Our Vision
Our vision is to deploy technology in secondary schools in rural Uganda in order to empower young people with hands-on skills and opportunities to grow in technical careers.

Why Uganda?
Uganda, located in East Africa, is one of the twenty most poverty stricken countries in the world. Recovering from the political turmoil that ensued following their independence from Great Britain, many of the people are poor, ill, and uneducated. Prior to 1992 less than 5% of the population has access to education with the focus on men, not women. In 1992, the Ugandan government mandated that both men and women had the right to be educated. The present Ugandan government, committed to education, grapples with insufficient funding for computer technology. At the same time, this government acknowledges the need for students and adults to acquire the skills to use the technology efficiently in order to improve the life of the people.

The Project
Computers for Uganda is a partnership among Rotarians, Computers for the World, local businesses, individuals, and students from Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Mount Si High School and other Washington State public high schools, and the government of Uganda to bring technology to schools in the Masaka district in southern Uganda. Since the launch of the project in the fall of 2002, 130 computers have been deployed in nine secondary schools. Each of the selected schools strives to educate young women with at least 50% of the student population female.

The schools range in size from 700 to 2200 students and represent both government and private secondary education. Many students enter the workforce upon completion of their secondary education. Knowing how to word process and use spreadsheets will enhance their opportunity for employment. We strive to build a relationship between us and the schools that one day will grow into an electronic connected community. At present, we rely on internet cafés for communication and personal interactions during the summer trips. The American team travels to Uganda late June for 3 weeks. Their work in Uganda spans visiting the former recipient schools, installing computers and training on the use of applications in the new schools while experiencing the local culture.

If you must look ahead one year then sow a seed
If you must look ahead ten years, then plant a tree
But if you must look ahead one hundred years, then educate the people.
-African Proverb-