We are thrilled about our 2024 projects, building on the momentum from last year. We invite you to review our current priorities below and prayerfully consider how you might be able to partner with us.
Lightening arrestors, cameras and security lighting. $15,000
Compound beautification including sidewalks, plants, irrigation system and walkway covers. $16,000
Upgrade for metal classroom desks and dormitory beds. $10,000
New Ugandan curriculum books for grades 1 through 7 for all basic core subjects including English, Math, Science, Geography and History. $12-15,000
Thank you to all who sponsored children, partnered in projects, and supported the mission of Bwindi Children’s Charities. Because of your support, we were able to do so much for the children and even neighboring communities.
On behalf of the directors, administration and the entire fraternity of BECU, I send you warm greetings and thank you for the invaluable support and cooperation you have portrayed in the term. It has been a wonderful term and everyone here enjoyed the caring, teaching and learning.
All the children under our care are doing very well.
Today Friday 18th August 2023, we have closed the term and broken up for the holidays after covering successfully the programmed activities. Children have been sent home for a one month vacation. They will be expected to report back to school on 18th September, 2023.
ACADEMICS
As usual our children have done very well in all the internal and external sets of examinations. Three sets of examinations were done including beginning of term, mid-term and end of term exams and District mock examination for specifically Primary Seven class.
The results are really very promising. Many of our pupils in lower and middle primary presented better skills of reading and writing which led to great improvement in performance.
Primary seven sat for an external mock examination and the results were very promising.
We were again the second best performers in the district having 25 pupils in division one and 33 in division two. We did not register any candidate in division three, four and nine or failure. See the attached general mark record sheet for our primary seven pupils.
HEALTH
We registered some few cases of sickness including fever, flue and cough, ulcers e.t.c but all were managed by our school nurse. With experience of utilization of services at our medical clinic we require a minimum of USD $500 per month to stock the needed medicine to continue providing services to our school children and the neighbouring community.
DISCIPLINE
Generally our learners are God fearing. They have been well behaved throughout the term. While our children are there with you in a one month vacation, you’re requested to give particular attention and observation to their discipline and continue guiding them.
SCHOOL FEES
We are humbled and appreciate you, our dear parents and sponsors, for prompt payments. The new school policy on fees greatly helped us in collecting the school fees. For term two, we were able to collect 99% of the school fees. We request you to keep it up.
SCHOOL CANTEEN PROJECT
In the last PTA general meeting, parents approved the establishment of a school canteen. Here parents are required to purchase all pupils’ general personal requirements for children strictly from the canteen. The establishment of the school canteen was budgeted at USD $8,500 and parents committed to contribute $3,000 and tasked the school to solicit for $5,500 to have the canteen project done and therefore each of the parents is requested to contribute $10 effective next term for the establishment of the school canteen project.
Once the canteen is in place, it will deal in stationery, children’s drinks, snacks and eats and other children’s needs. The reason behind having the canteen nearby the school is to control movements of parents and children to trading centres to buy the required school needs. Therefore for convenience purposes, the canteen shall be required to stock all the school requirements.
AGRICULTURE
BECU gardens especially farm land II are doing well and yields have been well as per expectations. We believe we have enough food to run the orphanage throughout the year.
The chicken, mushrooms and goat project are also doing well. We currently own 95 goats and they are housed in a new shelter provided with support from BUCC. Our goats are well protected from suns and heavy rains that could cause them to fall ill. We hope our goat herd will continue growing and by next reporting we shall be having more than 100 goats.
The egg-laying chickens are now 500 in number while the broilers (meat chicken) are now 200. In total, we currently rear 700 chickens.
These give us eggs which we feed our children but we also sell some in the local market in the Bwindi area.
We believe if we have irrigation on both agriculture farms and also increase the numbers of goats and chicken, improve vaccination and feeding, we shall reap enough produce in crops, eggs, chicken and goats e.t.c which we shall sell and enhance our income thus leading to self-sustainability in future.
VOCATIONAL LEARNING ROOMS
With support from BUCC, we are constructing two vocational learning rooms in which we intend to provide training in agriculture and tailoring. We are hopeful these two learning rooms will be completed by September.
