Uganda Appeal
Help Us Furnish These Classrooms
We have nearly completed a new classroom block in Uganda, can you help us equip it?
£5,756 to go
Target: £18,414
Thank you to ...
IN UK Golf Day who donated
£6751Surfstage Festival who donated
£5313.80urgent support is required
With your help we have nearly completed building a new block of 7 classrooms in Kiyindi Uganda. The walls, windows, and roof are there… but can you help us equip it for these kids?
£35.80 for a desk with chair
£59.70 for a double desk with bench
£334.40 for 14 staff chairs
Please donate how you can, we have 350 kids ready to start learning in these classrooms.
project overview
Our impact
The story so far...
Established in 1994, Makonge Primary School Kiyindi has grown to provide thousands of children with high-quality education in a safe environment where they can learn, play, and thrive. Despite operating with basic facilities, the school benefits from highly dedicated teachers and a competent, caring headteacher.
Recently, Makonge Primary has experienced increasing enrolment due to the growing local population, driven by an influx of fishermen moving to the area, and the school’s good reputation. To keep pace with rising educational demands and plan for the future, the construction of new classrooms has been essential.
With your help, we have been able to construct a new classroom block with 7 classrooms. Construction began in February 2024 and now, one year later, the building is in its final phase of construction and nearly complete. To help kids get in there as soon as possible, we want to raise the funds needed to provide tables, chairs and desks for a conducive learning environment.
The furniture will be locally made (thereby supporting local business) and produced from the sustainable materials of wood and metal.
To cater for all the students, we need to buy:
150 single desks with a chair
125 double desks with bench
14 tables for teachers
14 chairs for teachers
We hope you can donate! Simply click the donate button at the top of this page and help us reach our target. Thank you!
*Please note: all costs are indicative of actual furniture costs; funds raised will support Education Projects within the International Needs Network helping children access an education. IN plans to equip the new classrooms in Uganda with furniture in 2025 and we look forward to sharing updates with you.
350
children ready to learn in these classrooms
303
items of furniture needed
7
classrooms need equipping
the difference international needs uk can make
The Furniture We Need
£35.80 for a desk with chair (150 needed)
£59.70 for a double desk with bench (125 needed)
£334.40 for staff chairs (14 needed)
stories
In 2022 we were able to provide much needed furniture for the nursery students at Makonge Primary School in Kiyindi. How lovely it is to see them in this improved learning environment.
Can you help us provide high quality furniture for the new classrooms?
How we spend your money
For every £1 you donate to this appeal, we will allocate 25p of your donation to cover general support and running costs. There is a small chance that we will raise more money than is needed for this appeal. If this happens, we'll spend any additional funds on other International Needs projects – wherever the need is greatest.
donateproject updates
July 17th, 2025
Kiyindi Classrooms Update: sneak peek!
Here are the latest pictures from Kiyindi, Uganda. The brand new classrooms are almost ready… and they look AMAZING!
And just take a look at that view! (Above) The sparkling waters of Lake Victoria, seen from the classroom windows.
Thanks to your generous support, we’re so close to opening the doors to 350 eager learners. Just a few finishing touches remain (desks, chairs, a lick of paint) and then this bright, spacious block will be ready for action.
Reflecting on the journey to this point has reminded us just how much of an impact a community of caring people can make. Thanks to the vision, kindness and generosity of our supporters, seven beautiful new classrooms have been built over 4,000 miles away on the shores of Lake Victoria.
(Below) Peek through the windows and you’ll spot some of the surrounding buildings of Makonge Primary School, plus a bit of scaffolding still in place as the finishing work continues.
(Below, right) Let there be light! The new stairwell features large windows to fill the space with sunshine.
We hope that by the end of 2025, children will be walking these corridors, learning in these rooms, and dreaming big in their brand new school building…
July 9th, 2025
We <3 Surfstage!
WOW. What a weekend! Surfstage Festival you did not disappoint. From a little sunshine (plus some wind and rain too) to soulful worship, games, giggles and good conversation, it was an absolute blast to be their charity partner.
We LOVED meeting so many of you – especially those who already sponsor children through International Needs. It was such a joy to hear your stories and to share some exciting updates from our work around the world. There’s nothing quite like gathering with likeminded people who care deeply, give generously and dance enthusiastically.
One of our favourite things was showing off the photos of the beautiful classrooms built in Makonge last year, built with the help of Surfstage-goers and other amazing supporters. Seeing the walls go up was amazing.
Some photos of the new classrooms in Kiyindi, with some students from Makonge Primary School
So many of you got behind the next stage of the journey by giving towards furnishing (tables, chairs, desks) those classrooms. Honestly, we’re blown away.
Special shout-out to the brilliant children who wrote lovely messages for the students at Makonge Primary School. Those notes will travel over 4,000 miles, and we know they’ll mean a lot to the students that receive them.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a festival without a few games! Big congrats to the victorious champions of the ‘Tables for Tables’ times tables challenge and our top guessers in ‘Guess the Sweeties in the Jar’.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our prayer map and took time to pause, reflect and lift up countries close to your heart. We know there’s a lot of suffering in the world right now. Your prayers, pinned with love and compassion, are powerful.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE MUSIC!
We got to listen to Gas Street Music, Philippa Hanna, Moses Brothers, Ethan Miller and Emily Darby! Such a blessing to our ears and uplifting for our spirits.
To the incredible Surfstage team: THANK YOU for inviting us, for your warm hospitality, and for looking after us so well. And an extra special thanks to some of the lead organisers, Katie Street and Rachel Birkett.
Oh – and guess what? Three children were newly sponsored during the weekend! We brought 10 profiles with us, so if you fancy joining this life-changing journey, there are still seven amazing children waiting for sponsors. Let our sponsorship coordinator, Kim, know that you’re interested at kim@ineeds.org.uk.
Huge hugs to our heroic volunteers… those who helped run the stall, poured teas, served cakes and dodged flying flyers. ALL the proceeds from the refreshments are going straight to furnish the classrooms. Thank you.
Until next year, Surfstage… THANK YOU for the memories. See you in a field soon.
Fancy going next year? Check out Surfstage.co.uk to find out more.
March 19th 2025