November 4, 2023
Dear Mubaku Village Supporters,
It was such a joy to be in Mubaku for the dedication of the newly constructed dormitory. We spent four days in the village, although we wished we had been able to spend a full week there.
One of the highlights was meeting with the children who are sponsored by the MEF board. We have sponsored these kids since we started MEF in 2018, and it’s exciting to see how they have progressed.
Michael and Gayle with a sponsored child and her father:
Perhaps the greatest joy comes from seeing how much, in large part due to the contributions from nearly 300 supporters worldwide, has been accomplished in bringing the Mubaku closer to our collective goal of self-sufficiency. There is still much to be accomplished and your continuing support is sincerely appreciated.
There will be more information in future emails about our experience, but here is a summary.
The Women’s Empowerment Center has been successful beyond anyone’s expectations. A small group of village women have been trained to use the foot-powered sewing machines and are now able to make simple items to sell to tourists and the lodges. They are now able to make all of the school uniforms, with the exception of the school logo.
Juliet, who has set up the Women’s Empowerment Center Shop, has requested more training so that the women can gain skills to make more complex items. Due to the generosity of some of our supporters, that training has been fully funded. Eventually, more machines will be needed, and they hope to someday have a permanent shade structure where they can demonstrate their skills and sell their wares.
Juliet in the Women’s Empowerment Center shop at the roadside:
There are now 74 children living in the dormitory. The parents of the older girls and children who would otherwise have to walk a long way to school are grateful that their children can stay on campus. Children living in the dorm have the added advantage of extra class time after dinner for remediation of skills in subjects in which they are deficient.
The school has hired a Director of Curriculum, Charles Orwothowun. He is providing teacher training on Saturdays for the primary grade teachers. His wife, Christine, is providing training for the Nursery School teachers at the same time.
The school is now in session, and for the first time, the school has literature books to read rather than just textbooks. The new books are very popular with everyone.
The students get their first look at the new books.
We enjoyed delivering letters from sponsors and supporters to 105 students. It is hard to describe how excited most of the children were to receive their first letter ever. There was much joy as the children shared their letters with each other, and then their parents shared with other parents. If you want to send a letter, just email us a jpg of your letter to and we’ll get it delivered to your sponsored child. So far, five of the older students have written back.
The school now has an excellent accountant, called a bursar, who has determined that the school has not been charging enough to cover costs. This is due to the rapid growth of the school population without a corresponding increase in gifts of food or school supplies from the village. She has determined that in order to make ends meet, the school needs $15 more per year per student. This would result in an increase of the annual school fee to $65, which covers teachers’ salaries, uniforms, school supplies, and one meal a day. Since the dorm fee includes the school fee, that will increase to $165 a year. The dorm fee covers three meals a day, extra sets of clothes, sanitary supplies, and the salary of the Matron, Angida Winnie. There is no need to send the extra funds until your next renewal date. We covered the shortfall until then. If you can’t afford the extra $15 a year, let us know, and we’ll find someone to cover the additional part.
The next project that the village wants is a building consisting of four classrooms and a library, which will cost $20,000 to construct. Fundraising has already started and the materials for the foundation have been delivered.
Eight to nine times a year, we will send emails about the village and the people of Mubaku and the current projects.
100% of all contributions to the Mubaku Education Foundation go to support the school and the Women’s Empowerment Center. MEF is a recognized 501(c)3 charity. All contributions are tax-deductible.
Go to www.MubakuSchool.org for more information.