Summary
The Help Me to School Programme is one of the programmes run by the Elisabeth Namaganda Foundation in Kampala. It provides school fees to underprivileged children for primary, secondary and vocational training. For the replenishment of this fund the Foundation formerly depended on their Dutch partner, who raised funds for them in The Netherlands. In order to reduce the financial burden of the Dutch partner, Elisabeth Namaganda in the late 90's started a party tent project. On the beautiful, well-kept campus of the Uganda Catholic Management & Training Institute, walled and with a guard at the gate, people from Kampala can hire the available party tents during the weekends. They are used for weddings, graduation parties, family get-togethers, funerals, church services, etc. The operation is run by the students themselves, who earn some pocket money. On a nearby plot a parking lot has been developed in 2013. Master students, who are often already working and come from far, can leave their car on this guarded plot. They pay their parking fees, together with their school fees. The first gains will be used to create a car wash, small shops and snack restaurants near the entrance of the parking lot.
Tips and lessons learned
1. This action is cheap to manage and easy to supervise.
2. Challenges are minimal e.g. overstaying in the sun - sunshine fades the tents colour.
3. The poles are heavy for those raising the tents and sometimes problems occur when the party exceeds the required time to end (10.30 PM).
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
This is an inspiring example of how an organisation can offer paid services in order to cover part of their project or programme costs, thus reducing donor dependency. In 2014 44,7% of the entire budget was already raised locally. A strong point in this example is that the students who benefit also work in the income generating project.
Details
Objectives
1. To raise local school fees for needy students for primary, secondary and vocational training.
2. To have sufficient funds for students tuition and school requirements.
3. To contribute to the financial independence of the Help me to school programme.
Targeted donors
People preparing for marriage, married couples, youth, religious and other interested parties.
Master students.
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (UShs |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
26,365,000 |
7,705 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
0 |
0 |
| Net amount raised |
26,365,000 |
7,705 |
Result comments
The Elisabeth Namaganda Foundation is using 10% of the funds raised locally for maintenance and depreciation. 90% goes to the scholarship fund.
Description of preparatory work
- Putting the tents up.
- Carry chairs & tables.
- Arrange the place.
- Clean and put back tents and tables afterwards.
- Clean and put back the chairs.
Description of implementation
- The project started with 3 tents and 300 chairs in the late 90's.
- They soon bought 4 new ones and 1 bridal tent and purchased 400 more chairs.
- Recently with the help of their Dutch partner they bought 5 nice new tents & 1 bridal tent.