Our prayer is to raise enough funds to equip the learning rooms with office equipment and sewing machines. We need about $4,000 to equip these rooms to have them ready and process licensing and registration of a vocational school. We hope to open this school in January 2024.
Thanks to BUCC for funding the vocational school construction and promise to pay the instructor/trainer a salary for the first two years of operation.
UTILITIES
The deep borehole provided with funding from BUCC is doing well and is providing sufficient water for the school and the neighbouring community. The current challenge we have is power outages and therefore, there is need for more solar panels to provide additional lights for evening and night time study. We require $2,400 to have more solar panels installed.
EDUCATION SPONSORSHIPS
We are so grateful to BUCC family and more especially Donna, for your tireless efforts to solicit new sponsorships for our OVC’s. God bless you.
CONCLUSION
We wish you the best in all your endeavours during the holidays. Our offices will always be open, parents and visitors feel free to come around in case of any need.
To our donors and sponsors, you are truly the best.
Healing Hands International held a 2-day training seminar for 140 community women! What a wonderful, inspirational, and uplifting time for our local women. They left the training seminar with micro-loans and credit within their village and new skills so they can begin making sellable crafts!
Thank you Healing Hands Intl & Women of Hope USA for helping these women!!
The Bwindi Eco Uganda School is proud to announce that we are breaking ground in June 2023 for a new opportunity for the children of Bwindi to attend a two-year vocational school that will concentrate on Agriculture & Tailoring. Our small plot Production of Family Food Stuffs will equip children with knowledge and hands-on experience to grow a garden to earn a living. The Professional Tailoring degree will focus on clothing for children and adults.
Each child attending will choose their trade (agriculture or tailor) to allow them to have a productive and successful life. Upon completion of classroom studies, an approved Internship, and Graduation Certificate, each child will be given needed tools for their trade, a microloan, and a goat to help them be successful and independent. We strongly believe this Vocational School is a huge need for some children that do not go on to higher education; they are ready to begin working but need this knowledge and degree.
The Bwindi Eco Vocational School will begin to take applications for enrollment in the Fall of 2023 for classes to begin in January 2024. Every applicant must have completed 7 years of Primary School to be considered.
Year one will have an enrollment of 30 students and year two will add an additional 30 students for a total of 60 students by 2025.
Enrollment is to include orphans, pregnant teenage mothers, and other children from the general Bwindi area.
It is our hope and prayer that this school will uplift the community of Bwindi. Cost per child is $504 annually.
YOU can help by giving today, for tomorrow – please consider sponsoring a child to improve their life and the economy of the Bwindi community.
We are excited about our 2023 projects, some of which have carried on into 2024. We invite you to review these priorities below and prayerfully consider how you might be able to partner with us.
We had a great year in 2022 at BUCC for the BECU school and orphanage in Bwindi, Uganda. Take a look at what was accomplished thanks to your help and support. Without you these accomplishments would not be possible. The children of Bwindi thank you!!
Dear beloved sponsors and friends of Bwindi children,
Thank you again for all that you do to support orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) of Uganda all year along!.
Many of you, our sponsors and friends, have greatly contributed towards our Christmas drive and we need to extend our thanks to you all. Our special thanks go to the following:
Ryan and Karen Audrey for donating $2,500 for gifts to OVC’s.
Raymond Snisky for donating $2,000 for Christmas celebrations (This will go towards goats for orphans).
BUCC various givers for donating ($2,000 for Christmas party for OVC’S)
BUCC for donating $2,500 for bonas pay for teachers and staff.
BUCC for donating $100 bonus for teacher of the year.
Ken Johnston for donating Sawyer filters.
All our children’s sponsors for sending Christmas gifts for specific children they sponsor.
With your help, on December 20th, we held very successful Christmas celebrations at Bwindi Junior school and we were able to feed 226 children and 100 older persons on a special meal and each of the 106 orphans and vulnerable children received a wonderful surprise and beautiful gift. The gifts included clothes, shoes, drinking water bottles, beddings and hygiene supplies.
