Yalelo is addressing the urgent educational challenges in Butembe, Kalega, and Buwagajjo. These communities, home to over 1,020 primary school children, face a severe lack of classroom infrastructure, with numbers expected to rise to 1,200 by the end of 2024.

Despite the dedication of parents and teachers, four community-based schools—Hands of Love Junior School, Butembe Faith Academy, Butembe Community Development Centre, and Prophet Obadiah Orthodox Primary School—are critically short of desks. Of the 298 desks available, only 183 are single-seater desks, serving just 221 students. This leaves 78.3% of learners without appropriate seating or writing facilities, far below Uganda’s Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards for Education Institutions (2009).

The impact of this shortage is profound. Without sufficient desks, children are forced to sit on the floor or share limited space, making it difficult to concentrate and fully engage in their studies. Consequently, school attendance has declined, with some children opting to stay home rather than endure overcrowded classrooms. Teachers also face challenges managing large class sizes and completing assessments in a timely manner.

In response, Yalelo has provided much-needed educational equipment to improve learning conditions for these young students. This initiative aims to create a more comfortable and conducive learning environment, fostering a love for education within the community. Additionally, the support will empower teachers to carry out their responsibilities more effectively, ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.

Speaking at the handover ceremony at Yalelo’s Head Office in Butembe, CEO Eric de Vaan emphasized the company’s commitment to education as a cornerstone for community development: “It’s such a joyful day that this handover ceremony fell on the same day as Yalelo’s 5 years anniversary and have the community join in the celebration. It is our commitment to keep our relationship with the community stronger even after the 5 years we are celebrating today. We are here to celebrate the real stars of the show who are the children.

To the students-The furniture is all shinny now but after a long time, it will fade unfortunately, but not the knowledge you will have gained throughout that time. Overall, Education gives the highest return on investment.”