West Nile education fund to target 300 learners

PIC: Members and well wishers of the West Nile Education Fund cut the cake to launch the fund at Hotel Africana in Kampala. (Credit: Denis Dibele)

EDUCATION

KAMPALA - The community of West Nile has set up an education trust fund aimed at revamping the education standards in the area and fighting poverty.

The fund that stands at sh50m has started with sponsorship of four underprivileged university students, who are pursuing bachelor's degrees in pharmacy and medicine in public universities across the country.

The initiative hopes to raise over sh5b in the next five years to support over 300 learners at different education levels.

The focus will be mainly on agriculture and science courses to under privileged but bright students.

During the launch of the West Nile Education Trust Fund at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Friday, the chairperson of the fund, Charles Draecabo,  blamed the poor education performance in the area on the recent insurgencies that destabilised the peace.

"The poor education system in West Nile has limited the ability of students, leaving the area as the main source of casual labourers to other parts of the country," he noted.

Draecabo argued that the fund will ensure that students are given a chance to join tertiary institutions and also improve the standards of schools in the area.

Comedian Patrick Idringi (right) with members of West Nile community at Hotel Africana. (Credit: Denis Dibele)

"The fund will be instrumental in equipping schools with study, materials, retooling teachers and improving early childhood learning," he said.

Narrating the history of the region, the president West Nile Foundation Caleb Alaka, said the area was known for producing casual labourers for sugarcane farms and security guards during the colonial era.

Alaka noted that the new era they have started will focus on improving education, financial inclusion, health, agriculture, sanitation and environment, among others.

The guest speaker, Denis Aliga, said the foundation to economic development is quality education.

"This increases the value of labour and reduces poverty in the communities," he added.

Aliga explained that education had a great social importance, especially in the modern industrialised societies.

"Receiving a good education helps to empower you, thus making you strong enough to look after yourself in any given situation. So we should not relax on this critical matter of educating the next generation," Aliga advised.

During the launch of the fund, the group raised sh218m both in cash and pledges, including sh5m donated by Vision Group.