November 2019

SCHOOL OPENING CELEBRATION

Filled with festivities, September 8^th was truly a memorable day! Six representatives, all donors from California, had the honor of attending the Official Opening Celebration of the four completed Bright Future Nursery and Primary School classrooms and the latrine building.  The Hon. Bigirwa Nora, the female Member of Parliament for the Bulissa District, spoke and cut the ribbon to officially open the school.

It was a day of celebration, music, dancing, village fundraising, and also a time to honor the top students from each academic level.

As was evidenced on the day of the celebration, the new classrooms have already become a vital part of the village.  Hundreds traveled a great distance on foot to attend the opening celebration, many of whom took refuge in the classrooms overnight.  A great thunderstorm and downpour made travel to their homes very difficult, if not impossible.  (Note:  Rain during a celebration is considered a blessing in Uganda.)

As we move into November, the month traditionally dedicated to giving thanks, the Mubaku Foundation Board of Directors and the Mubaku Community have much for which to be thankful.  In November 2018, less than a year ago, we began working toward becoming recognized as a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 organization.  Since then, so much has transpired, and we have you, the donors, to thank!

Here are some of the projects that have been accomplished since November 2018:

• Mubaku Educational Foundation received approval as an official 501(c ) 3 organization.
• Construction of the school wing with four (4) classrooms and two small offices was completed.
• Construction of the eight-stall latrine was completed. (It serves not only the school but also the community members who regularly go to the borehole on school grounds, the only access to clean water within five miles.)
• The borehole’s repair and renovation was completed and now steadily provides safe, clean water for the school and surrounding community of 2,366 people.
• Donors have sponsored Thirty-six (36) students.
• A donor is sponsoring one teacher’s salary for the year.
• The school library has grown from less than 40 books to over 300.
• Donors have provided school supplies. (Colored pencil sets, watercolors, composition books, chalk, paper, backpacks…)

Borehole Repairs:  Mechanics and the community successfully worked together to repair the borehole.  Without clean water from this borehole, the 2,366 people of Mubaku would have to travel far on foot to get access to clean water.

Construction Status

The basic construction of four classrooms and the latrine building have been completed with doors and windows. The floors have been completed and wall chalkboards have been installed in the four classrooms.  There is a total of twenty (20) two-student desks that are currently serving all of the classrooms.  Their design is such that they are portable enough to move outside, as they did for the school’s opening celebration.  The school has plans to paint the school the colors of the students’ uniforms, blue and green.

Now that the physical structure of the first building is complete, our next priorities are

• furnishing the classrooms, including student desks, bookcases, chalkboards, etc.
• paying for teachers to be certified
• providing resources for student access to a physical education program
• planning for next phase of additional land acquisition and building

 

 

How Your Donations Help: 

$25 can provide 3 students’ physical education (including sports uniforms)
$50 can sponsor one student for the school year
$75 can provide a teacher’s salary for one month
$125 can provide 3 desks, giving 9 children classroom seating

Items being funded by the foundation this month:

• • • funds for two (2) teachers to pursue necessary coursework to become certified
    • funds to provide for salary of the head teacher
    • thirty (30) new student desks (They need 30 more)
    • individual student chalkboards
    • library shelving unit
    • six (6) tables

    
    Additional Furniture Needed:

    • • 30 Student Desks (Currently there are only twenty 3-seater desks for the whole school.)
      • Four Teacher Chairs

     

  MANGO TREES PLANTED
  
  The day following the school’s opening celebration, which started out sunny and bright, several mango trees were planted on the campus grounds.  The holes were dug and ready for planting, when the skies opened up once again, filling the holes with water.  Nevertheless, the planting went on!  It will be wonderful to have these trees’ fruit as another source of good nutrition for the school children.

  IN MEMORY OF NANCY WRIGHT:

  It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that one of the founding donors for Mubaku Educational Foundation, Nancy Wright, passed away after a brief illness while traveling in Madagascar.  She was one of the most consistent of all donors, with a great heart to see all students in the Mubaku Village, and all children in Uganda, received a good education. She was one of the six who traveled to Mubaku for the school’s opening celebration. Nancy is pictured on the left in the group picture at the top right side of this newsletter.

  With a great passion for the Mubaku Village and Bright Future Nursery and Primary School, not only did she give of her monetary resources, but also of her time.  It was a sheer joy watching her working and playing with the students…not to mention how she could dance along with community members at the opening celebration.  In Nancy’s memory, her family has requested that donations be made to the Mubaku Educational Foundation.   Nancy’s legacy will live on through the many relationships she established in the village, as well as through the support she gave of her time and resources, which will continue to be evident at the school.

  Mubaku Trivia Tidbits

  Chicken coops in Mubaku Village closely resemble the homes in the community.  Below are photos of a chicken coop and also some village homes.  Notice how the community members store their toothbrushes.  Look closely at the last two photos.

  Chicken Coop

  Village Homes

  Toothbrush Storage

  Toothbrush Storage

   

  Have a Birthday Coming?  

  This summer one of our board members had a birthday and began a Facebook fundraiser to support the Mubaku Educational Foundation for the students of Bright Future Nursery and Primary School.  The response from donors was overwhelming!  If you use Facebook, please consider starting a fundraiser for your next birthday to support the school.  It’s easy.  Just look for the Mubaku Educational Foundation, which is listed in their menu of approved charitable organizations.  Facebook charges no processing fees, so everything donated will come to Mubaku Educational Foundation.  You will be amazed how many people see this as an important project.

  Please note:  501 (c) 3 Status

  All of your tax-deductible donations, except a small PayPal fee, goes directly to Mubaku Village’s school efforts.  All Mubaku Educational Foundation operational and formation costs are personally donated by board members. Donations may be given through PayPal at the mubakuschool.org website or by mailing a check to:

  Mubaku Educational Foundation

  

  Board of Directors,  Left to Right:  Peter Roth Lisa-Ann Galati, Charles Oyer, Gayle Hughes & Michael Hughes)

  P.O. Box 70,
  Agoura Hills, CA
  91376-0070

Editors Note (Feb 1, 2021). The legal address for MEF has changed to;

Mubaku Educational Foundation
12970 Andalusia Dr.
Santa Rosa Valley, CA 93012

Thank you for your on-going support! We hope you will stay involved, as we address the future needs of the school and students.  Thank you for spreading the word about Mubaku.  Every little bit makes a huge difference in the lives of the children in the village.

Best regards,

The Mubaku Educational Foundation USA Board of Directors.