The Uganda School Project - TUSP

Please join us in saying a huge CONGRATS to our Microfinance Borrowers!

This past weekend we celebrated the graduation of 21 businesswomen from the TUSP Women's Microfinance Programme!

Between them they've received over £12,000 in business loans and paid back every penny. As well as using this to grow their business, they've also put away over £800 to make big ticket purchases that they may otherwise struggle with.

Fantastic work, and here's to a bright, prosperous future for our borrowers!
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Look's like something's cooking at Bumakenya 🧐 👀
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Please welcome to the TUSP family...Masambu Bridget!

Bridget is working with us for the next 3 months as our Education and Impact Officer - meaning she's getting the Educational Development programmes back up and running, and also assessing the impact of the programmes so far.

She's a very popular addition already!

Ask a question for Bridget or give her a warm welcome in the comments below 👇

Classroom Progress Update: We have walls Ladies and Gentlemen!

It's really moving quick 🏃‍♂️🏡

Watch this space!

Do you want to contribute to a BRAND NEW SCHOOL?

We've got places for the Hackney Half Marathon with your name on it!

Slide in the DMs for info 👇

Amazing progress being made on the classroom construction!

Foundations and substructure ✅

Just as well as the ☔️ is COMING!

The Great Restart - Schools are open!! Plus - The Hackney Half Marathon.

💌 SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER HERE! https://bit.ly/3InRZOy

How it started...how it's going!

In 2018, your donations built a tap at a nearby spring, allowing fresh, clean drinking water to be piped to the school, whilst also providing access for the community living at the source.

Whilst this may look humble, it is anything but. Dehydration and illness from drinking contaminated water from the nearby was one of the biggest barriers to children attending and staying in school.

A lifeliine for Bumakenya Primary School if ever there was one - water is life!

TUSP needs YOU!
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Join our amazing team running the Hackney Half Marathon on 22nd May!

21km of glory ✅
Raising money to build schools ✅
Lovely sunny day out guaranteed* ✅

Link in bio to find out more!

*TUSP accepts no responsibility for non-sunny weather.☀️🤷‍♂️☔️

Today is International Women's Day!

The strength of our organisation is built on an amazing, inspiring core of women. In celebration of that fact (although it shouldn't take IWD to celebrate this!) we wanted to highlight to you some of the amazing work being done at Bumakenya and the surrounding communities.

1) Nangheke Malisa - our project coordinator and rock! She's been with TUSP from the very beginning, knows the community inside-out and commands so much respect due to because of her attitude and work ethic.

2) Nabulwala Barbara - Headteacher at Bumakenya Primary School. Her leadership and commitment has been inspiring and a huge reason for such improved learning outcomes at the school. After turbulent times with school leadership in the early years, Barbara has been a key reason for the thriving development of school performance.

3) Nangila Eunice - Local Coordinator, TUSP Women's Microfinance Programme - Eunice has managed a programme of not-for-profit business loans to 50 women over the last 5 years - no easy task! She is a joy to be around, and always leads by example.

In Uganda we say, "wanyala navi bamayi" (thank you very much, ladies!)

Malisa and Sean recently got to sit down with Aula James, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Namisindwa District, where the school is based.

His enthusiasm for improving education was infectious and we spoke in detail about the upcoming programmes we're working on together - both classroom building and teacher training. More details to follow - watch this space!

Due to the Covid-19 lockdown in Uganda, our two expatriate volunteers have left the country momentarily. Our Country Manager, Phillip, plans to return when the restrictions are lifted in August. Our local Project Coordinator, Malisa, will be handling all day-to-day tasks in the ground in the meantime.

Starting on 18 June, Uganda implemented a new Covid-19 lockdown following a rise in cases around the country. The lockdown includes measures that close all schools, shut down transportation, and a new curfew between 7:00pm-5:30am. The lockdown is expected to last throughout the end of July.

Meet Caroline, a young mother who started a coffee business with her first loan. She has her own coffee plantation and also buys beans from other farmers. Her profits allowed her to build this house and to buy new land. She is also able to pay on her own for home items such as shoes for her children, sugar, salt and food.

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Measurements being made in preparation for the final classrooms to be built at Bumakenya Primary School. We expect to begin construction in July. Very excited for what's to come!

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Sometimes you just feel like this pig 🐖🐷🐽 here after a long week. But tomorrow is Friday and it's a long weekend ahead. Here's wishing all of our supporters a wonderful weekend.

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Here's another one of TUSP's Microfinance borrowers, Justine! Justine runs a shop where she sells onions, maize flour, tomatoes, maize flour, silverfish (small dried fish) and beers.

In Justine's latest Microfinance survey, she revelaed that her favorite part of the programme is the friends she's made in support group meetings. She also let us know that she invested profits from her shop to buy a cow, and from the milk sales, she was able to buy a pig and four turkeys that strike the pose with her here in the picture.

Well done, Justine!

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Our latest blog is up on our website! This time featuring an update on our Microfinance Programme! Go take a look!

https://www.theugandaschoolproject.com/blog/2021/5/17/microfinance-programme-update

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