Lweza Primary School Project

Before (2005):

After (2007):

Photos: Left Top-Taken in 2004 prior to donations. Right Top-Taken a few weeks later during the beginning stages of remodeling. Left Bottom- A student in her new school. Right bottom- The inside after remodeling.

Lweza Primary School is located in the Mukono District in central Uganda. About 600 students up to the age of around 13 attend the school, which encompasses only a few small buildings with minimal furniture and teaching resources. On a more personal note, this is the school that Dr. James Ntambi (Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who takes students to Uganda each year) attended when he was a child, which makes it that much more meaningful for those involved with this project. 

For the past four years, UW students have raised money for building repairs and collected school supplies for the students at this school. The UW students have been able to see the improvements that their money has brought the school, including: cement flooring, wall repairs, roof repairs, and new windows. The money given in 2007 will go towards constructing a new building for higher grade levels and finishing housing for the staff. Every year, each UW student fills one of their two allowed pieces of checked luggage with school supplies for the kids at Lweza. There is a committee of five Lweza Primary School representatives who decide how the money is spent, as well as how the school supplies should be distributed so that everyone benefits from the donations, and also to ensure that there is no damage or destruction to the supplies. Village Health Project has helped to collect school supplies and monetary donations, and has played an integral part in permanently incorporating this project into the study abroad program.

Above: one of the teachers at the school sorting through donated supplies

Below: some of the students and staff outside the school there to greet us, it was a weekend!