Saint Ann Foundation
St. Ann Foundation was founded in 2016 to provide support for vulnerable children and adults, with a focus on females, in local communities in Buyiga, Busega and Kasangati in Uganda. St. Ann currently operates through various programs, with the 3 largest being:
1. Early childhood education and protection. St. Ann has established two Early Childhood Development (“ECD”) centers in Busega and and Kasangati. They teach a UNICEF/Uganda derived curriculum that is considered superior to the alternatives. Since 2016 they have educated and provided scholarships for 1,200 vulnerable young children. St Ann’s provides study materials, clothing, food and, for the most destitute, shelter. The ECDs currently have capacity for 120 children and have 10 teachers but due to COVID-19, there are currently 30 children at both centers. St Ann also intervenes in its communities in cases of child abuse and is able to take in children and ensure they are placed in a safe environment;
2. Food security. St. Ann utilizes 10 acres of farmland in Buyiga where they grow crops and tend livestock. They are able to provide 50% of their direct beneficiaries’ food needs (pre-COVID). St. Ann also distributes seeds to local farmers and trains them to improve crop outcomes, feed their families, and sell any surplus to the community, thus providing an income stream;
3. Promoting women’s rights and economic opportunity. The goal is to empower women and give them a source of income. This is achieved through vocational training, primarily for tailoring, soap making and baked goods. They use local materials and fabrics and are sourcing more equipment through NGOs. They are able to sell products in local markets but also hope to export to wealthier countries post-COVID.
What We Need To Raise
$20,000 to $30,000
Depending on final diligence and confirmation of breakdown of need.
Why We Chose Them
Founder Commitment and Story
Saint Ann Foundation was founded in 2016 by Abel Robert Ssekayombya. Abel did not know his father and was abandoned by his single mother at age 8 and raised by his Aunt Ann Muyingo. Abel was one of 20 abandoned or orphaned child relatives that Ann Muyingo helped raise despite her lack of financial resources. In 2015, Abel earned his B.A in Social Sciences from Makerere University and felt his calling to establish the Saint Ann Foundation, to promote his aunt’s legacy of supporting orphans and vulnerable members of the community. Abel has committed his life to this mission and currently receives no compensation for his work.
Why Does The Social Need Exist And What Are The Alternatives?
Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world and as result, lacks the wherewithal to support basic necessities. These include education, clean water, and food security. This is compounded by a high birth rate that has left millions of children in poverty and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Uganda has a large number of NGOs that focus on several of these areas but the national need is substantial. St Ann focuses on the communities in which it operates, has grassroots leadership and aims to provide sustainable change.
Lives Impacted (Quality & Outcomes)
Between 2017-2020, St. Ann educated and fed 1,200 children and also fed 200 related families with three meals a day. St. Ann currently provides shelter for 30 children and provides clothing for another 220 children. 50 women currently attend their vocational training center. Approximately 50% of the food required to feed St. Ann’s beneficiaries and their families was grown on land used by St. Ann in Buyiga. St. Ann partners with the Alpine Clinic in Kasangati to provide healthcare to children, particularly during outbreaks of infectious diseases (most recently COVID-19). St. Ann also seeks community change through after school programs in music, dance and art that are rooted in local culture/customs and allow interaction with the community to address issues of social injustice.