Again, thank you to many of you our dear sponsors for renewing education sponsorships for the next year. Only two sponsors have reported that they will not be able to renew their sponsorships next year due to financial hard ships.
Urban S.1, Miracle S.2, and Anita P.1 have lost sponsorships for next year.
Thanks to you all for being awesome!.
GOAT DAY
Bwindi Eco Children Uganda board has chosen January,1st, of every year to be”? Goat day”. This day is meant for celebrating end of year with give a Goat.
On this day orphans, widows, people with disabilities and families in need are brought together on a round table discussion to share challenges affecting them and opportunities in goat rearing.
Each of the invited is then given a female goat to go and rear at home. This is meant to give orphans, widows, people with disabilities and families in need an ability to begin raising a small herd of goats that will provide them with a source of income that will enable them meet their basic needs and scholastic materials for their children.
With donations of $2,000 from Raymond Snisky on January 1st, 2023, we shall hold our first “goat day” at our Bwindi Junior school campus.
We have selected 100 people for this first “goat day” meeting.
We encourage any interested friends, sponsors or well-wishers to donate towards this cause. One may give one goat or more. The cost per young female goat is $60.
Please also kindly receive our Christmas wishes, photos and videos of Bwindi Children Christmas celebrations attached below.
To our supporters of the Bwindi Uganda School and Orphanage,
A severe thunderstorm and hailstorm has struck the Bwindi area. Four people had to be taken to the hospital as a result of the storm although none were a part of the orphanage and school. We thank God for his mercy. However, the storm did kill 13 goats that belonged to the school and destroyed the housing of the goats. Pictures below show the damage done to the goat shed. Could you please help out the orphanage and school? You can go to our website www.childrenuganda.com and donate to the school to replace the shed and goats. Or you can mail a check to:
Bwindi Uganda Children Charities, Inc. Attn: Ken Johnston 1326 Asher Drive Keller, TX 76248
Thank you for your support.
Deryl Beakley For the Board of Directors Bwindi Uganda Children Charities, Inc.
TRIP REPORT | AUGUST 2022 | PRESENTED BY DERYL BEAKLEY, PRESIDENT of BUCC
U.S. LEADERSHIP IMPRESSED BY PROGRESS DURING VISIT TO BWINDI UGANDA
God is great and God is richly blessing our friends at BECU in Bwindi Uganda. My oldest daughter, Shelby and I, visited the facilities in July, for 4 days, and found it in great shape. Thanks to the leadership of Francis Byamukama, the founder and director and with the help of his Board of Trustees under the chairmanship of Jordan Bakesign.
Upon arrival at BECU, we received an amazing reception that included all 500 of the students along with the Mayor of Bwindi, Ugandan government officials, plus 7 members of the Board of Trustees. In addition, there was a group of students that performed singing and dancing, including the Ugandan National Anthem.
These opening festivities also included a tour of the campus. The tour was highlighted with each class making a presentation of their area of study with singing, dancing and answers for key study questions. As part of the reception, we handed out 102 beanie babies to the lower grades which were greatly appreciated and were possibly the first toy that any of these children have ever received. These were donated by Donna and David Bolton.
This was followed by a school-wide celebration with snacks and refreshments for everyone and a great time was had by all! We loved seeing the kids interact with each other, their teachers and local community members. The school was found to be in excellent condition as stated above.
CAMPUS SEES NEAR-DOUBLE GROWTH SINCE 2018
Morgan Gulbas and I first met Francis and visited the campus in January 2018. At that time, the school had 320 total students including 35 orphans and severely vulnerable students. The school had no electrical power or water. There were three buildings consisting of two class buildings and a dormitory.
Since our initial visit in 2018, the school has grown to 502 students including 102 orphans! God’s provision and favor for the school is apparent!
PAST SUCCESSES AND PROJECTS
A building for the girl’s dorm housing 60 young ladies
Boy’s dorm conversion for 40 students (this is planned to be converted back to two classrooms in the near future)
Construction of a two story Administration building and 10 classrooms
Constructed a Security Fence around the campus
Constructed a Medical Clinic and hired a registered nurse. This facility is currently serving about 40 students and 100 community members per month!
