Thanks to the efforts of BT chapters & supporters from across the US and, now, the community of Oyomai, Uganda – construction has started on our 27th primary school! Follow its progress here!

name supported by site managed by location commitment signing website

BT Primary School of Oyomai BT chapters & supporters TBD, BT Community Development Officer Kaberamaido District, Uganda Dec 2, 2014 buildingtomorrow.org/oyomai

Oyomai is Building Tomorrow’s second community partner in Uganda’s Kaberamaido district, located on a plateau in north eastern Uganda, approximately 400 km from Kampala.

As is the case across much of Kaberamaido District, the only nearby primary school is a grass-thatched structure erected by the community. Additional classes are held nearby under trees, pictured below. Despite the conditions, parents are committed to sending their children to school. Currently, 325 students – 174 girls and 151 boys – are enrolled at the informal school in grades P1 to P7. Of the school’s six teachers, only three are qualified, yet all are paid by contributions from parents and families each term. The nearest formal, accredited primary schools are at least a 3-5km walk from the site.

One feature relatively unique to Oyomai (especially amongst Building Tomorrow’s existing community partners), is their access to an on-site government water source. This will aid significantly in the school’s construction and help prevent lengthy delays that have occurred at other sites where water is scarce.

Thanks to the generosity of one community member, Mr. Atangi John, 3.5 acres of land have been donated for a new primary school, to serve students from Oyomai-Apari village in addition to: Apokor, Ogolai, Olyaca, and Agwaya villages.

As marks the start of every Building Tomorrow school construction project, last Tuesday, December 2nd, community partners, families and friends of future students gathered for a commitment signing ceremony where they pledged to provide 15,000 hours of self-labor and make regular financial contributions to ensure the school can sustain itself in the long-term. And, in line with Building Tomorrow’s Memorandum of Understanding with Uganda’s Ministry of Education, the local district government has committed text books, furniture and qualified teachers upon the school’s completion.

Follow the school’s progress at buildingtomorrow.org/oyomai.

To learn more about Building Tomorrow’s needs assessment process and community construction model, see “Building Tomorrow: from Access to Learning“