Funding a Jewish School in Africa
Donation protected
Tikkun Olam Nursery and Primary School was founded in 2015 by Yoash Mayende, the school's director and a prominent member of the Abayudaya (Jewish) community of Uganda, East Africa. There are approximately 3,000 Ugandan Jews scattered throughout the country, and, of these, about 500 live in Namutumba District in and around the impoverished rural village of Magada.
Until Tikkun Olam opened, the only other Jewish primary school in Uganda was located 75 km away, making attendance by our local children impossible. There was a pressing need of offering accessible Jewish education to the children of Namutumba while at the same time providing instruction across the required academic curriculum. Although we had anticipated initial enrolment of between 125 and 150 children, on opening day more than twice that number appeared! -- not just Jewish children, but Christian and Muslim ones as well.
Our needs are staggering! Magada is a poor village, most of whose families survive through subsistence agriculture. School fees, books, supplies, even shoes are a luxury many families simply can not afford, and therefore the school must subsidize a large number of children. In addition, we have 12 teachers to whom we must pay wages.
Our teacher's salaries, $70 per teacher per month, total $840 monthly or $10,080 annually. The remainder of our $14,000 budget is for school supplies, books, maintenance, and other operating expenses.
In a ddition to building a synagogue to cater to our spiritual needs, the Namutumba Abayudaya have been influential in bettering the lives not only of our own members, but those of the communiity at large. Examples include the reconstruction of two community boreholes to provide a sanitary water supply, conducting HIV/AIDS counselling, efforts to control malaria through distribution of mosquito nets, building and operating a grain mill to process local farmers' crops, and assisting in marketing of agricultural produce.
Your donation is vital to the continued success of Tikkun Olam. When we reach our goal of $14,000, we will be able to operate the school for a full year.
The photos below show our school, synagogue, and some community projects.
Community members building our school by hand
The school is open, but still lacks doors and window panes
Children arriving at school
A classroom
Our children are excited to have a school they can truly call their own
Namutumba Synagogue
Borehole to provide clean water at the Namutumba Synagogue
!תודה רבה THANK YOU! MWEBALE NYO!
Until Tikkun Olam opened, the only other Jewish primary school in Uganda was located 75 km away, making attendance by our local children impossible. There was a pressing need of offering accessible Jewish education to the children of Namutumba while at the same time providing instruction across the required academic curriculum. Although we had anticipated initial enrolment of between 125 and 150 children, on opening day more than twice that number appeared! -- not just Jewish children, but Christian and Muslim ones as well.
Our needs are staggering! Magada is a poor village, most of whose families survive through subsistence agriculture. School fees, books, supplies, even shoes are a luxury many families simply can not afford, and therefore the school must subsidize a large number of children. In addition, we have 12 teachers to whom we must pay wages.
Our teacher's salaries, $70 per teacher per month, total $840 monthly or $10,080 annually. The remainder of our $14,000 budget is for school supplies, books, maintenance, and other operating expenses.
In a ddition to building a synagogue to cater to our spiritual needs, the Namutumba Abayudaya have been influential in bettering the lives not only of our own members, but those of the communiity at large. Examples include the reconstruction of two community boreholes to provide a sanitary water supply, conducting HIV/AIDS counselling, efforts to control malaria through distribution of mosquito nets, building and operating a grain mill to process local farmers' crops, and assisting in marketing of agricultural produce.
Your donation is vital to the continued success of Tikkun Olam. When we reach our goal of $14,000, we will be able to operate the school for a full year.
The photos below show our school, synagogue, and some community projects.
Community members building our school by hand
The school is open, but still lacks doors and window panes
Children arriving at school
A classroom
Our children are excited to have a school they can truly call their own
Namutumba Synagogue
Borehole to provide clean water at the Namutumba Synagogue
!תודה רבה THANK YOU! MWEBALE NYO!Organizer and beneficiary
Yoash Mayende
Organizer
Copake, NY
Edward Rensin
Beneficiary