Education

At URF, we believe that education is the most effective way of breaking the cycle of poverty plaguing rural communities in Africa which is URF’s focus area of service. Our philosophy is to help people help themselves. By empowering the mind, soul, and spirit, our young people gain the skills and condifence needed to take charge of their own destiny and make meaningful contribution to a thriving community in the 21st century and beyond.

Early Child Development and Primary Education

Hope Junior School serves over 200 students in Kindergarten through Grade 7, providing educational foundations in subjects such as language arts and mathematics. The school includes a playground for the children to enjoy.

Secondary Education

At Hope Integrated Academy, we aim to provide a well-rounded, high-quality, formal and practical education that equips underprivileged students with life skills that will enable them to believe in themselves and to live their dreams. The Academy provides an equal opportunity education for both boys and girls to excel in academic and skill development.

Vocational, Entrepreneurship, and Business Skills Training

Our programs focus on empowering students with the necessary skills to become social entrepreneurs and responsible leaders within their own communities. We offer practical experiences through which students can gain skills that will benefit their future livelihoods. For example, an onsite tailor shop allows students to practice tailoring by making uniforms for the school. This initiative may also seek contracts from outside clients. A planned carpentry shop would allow students to gain hands-on skills while producing furniture for classrooms and other URF projects.

URF also provides women and men in the community with training in business skills to enable them to become efficient in their business ventures. With this training they will be able to use the funds borrowed from the village bank efficiently and run successful businesses. The program consists of intensive week-long sessions of instruction each month for three months with certificates awarded at end of the training.

Community Library and Computer Center

The Jane Francis Community Library has a collection of educational materials for elementary, secondary, and vocational school curricula. The library is accessible to the entire community. Students attending over 15 other local schools have access to academic resources they would otherwise not have. The library also offers:

  • local, national, and international newspapers and magazines
  • books on modern methods of farming and sustainable agriculture
  • entertainment and media materials for both recreation and learning

Current Library Needs:

We need more textbooks for elementary, high school, and vocational training programs.

The Waliggo Computer Technology Center at the Academy is fully equipped with modern computers and network equipment. The Center serves the entire community. Students and teachers from over a dozen local schools are granted access to computer use for free. This resource allows students the chance to develop the essential computer skills needed for acquiring a job.

The computer center is also connected to the internet. It provides access to the worldwide web to the village—opening up opportunities for students, teachers, and local residents to communicate electronically.

Current Computer Center Needs:

  • Monitors (20)
  • Scanners
  • Printers
  • Educational software
  • Overhead projectors
  • DVD/VHS players
  • Television sets
  • Educational videos/DVDs

After School Extracurricular Activities

Hope Integrated Academy runs a need-based after-school program to provide opportunities for primary and secondary level students who attend other local schools to receive tutoring and homework help. The program runs in the evenings and on weekends. The library and computer center are open to students in this program. They can use books and computers to do homework. The majority of the local schools lack these resources; therefore, the program is a great resource to the community.

Services and Activities Offered:

  • One-on-one tutoring for low-achieving/high-risk students (help with homework, reviewing class material)
  • Basic computer classes (typing, word processing, spreadsheets, etc.)
  • Internet services (surfing, emailing, and research)
  • English lessons
  • Entrepreneurial and leadership skills
  • Career guidance and counseling
  • Media services (educational videos, DVDs, Cassettes)
  • Sports activities for girls and boys,g., soccer, netball
  • Music, dance, and drama
  • Debating
  • Kids and youth camps
  • Educational tours

Sponsor a Student
URF pairs children with educational sponsors. Give a child Hope today!

After you decide which child you would like to sponsor, please email us and we will get back to you. Standard sponsorship is $300 a year, which is $25 a month. This amount covers tuition, uniforms, books, lunch fees, school requirements, and other basic supplies like pens and pencils, geometry sets, shoes, and clothes.

If you cannot afford $300 a year, you may consider making a general donation toward the Teachers’ Salary Fund. This fund provides education for many other orphan students who don’t have sponsors yet. About 40% of our students can’t afford to pay, and we let them study until we can find sponsors for them. These students had previously dropped out of school due to financial reasons. By supporting the Teachers’ Salary Fund, you sponsor more than one student.

You may mail a check made out to Uganda Rural Fund at 12829 River Road, Richmond, VA 23238. You can also make your donation online through PayPal, but remember that PayPal deducts a processing fee—so not 100% goes to your child. If you have any questions, please contact Fr. John Mary: jmlugemwa@ugandaruralfund.org  or 763-291-1102. Thanks for providing education support for needy children!