Rotary Club Malta has completed a project to build the Rotary Malta Parents Primary School in the district of Luwero, Uganda, which is providing education to over 450 local children. Luwero is situated in an underdeveloped part of northern Uganda where the need for education facilities is sorely felt.
The project is a result of an investment by Rotary Club Malta of over €130,000, of which €75,000 was provided by the Maltese government’s Overseas Development Aid fund, managed by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and the rest was funded through fundraising activities by the club.
The project is an investment of over €130,000, of which €75,000 was provided by the Maltese government
The project involved the design and construction of 10 classrooms, the administrative block and toilet facilities, as well as all the fixtures and furnishings. The new school was built on a piece of land belonging to the local community on which there was previously a small school that had been destroyed by inclement weather.
The project involved the design and construction of 10 classrooms, the administrative block and toilet facilities, as well as all the fixtures and furnishings.
A view of the classrooms.
The administrative block.
As a part of Rotary’s ‘Empowering Girls’ initiative, a particular focus was also placed on the washroom facilities for girls, who may otherwise be disadvantaged in their schooling. Rotarian Ian de Cesare, the driver of the project, said: “UNESCO estimates that one in 10 adolescent girls in Africa reduce attendance at school, and sometimes cease completely, due to a lack of privacy in the sanitary facilities available at school, and the provision of such facilities can change their lives.”
The project was very well-planned and supervised locally by the in-country partners, the Kids of Africa NGO and Rotary Club Bwebajja from Entebbe, with frequent visits whereby they were able to keep all stakeholders up to speed with photos of progress on the project, which was completed according to budget. All the construction, fixtures and fittings as well as furniture contracts were awarded to local craftsmen, thereby promoting the local economy of Luwero.
Originally intended to open in 2020, delays were caused due to the shutdown of schools during the COVID-19 period. An extension to the project was also made during this period to provide running water through the implementation of a borehole with solar-driven pumps and storage tanks, which is also serving the needs of the local community.
Rotary believes that every child deserves an equal chance at success, and the Rotary Malta School is proof of this commitment.
This is Rotary Club Malta’s fourth project in Uganda, including the building of two schools, as well as numerous projects undertaken in Malta in the 55 years that it has been established.
Rotary International is a service club, consisting of 1.4 million Rotarians around the world, making a difference in communities, and Rotary Club Malta is always on the lookout for new members who wish to make a difference through their service.
To find out more about this project or to become a member, contact Rotary Club Malta at the website www.rotary.org.mt.