Masindi Mercy Junior School

FOLA began working in the very remote village of Masindi, Uganda in 2013! It is a very impoverished area where people live like the 1700’s in mud huts and are too poor to use soap and water to wash their hands, bodies, clothes, and cooking utensils. They survive by living off the land! Disease still runs rampant there, especially in areas that are too far away from the Masindi Medical Clinic that we constructed and opened there in 2017. 

On our 1st mission trip to Masindi in 2013, we found that they had a little “make-shift open air grass thatched school” that was held up by 4 poles and had about 40 students, with teachers who taught them without even having an education degree. Those who volunteered just loved kids and saw the need for them to have an education! That make-shift school blew down in 2017, which then left them with nothing! That same year, FOLA put up 2 “temporary” tin school buildings to help educate the children in this area. Our school grew to 500 students before covid, but because of the 2-year lockdown, when school resumed in early 2022, many students did not return because of circumstances in their lives and families (many 12 & 13 year old girls became pregnant through rape, incest etc.), bringing our number of students down to 350 students. Also, several years ago, a tornado type storm caused 1 building to collapse, but left the roof in one piece.

 We were able to raise the building back up the best we could, but knew we needed to plan to construct a permanent brick building. At the same time, we dealt with very serious termite issues that we could not resolve, even though we followed all the recommended treatments and protocols to eradicate them, which then bring us to the present time.

Update

The Masindi Health Department recently contacted us stating that they want to close the school because they feel the buildings are not secure enough to house the children. Dr. Gilbert told them that we have plans for constructing a new permanent 1-story concrete building that can house up to 500 students. The total cost for the construction and needed equipment for the school is $125,000.

1. There are no other schools in this area 
2. FOLA has supported this school since 2013 
3. Without FOLA, this school would not be in existence 
4. New prospective school would educate children from Grade 1 through Grade 7 
5. School currently has an enrollment of 350 children 
6. Able to educate up to 500 students when complete 
7. Hard working children have opportunity to further their education at Mercy High School in Kampala
8.  Land is already owned by our Masindi Mercy House Ministries team 
9. 32 acres of Masindi “Canaan” farm help provide food for our school 
10. Provides the only meals many children have per day 
11. Meets the Ugandan government requirements 
12. Provides an education to very poor disadvantaged children who are unable to pay 
13. Helps stamp out illiteracy, brings support to the community and helps provide employment