The Kisoro Trust

The Kisoro Trust is a charity registered in Scotland which was established to raise funds towards a school for deaf children in the Kisoro diocese of Uganda. We would like to invite you to join us in helping to give these children a future.

The project originally aimed to provide fifteen deaf children in Kisoro with two years of primary education. But thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the school is now able to accommodate almost 60 deaf children who are being taught in classes from primary 1 right through to primary 7.

The running of the school is overseen by an independent management board, PET Uganda. It is led by its Executive Director Rev. Dr. Ephraim Mbabazi, who undertook a course of postgraduate study in Edinburgh several years ago.

The money required is not huge: £13,000 covers the annual running costs of the school, so any contribution you can offer will really make a difference!

The school first opened its doors in February 2001. Here is a photograph of the first year's intake of children.

The children were so keen to move in, they carried their own mattresses!

By 2008, the children have learned much, competing well in education and sports with the mainstream children at the primary school and the first group of children have left and moved on. The photo below shows the children in the school uniforms, receiving shoes and socks for the first time.

Where is Kisoro? Follow this link to find out. MSN MAP

Background

Here in Scotland, deaf children can enjoy most of the same opportunities as their hearing friends and have the potential to contribute fully to society. But in Uganda things are very different.

During Idi Amin's regime (1971-1986) basic services such as health and education were allowed to deteriorate, and despite the present political stability, there remains a great deal to be done. The Ugandan government is aware that education is the key to development and is implementing a policy of universal primary education. But the needs of children with disabilities such as deafness have not yet been addressed, particularly in rural areas.

Kisoro lies in the extreme south west of Uganda, and is 96% rural. There are approximately 150 deaf and hearing impaired children of primary school age, very few of whom actually attend school. Few parents can afford to send children to the nearest special school, nine hours away by bus in Kampala.

View of Kisoro, with the 14000 ft Mountain Muhabura in the background.

Without any education, these children are unlikely to be able to gain even basic language skills and face a very uncertain future. However, if they are given the opportunity to develop to their full potential, there is no reason why they should not become useful members of their society. For example, when the school was established, one of the ministers in the Ugandan government was deaf and used sign language. Please can you help give these children the chance to achieve the same?

Sponsor a child's place at school

Why not sponsor a child's place at school and help ensure that the school will be around for many years to come? The day to day running costs of the school are not high, and in European terms, easily achievable. This is a unique opportunity to help bring the education of deaf children into line with mainstream Ugandan pupils.

£250 will pay for a child's education for a year, so why not get together with others in your class at school, your work colleagues or maybe even just some friends and make it your goal to raise the money to support one or more children?

Raise what you can or give what you can afford - and remember, if you are a British tax payer, please ask us for a Gift Aid form. We will be happy to send you all the details.

To send a donation, please make all cheques payable to "The Kisoro Trust" and send them to:

The Kisoro Trust
91 Restalrig Avenue, Edinburgh, EH7 6PN, UK

If you can afford it, we would encourage you to give a small amount regularly, by Standing Order. If you would like to do so, please complete the following form.

We will send you all the details you require. Thank you.

The Kisoro Trust
91 Restalrig Avenue, Edinburgh, EH7 6PN, UK
Recognised Scottish Charity No. SC 029384

Email address: info@Kisoro.org