Food preparation kitchen with needed facilities including hot water.
Purchase of 1 acre of adjoining property for expansion and housing of chicken facility
Completed a borehole of 8” diameter and 236 feet deep supplying drinkable water for the entire campus. A community tap was also placed providing the only clean water for 23 miles. Storage capacity is 40,000 liters. Capacity is planned for 1,000 students. Per the nurse, stomach and intestinal diseases among the students & community members have greatly decreased with the drilling of the fresh water well.
15 passenger van – provided by the Snisky family.
Playground equipment for the younger children
Purchase of 7.5 acres of land for a food plot which is in production and has cut food expenses from $85k annually to $20k. It also allows for about $1.5k per month to be sold for school income to help defray expenses.
Annual Christmas celebrations
New entrance and security fence constructed in 2022
New medical facility
New community tap
New crops being grown on the land
VISIT TO BRILLIANCE HIGH SCHOOL AFFIRMS BECU STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS, ASPIRATIONS
We visited Brilliance High School where BECU has a cooperative agreement allowing our P7 graduating students to attend high school. It is approximately 25 miles from Bwindi. We had dinner with our past students and the Director. After discussions with him, it is my belief that this is a Christian based school with academics on the same level as BECU. He assured me our students are not behind in any area when they arrive and are well disciplined.
BHS has approximately 200 students. Upon graduation, over 90% are able to pass the national exams and proceed to college, if they desire. We have a total of 23 students studying there. Two of our current students have plans to be a teacher and a doctor in Bwindi. The orphans attending there are allowed to come back to BECU during semester breaks where they are housed and fed in the Happy House adjacent to the school’s main campus.
In order to attend Brilliance, the students must first pass their national exam and secondly have a sponsor. We are short several sponsors in this high school program and encourage you to support your student through high school, if possible. The cost is $900 per year in total.
WAYS YOU CAN HELP
We sincerely appreciate our partners in this effort. Below are other opportunities to help a child at BECU:
Dental Kit initiative where each orphan will always has a proper toothbrush and toothpaste. The cost is $2 per kit and the kit is designed to last one semester.
Bible program so that every orphan and staff member has their own personal Bible. One version is provided so everyone has the same translation. $10 per bible
Christmas Celebration for the entire school including gifts for each student and staff member.
Support for 20 additional orphans. Cost $10k per year
Support for 20 secondary students at Brilliance High School. $900 per year per student. Est. cost $18k per year
Boy’s dormitory with a capacity for 100 boys. There are currently 60 in need of overnight care and the desire is for space for an additional 20 boys on the waiting list. The existing facility will be converted back to two classrooms. BECU has a need for additional classrooms as several classes have from 48 to 60 students. Their planned classroom capacity is 35.
Multipurpose Cafeteria/arts building. Est. cost $44K
Lightning arresters and fire extinguishers on all buildings. There is currently no fire protection. This will soon be required by the government.
Additional 5-10 acres of land for food production. Est. cost $25K
School library and computer lab for 25. Est. cost $90K
Vocational school for students not able to proceed to high school.
Financial software package and required computers to automate their accounting package. Est. cost $10K
36 passenger bus for school trips and to transport children to school who live too far to walk daily.
Staff housing for 6 teachers. Est. cost $20K
School furniture and new textbooks. Est. cost $10k
Overall guidance for the school is under a nine-person board of trustees, who rotate off every three years. All teachers have a college degree in the field in which they are teaching.
The government has mandated that all teachers must be certified and have completed their certification process within 7 years. Currently, there are no certified teachers at either BECU or Brilliance. However, the process has been started at BECU this year. According to standard government test results, BECU is in the top 3 schools in the southern region of Uganda as is Brilliance High School! The stated goal per the Board of Trustees is to be number 1 in the next 3 to 5 years.
Most of all we need your prayers for the children and staff. If I can help, please contact me via email at derylbeakley@gmail.com or via my cell phone at 817-312-8100.
All our blessings, Deryl Beakley President of BUCC
P.S. Check out our trip videos and ways you can help a child on our Facebook page.
