Educate a child from Kibagare Slum at St Martins

Dear Sponsors, Donors and Supporters,

I wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and commitment to our mission of providing quality education and improving our children's lives. As we close the year, we are pleased to inform you that we have made tremendous progress in our academics, feeding program, student-teacher engagements, and overall school development.

Academic Progress - We have witnessed significant progress across the various grades. The exams the students have taken this year have shown remarkable improvement despite the challenges the children face day in and day out due to their environment. 

• Most of our students have been able to attend school daily and we have reduced cases of children missing out on school. This has a significant positive impact on their performance and well-being. Notable improvements were recorded in English and Science subjects where most of the students were meeting the expectations metrics set by the education ministry.
• 74 students and 48 girls in high school graduated this year. They sat their national exams in November and we are optimistic that they will do well when the results come out late in the year.
• Computer studies and the computer lab have proved to be an added asset and motivation for the students and their teachers. With 20 classes in a week for students in grades 4 to 8 we have seen increased learners adaptability and creativity and we hope this will continue to motivate them to do more when we reopen the school in 2025.
• Our students are from a disadvantaged background and a good number of them require additional support to deal with learning difficulties, We have helped a good number of them achieve their targeted grades and also referred some for counseling to help them get good grades.
• Our students excelled in extracurricular activities, with the school winning prizes in sports, Athletics, and Music.
• 11 students that we have supported through the school outreach project are graduating this year having sat their final secondary school exams in November. We hope that they will do well and progress to University and college.
• 5 students pursuing diploma and degree courses locally and abroad graduated this year and 3 are already working as interns. We hope to do more and fund continuing education for our students.

Financial Performance - Thanks to your generous contributions, we have been able to meet our budgetary needs and maintain a stable and transparent financial position Ensuring the continued sustainability of the school programs and infrastructure.

• Income:  Our income is from sponsorships, donations, grants, and fundraising events. This allows us to cover our operational costs, Pay the teachers, maintain our facility, and feed the children. 

Our steer co-team was able to hold a fundraising event on the 14th of November in London and raised USD 27,000 in support of our school programs. We are grateful to them for the much they continue to do to support our cause.

• Expenditures: Our Main expenditures included:

1. Teachers Salaries and development programs
2. Classroom resources, including textbooks, and other learning materials
3. Daily school feeding
4. School Uniforms
5. Computers, technology, and internet connectivity 
6. Utilities, infrastructure maintenance and repairs

We continue to adopt budgeting practices that are sound to ensure that the funds are utilized effectively and transparently.

• School Feeding Program - Our daily school feeding program has always had a significant impact year in and year out, helping to ensure that no child learns on an empty stomach. We served a balanced nutritious meal daily to the 765 children who attended school Monday through Friday and also during the weekend program. Our children have shown improved concentration and energy levels which has contributed to better academic performance and overall school engagement.

We are working towards sustaining the food program by growing our vegetables in a rented space, reducing costs, and ensuring food sufficiency.

• Teacher and Staff Motivation - Our teachers and staff are the backbone of our school, We have worked hard this year to ensure that they feel supported valued, and motivated. To motivate our teachers and staff we have a motivation bonus twice a year. This has helped retain the staff and create a positive work environment.

Looking back, we have made great strides in making the school environment conducive, supporting academic excellence and community engagement.

• Infrastructure Improvements - We are adding two new classrooms for grade 9 for the year 2025. this is in line with the CBC model that has a junior school component. 74 children will be joining year nine and we later graduate to senior school in 2026.

• Community Engagement - Through our outreach program have been able to support families in need, pay school fees for children in secondary school in need, and engage in projects that benefit the school and the community.
• Plans for next year - School will reopen on the 6th of January 2025. We will be admitting new students in their first year of primary school, Pre-Primary 1 and we hope to admit at least 60 children when the year starts. We also have plans to continue with the feeding program, both daily and on the weekend, and look into ways of ensuring that it is sustainable.

This year has been great thanks to your collaboration and support. Your support has contributed to our success and we are grateful. We look ahead and build on this progress with the determination to create an environment where every child thrives.

We look forward to your continued support in the coming year. Thank you once again for your generosity and belief in our mission. Together we are making a difference in the lives of our students.

Warm regards,

Alfred M Aswani

Program Liaison

Links:

• School Website