Buiga Sunrise Pre & Primary School

Status

Current Funding Partner

Buiga Sunrise School was the first project supported by Sunrise Centre. We joined together with the community in 2004 to lay the school foundation and construct our first 2 preschool classrooms. What started as a small seed of hope with only 50 children, has since blossomed into a full primary school with capacity for 400 children.

Values

Respect

We value and honor the diverse identities of all individuals within our school and communities.

Appreciation

We show appreciation for one another whenever possible. We appreciate parents and teachers for everything they do for us and appreciate the kindness of our friends.

Community Mindedness

Our school is a central hub of our community. We welcome friends and neighbors to share their knowledge and we contribute our efforts to improve our local community through volunteering.

Growth

We have growth mindsets. We always believe we can improve and work every day to learn something new.

Compassion

Sunrise is a school that grows children who care for one another, are concerned about the suffering of others, and want to act to make a better world.

Leadership

We strive to become the leaders of tomorrow by practicing leadership in our school and community today.

Community Need

Childhood is an essential time for development and education is every child’s fundamental right. In Uganda equity and inclusion are major challenges and there are many barriers to education including poverty, inadequate facilities, high tuition fees and gender inequality. Low learning levels resulting from crowded classrooms and overburdened teachers, contributes to poor acquisition of foundational skills; many students fail to transition between grades and drop out before completing secondary school.

Solution

The mission of Sunrise School is to uplift the community by enriching, educating, and improving the quality of life for all children. We started our preschool in 2005 under a sponsorship model, but over time, with the support of the community, our model evolved and we began cultivating local sustainability. Class space is now distributed between 300 subsidized day students and 100 boarding students who pay full tuition. Fees collected from the boarding section provides financial support for low income students attending as day scholars. All students receive the same high quality education and are included in various school clubs, teams and extra curricular activities. Local income generating initiatives provide unique vocational learning opportunities for students and further contribute to our model for sustainability by keeping tuition prices low.

Accessibility to affordable education, manageable class sizes, qualified teaching staff, and participatory decision making are what make Buiga Sunrise School special. Our community actively engages in the education process, which improves learning outcomes, creates a bridge between the school and the home, builds resiliency and creates a culture of shared responsibility for future generations.

Sustainability

Locally Funded

Teacher salaries

Support staff salaries

Student meals

Classroom & office supplies

Cleaning supplies

Property maintenance and upkeep

Utilities water & electricity

Licensing & local fees

Location:

Banda Kyandaaza Village, Nakisunga sub-county, Uganda

Key Members:

School Manager : Issac Luganda

Head Teacher: Okurut Zachary Ogwang

Senior Teaching Staff: Ajuma Robert

Chair of the PTA: Balikuddembe Prudence

Services & Activities

Preschool (Baby & Middle Class)

Kindergarten (Top Class)

Primary (Grades 1-7)

Vocational Classes - Aqua-culture, Apiary, Agriculture , Coffee

Meal Program (Breakfast & Lunch)

Boarding Dormitories

Debate Club

Chess Club

Soccer and Netball Clubs

Computer Classes (in partnership with Access Knowledge Africa)

Lending Library (in partnership with Access Knowledge Africa)

Community Skilling Workshops

Child Advocacy

Mentorship Programs

Funded by Sunrise Centre

Management salary

Upgrades & renovations

Furniture

Vocational tools and equipment

Teacher resources

Skilling workshops

Construction & expansion