Secondary school scholarships in Kasenda, Kimya and Kihogo villages

In Uganda and many other countries in Africa, secondary education, unlike primary education, is neither free nor compulsory and has to be paid for by the students’ families. This situation makes it very difficult for young people to go to school, especially in the villages far from urban centres where living conditions are very poor and economic resources scarce.

Kelele Africa believes, as we do, that facilitating access to education in the most impoverished and remote villages goes beyond providing individual opportunities: it has a transformative impact on entire communities. Kelele works mainly in the villages of Kasenda, Kimya and Kihogo (western Uganda), where 95% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, with income below the poverty line and a very significant percentage of adult illiteracy. Until 2022, the lack of electricity and access to clean water greatly hampered the progress and development of these communities.

Through the agreement signed with the Association Kelele Africa, we give scholarships to 15 children from families in vulnerable situations who have successfully completed primary school.

The 15 students study in boarding schools – there are no schools close to their places of origin- and return home during holiday periods. One of them is a young person with disabilities (deaf and dumb) who studies at a school specialized in his condition in Kampala, the country’s capital. The others study at Fort Portal, which is the nearest town to their villages and capital of Kabarole District; one of them is highly skilled and attends a special school.

The AREAS Foundation scholarships cover the cost of schooling, uniforms, school supplies and transport during the full secondary cycle (4 years).