Teach For Uganda Fellows Mwende Hellen, Koli Dorothy and Nagujja Joyce stand alongside Mrs. Ayako Scholastic, Headteacher of Nakalanda Primary School (in maroon dress), beside one of the water tanks secured through the Fellows’ community mobilization efforts.
At Nakalanda Primary School in Mukono District, every school day used to begin with a struggle. Young learners, some as little as five years old, would set off with yellow jerrycans balanced on their heads or in their tiny hands, walking long distances under the scorching sun just to fetch water for the school. By the time they returned, their energy for learning had already been drained. For many, lessons were missed and the dream of education dimmed under the weight of this daily burden.
Deeply moved by the struggles of their learners, Teach For Uganda Fellows Mwende Hellen, Koli Dorothy and Nagujja Joyce mobilized the school and community, and through the support of the MTN Foundation grant, secured not one but two water tanks with a combined capacity of 10,000 litres.
With clean water at hand, learners no longer miss lessons to fetch water. Instead, they quench their thirst after playing in the scorching sun, wash their hands before meals and maintain hygiene that keeps them healthier and more present in class. The school garden, too, has begun to flourish with the help of this harvested rainwater, teaching children the value of sustainability and food security.
For the pupils of Nakalanda Primary School, water is no longer a distant dream but a daily reality. What once seemed impossible is now an example of what can happen when leaders like Hellen, Dorothy and Joyce rise to act with courage and compassion and for the children of Nakalanda Primary School, this is the gift of dignity, health and opportunity. You too can be part of this change by supporting our work, partnering with us or applying to become a Fellow. Together, we can transform classrooms, schools and communities across Uganda.
