Our dedication

The landlocked country Uganda in Eastafrica directly on the equator counts to one of the poorest countries in the world. Since October 1962 Uganda is independent but marked from long civil wars through the Lord Resistance Army (LRA). The total average age is 15 years (!), that means most of the human beings there are children who have often no family anymore or  live with relatives who can not afford paying a school fee for them. A Ugandan family has in an average 8 to 12 kids and lives from a daily income of around 1.25 CHF (=1.25 USD) per day. With this small income an average family needs to pay accommodation and food so that it is impossible to afford paying any school fees for their kids.

Based on the high poverty in countryside regions adults are often forced to abandon some of their kids to feed the remaining part of the family. If kids are allowed to live with their families, they are mostly illiterates and farm daily by rain, sun, wind or storm on the small area behind their houses to harvest their food they need for the family.

Hunger, thirst, hard work, sleeping in poorly equipped sleeping places and also domestic violence are no foreign words for them as they are used to these in their lifes.

We would like to stopp this and helping at least few needy kids in Uganda to have a better future and the possibility to learn a great job so that again they could help their families and support other kids in going to school with maintaining our philosophy.

Preferably we would like to support kids going to a secondary school and who have already attended the primary school and showed great school results and a mature behaviour. Secondary schools in Uganda are generally boarding schools where the kids are living, eating and learning there. An average school has around 60 to 80 kids in one school class, sitting near to each other on small benches and listening to a teacher in front writing school stuff on the board. Generally the kids have a possibility of getting 3 meals a day which normally consists of Posho (a maize flour), beans and rice. The children are sleeping in gender separated big dormitories (approx. 30 kids in one dormitory room) in stock beds. Often they do not have a small part of a cupboard for them to store their belongings so that they have to store their things on the bed during the day and on the floor or near their feet in the night. In the night a "Matron" or a "Patron" is caring for them. If a kid is sick a nurse hired by the school is looking for them.  

The secondary school goes over 6 years, while it is split into 2 parts: Senior 1 to Senior 4 and Senior 5 to Senior 6. Between Senior 4 and 5 there is a public exam that is similar our "General Certificate of Secondary education". Also after Senior 6 there is another public exam which is equal to our "High school graduation".

To learn a great job there is a need of reaching a certificate after attending the exam after Senior 4. If kids would like to go to a University they have to reach the certificate after Senior 6. Every school year is split into 3 terms which are closed with an final exam and which need to be paid separately. For a poorly maintained secondary school parents need to pay approximately 250'000 UGS to 500'000 UGS (approx. 100 - 200 CHF/USD) per term. An average secondary school costs approx. 500'000 - 800'000 UGS (approx. 200 - 325 CHF/USD) per term. A better school with a better offer on educations costs approx. 800'000 - 1'400'000 UGS (approx. 325 - 560 CHF) per term. If parents want to send their kids to a secondary school with small classes, individual support in case of weaknesses or behaviourial improvements, practical education as for example textile work, wood work, art, music, theater, sport etc. and also a better balanced nutrition combined with also a better school service in general they have to pay approx. 1'400'000 - 1'800'000 UGS (approx. 560 -720 CHF/USD).  Based on all these facts an average school costs approx. 900, - CHF/USD, a good school 1500,- CHF/USD and a great school 2100,- CHF per year for one child.  

In addition to the school fees parents have to count on additional costs, e.g. school uniform, insurances, exam costs, locker fees, food fees, school stuff as books, booklets, biros, pencils.

We know the kids we support in person. Katrin has known these kids during her one-year stay or during her regular visits in Uganda and researched the background of them very well. Newcomers are well-known and evaluated by our active member Jason. He has recommended new kids to us. 

Our kids were abandoned by their parents, have lost them or they have no chance for getting a regular daily income. As there is no regular income and if there is a regular one but only a really small comes into the family income these kids can not go to school if we wouldn't support them.

Our kids need to show a high willingness to perform greatly in school as they had to show us already with their primary school results. Furthermore they need to bring a great maturity and responsibility in their behavior so that they give us the feeling that it is worth to support them in going to a school. Only children who understand very well that they have a better future with us and show that with good behavior and performance will be supported by us on long term approach. If the behavior and their performance in school is not following our guidelines we are starting to have in depth discussions with them and ask for improvements and give further help if needed to withdraw weak points. If the improvement plan is not gonna work we do not feel shy to finish our commitment for supporting them and choosing different children.

The collected money may it be by purchasing the drawings or the jewelry, activities or by getting a donation from you we will support directly our chosen kids by paying their school fees. We pay the complete school fee and also the additional cost which are necessary to attend a school, e.g. transport to and from the school home, school uniform, school stuff as school books, booklets, pencils, sports clothes, regular medical checks as well as few pocket money. We are in regular contact with our children as well as that we are allowed to contact the school director in case of issues or further questions and to interact with the kids if needed. The school fee will be payed directly to the school if possible and the remaining additional costs by Western Union money transfer to one of our eldest kids Jimmy, who is 18 and can receive money as an adult. He is working closely with us on this. There is no money transfer to the family of the kids, as our goal is that the complete money will go to the kids needs and that no middleman will enrich him- or herself by helping these kids.  The administrative costs are approx. 3 % at the moment which will be covered from the board of MUKISA during the start of the foundation. The board as well as all other members of MUKISA are working voluntarily and receiving no salary or incentives.

We are in regular contact with our children and expect after every end of a school term a copy of the school results from them. These school term results won't be published here in detail as we highly respect the privacy of our kids. But if you have a keen interest to see the school results you are welcome to contact us and we will show you them personally if needed. 

In case you have donated money to us we offer you to confirm you your donation in a donation receipt signed by us and send to you as pdf via email latest every end of the year so that probably you could use it for your tax refund.

Every beginning of the year you receive from us also the end year report of the last year, giving you details about donations, spends and activities, via email. 

We are not sending reports or donation receipts via mail (if not really needed), to save costs as we would like to ensure that your donation is going directly to kids. 

For every questions regarding MUKISA, its setup, its activities as well as the status of our children do not hesitate to contact us under info@mukisa.ch or enter it directly under "contact".