Uganda Appeal
Squaring up for new classrooms in Kiyindi
We did it! Thanks for helping us raise these funds!
£0 to go
Target: £227,000
Thank you to ...
Friends of Tom Dodd who donated
£2000urgent support is required
Our friends at International Needs Uganda have started the construction of a new classroom block at Makonge Primary School in Kiyindi. This school serves more than 1,000 pupils in an area of Uganda where schooling can be inaccessible or completely unaffordable. Kiyindi is a small fishing village on the banks of Lake Victoria, with many families living in poverty. IN has worked in this community since 1994, when the school was first built.
However, some of the existing classroom accommodation has now become life-expired and needs to be replaced. The rooms are dark, stifling and airless, with no ventilation gaps between walls and roof and only small, shuttered windows. The hot, sweaty atmosphere is not conducive to learning. Cracks are appearing in the walls where the buildings are subsiding due to the tiered nature of the site, creating safety concerns. Children are currently having to study and even take exams outside under the shade of a tree (while weather conditions permit) or be squashed into space shared with other classes.
project overview
Our impact
We want to support the dedicated staff at Makonge by providing funds for the new-build educational facilities - an investment in the whole community.
The new and improved ‘Block B’ will comprise seven classrooms and be able to accommodate 350 children. The solid construction of reinforced concrete will ensure that the building will be resistant to the elements and will last many decades.
Participants of recent Go Global visits will have seen the early stages of the ceremonial digging of foundations and, more recently, the completion of the groundworks. But there is still much to do.
In this, the golden anniversary for the International Needs Network, raising money for these new classrooms in Kiyindi is our goal. In total, we are seeking to raise £225,000, an investment in the education of the school’s 1,000 students which will trickle down through the whole community.
Each of the seven classrooms will be 210 m² in order to teach up to 50 children at a time. This is a total of 1470 m² – built to last, and adhering to all current regulations.
Your gift of £150 will sponsor one square metre of the new-build ‘Block B’ classrooms. Could you buy a ‘celebration square’, or motivate some friends or family to have a whip-round together? What an outstanding legacy that would make in this often forgotten community during our 50th anniversary celebrations.
£150
will sponsor one square metre of the new-build ‘Block B’ classrooms.
£300
will sponsor two square metres of the new classrooms
£450
will cover three square metres of classroom
£15
will sponsor one square FOOT, for those who prefer to work in imperial!
the difference international needs uk can make
The old classrooms rooms are dark, stifling and airless, with no ventilation gaps between walls and roof and only small, shuttered windows. The hot, sweaty atmosphere is not conducive to learning. Cracks are appearing in the walls where the buildings are subsiding due to the tiered nature of the site, creating safety concerns. Children are currently having to study and even take exams outside under the shade of a tree (while weather conditions permit) or be squashed into space shared with other classes. The new-build 'Block B' will transform the learning environment, improving children's education.
stories
The headteacher of the school, Augustine, took up his post a couple of years ago having previously been deputy head at the nearby Buikwe Primary School. He has a deep understanding of the local community’s needs, and has seen firsthand the difference an enriching education can make. Augustine is a man with a big heart and never turns away children which want to come to the school, despite the financial challenges faced.
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…
May 01st 2024