Join us as we fundraise for our children and families affected by the COVID-19 Crisis.

OUR HEARTS

More than 150 children are currently enrolled at Our Hearts free preschool and elementary school where they are taught English, reading, writing, science, and math, as well as provided daily lunches. Our school also teaches adult classes and holds weekly women empowerment meetings.

 

In addition, the school has a community garden where community members can learn how to grow crops. The garden is also used to feed the kids at school. There are many after school activities for the students, as well, such as chess club, soccer, and debate.

 

Before Our Hearts for Africans was established in 2019, children in Bunio had no education, and the ones that did had to walk for hours to find any other school.

OUR HISTORY

In 2019, Paul Kulabako started Our Hearts for Africans because he was inspired by the struggles he went through as a child growing up in poverty in Uganda and spent a significant part of his childhood making bricks to generate enough income for his siblings to be able to get an education.

 

Paul would walk hours to school every day because he knew at an early age that education is the key to alleviating poverty and creating a better life for oneself. Paul now owns and operates Our Hearts for Africans with a mission to bring education, empowerment, and basic needs to the community of Bunio.

 

Paul’s story is a testament to the power of education, determination, and love.

BARRIERS TO GROWTH

Many children in Uganda have to travel long distances to get to school, making it harder to attend class and leading to higher dropout rates. We have eliminated this problem in the community of Bunio by establishing a free school in which kids within the community can easily get to.

 

Additionally, one of the biggest barriers to academic success is hunger, because children struggle to concentrate and focus on an empty stomach.

 

Our Hearts for Africans orphanage school provides our children with meals so that they are full of energy, and ready to learn.

OUR PRIMARY

MISSION & GOALS

EDUCATION

SANITATION

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PREVENTION

DONATIONS

On-Site Locations

We are working to expand our outreach.

Bugweri District, Busembatia, Namalemba Sub County, Bunio Village
Open 24/7

Help Them Thrive

Before the establishment of Our Hearts, the village of Bunio had no clean water or access to education. Our Hearts hopes to provide village members with healthcare in the future as well. We need your support now more than ever to make these changes a reality in our communities and beyond.

Donate Now

Women empowerment is a focal point of our mission. The women of Bunio face many challenge such as poverty, unemployment, and underrepresentation. Our Hearts serves to help the women of Bunio find their voice through empowering them with education, entrepreneurship opportunities, and feminine hygiene recourses.

 

When the staff at Our Hearts interviewed the women of Bunio, we found that among all the big dreams that these women have, being educated stood at the forefront. The organization to exists largely to make their dreams a reality. Once a week the women take free reading and writing classes. The organization also serves to teach the women about HIV/Aids, menstruation, and personal hygiene. In addition, the women meet with Our Hearts staff weekly to express their needs and goals so that we know how to best serve them on a constant basis.

EDUCATION

SANITATION

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

IN SEARCH OF THE FOLLOWING

VOLUNTEER ROLES

TEACHING

Although the schools we are working with have teachers, they are not native English speakers and lack the recourses to provide the highest education possible for the children attending. Volunteers are needed to assist with teaching subjects such as reading, writing mathematics, science, and English. Providing an international perspective when teaching and building relationships with the children is highly encouraged. Volunteers are also needed to teach the community members of Bunio about family planning, HIV/AIDs, clean water, poverty, financial literacy and computer skills.

AGRICULTURE

Our Hearts has a community garden full of various fruits and vegetables to sustain the school students and the community of Bunio. The garden is also used to generate income for the teachers. Volunteers are needed to help with digging, mulching, planting, watering, feeding, and harvesting. Volunteers are also needed to make compost manure and natural pesticides. Additionally, help is needed for construction of the poultry coop and housing for cows and goats since we are working with communities and poor families to establish gardens in order to reduce poverty within the village of Bunio.

CONSTRUCTION

Volunteers are needed to help build a volunteer house for future volunteers as well as aid in the construction of more classrooms so that more children in the community can have a quality education. Volunteers are needed to assist in providing labor and additional support during construction, those who are skilled in construction and building are encouraged to use their skills.

PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY

We are seeking those skilled in photography and videography to join us in Uganda to capture the experience of working with Our Hearts for Africans to use in marketing collateral.

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT

We are seeking those with experience educating on women's empowerment to help provide for our women in Uganda as they learn the value of their roles in modern society.

HEALTH CARE

We are seeking health care professionals or educated healthcare workers to guide us in our community outreach, service, and education.

MENTAL HEALTH

We are seeking health care professionals with experience in mental health to help guide us in our community outreach, service, and education.

SPORTS EDUCATION

We are seeking those who love sports to help coach our children on regulations, safety, and overall fun!

CARING FOR ORPHANS

Orphans lack parental love, care, and attention. By volunteering with us you have the opportunity to give your heart to the orphans of Bunio by giving them the love they are missing from lack of parental comfort and guidance. This can be done through storytelling, playing, and even singing with the children. Materials are also needed from volunteers such as clothing, toys, and musical instruments. After we finish constructing an orphanage for the orphans and disabled children of Bunio, volunteers are needed to help take care of them.

``Speechless, thats the only word that comes to mind when I think of my experience in Uganda. The way people spread joy and happiness with just their smile is amazing. The people I worked with are open to everything and eager to learn, but what they give back is a whole new perspective on the world and human relationships. I can't put into words how proud I am of every man, woman, and child I've had the pleasure of working with and I can't wait to see the progress that the organization and the people it serves have made since my visit when I come back. Our Hearts for Africans Uganda is a safe place where people in the community are given the opportunity to take the next steps towards self growth and a brighter future. I couldn't have asked for more from this experience.``

Helga Sunna

Volunteer from Iceland