The Uganda project team has been working with the Uganda Rural Fund (URG),  and NGO based out of Masaka District, Uganda.  The URF focuses on empowering orphans, impoverished youth, and women in rural communities through education and sustainable development of those communities.  Their headquarters in Masaka are in a small community, Kyetume, where they run Hope Integrated Academy, a school that strives to educate and provide health opportunities for the entire community.  They also help support an orphanage, Nazareth Children’s Home, a few miles away in Nyendo.  The project team first focused on getting a steady power supply to both Hope Academy and Nazareth Children’s Home, as neither community has a reliable power source.

EWB-VT's History in Uganda

2007

The project team took their first assessment trip to Hope Integrated Academy to begin designing a solar power system, find local vendors, and gather various information on the community and their needs.

2009

The team installed a solar power system at Hope Integrated Academy.

2010

A small group took an assessment trip to Masaka to check up on the system at Hope Academy and to make plans to install a similar system at Nazareth Orphanage.

2011

The team installed a solar power system at Nazareth Orphanage and continued to maintain the system at Hope Academy.  They also talked with the URF about what they would like to have accomplished next. 

Current Activities

The team is currently discussing with the Uganda Rural Fund which project they would like to do next.  Hope Academy would like the team to install a welding lab to teach students technical skills as an alternative if they cannot continue their education.  We hope to continue working in Masaka as we have already formed lasting relationships with the community.