benches and chairs for about 100 people. A solar-powered energy system provides the electricity needed for the lighting.