Bududa Learning Center’s 2024 Impact Report

At Bududa Learning Center, we believe in breaking the cycle of generational poverty by equipping young people with the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive. Every year, thanks to our incredible supporters, we take another step toward that vision—and 2024 has been no exception.

This past year has been filled with milestones, challenges, and remarkable transformations in the lives of our students and the Bududa community. From our vocational training programs to our Children of Bududa sponsorship initiative and women’s microfinance programs, your support has made real, measurable impact.

Expanding Access to Vocational Training

In 2024, we saw a 24% increase in BVA enrollment over 2023, a testament to both the growing reputation of our programs and the critical need for vocational training in Bududa. As of Term 3, 248 students were actively enrolled, making it our highest-ever term enrollment. With 98.6% of certification exams passed, students are gaining the skills needed to transition into meaningful employment and financial independence.

We have also continued to make vocational education more inclusive—more than 52% of our students are young women, many of whom are entering the workforce and building sustainable careers and financial stability for themselves and their families.

Ensuring Students Are Ready to Learn

Education is only possible when students’ basic needs are met. In 2024, we expanded our support for students through nutritional assistance, room and board, and access to clean water.

Through the Children of Bududa (COB) nutrition initiative, we’ve seen dramatic health improvements. Nearly every child who began the year with concerning malnutrition levels has now reached a healthy MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) rating—a life-changing shift that allows them to focus on learning and growth rather than survival.

With the development of our agriculture program, Term 1 of 2025 we’re ready to open enrollment so that students can learn sustainable farming techniques while providing food for their peers. Our first cabbage harvest in 2024 was a tangible step toward self-sufficiency and food security on campus.

Strengthening Pathways to Employment

A vocational education is only the first step—ensuring students can transition to dignified employment is the ultimate goal. This year, we hired an Assistant Chief Operating Officer, Constance, with a focus on workforce development and graduate tracking.

Through her work, we’ve launched:

• An employer network to create job opportunities and secure industrial training placements for students.

• A graduate tracking system to understand employment trends and provide ongoing support where needed.

• Increased access to hands-on training, including participation in regional trade exhibitions and industry placements.

By prioritizing real-world experience, BLC graduates are more prepared than ever to enter the workforce and build sustainable futures.

Building the Infrastructure for Growth

As our programs expand, so do our campus infrastructure needs. Thanks to generous donors, we have been able to:

✅ Construct two new wells, providing reliable access to clean water for students, staff, and the surrounding community.

✅ Secure new land, allowing for future campus growth and program expansion.

Capacity Building for a Stronger Future

A critical part of ensuring BLC’s long-term impact is growing our base of support. In 2024, we welcomed nearly 100 new donors, a key step in strengthening the foundation of our work. These new supporters, alongside our dedicated long-time donors, allow us to continue expanding opportunities for students and investing in sustainable solutions for the Bududa community.

Looking Ahead to 2025

With more students, more opportunities, and more life-changing impact happening every day at BLC, we know this is just the beginning. In 2025, we will launch:

✅ Our agriculture vocational program, ensuring students gain hands-on training in sustainable farming.

✅ Expanded Transition to Work initiatives, helping students bridge the gap from training to employment.

✅ New capital projects to improve campus facilities and expand capacity.

We are deeply grateful for the community of donors, sponsors, and advocates who make all of this possible. Your belief in BLC’s mission empowers students to create lasting change for themselves, their families, and their communities.

➡️ Read the Full 2024 Impact Report Below

Thank you for being part of this journey. Here’s to another year of impact, opportunity, and transformation!

Remembering Betty Bigala

Betty Bigala, Bududa Learning Center’s beloved secretary of thirteen years, passed away. We lost her on February 3rd at age 69. Robert Kotaki (BLC’s Director) and I were fortunate to be able to visit her in the hospital, where her loving family surrounded her.

Betty's impact on the school and community was visible at her burial ceremony in Bududa. Her family, church, and community organized a truly wonderful ceremony, with over 1,000 people attending. The ceremony lasted five hours, featured many speakers, and ended with a fiery sermon. Betty was revered and well-known; after the service, we could not go anywhere in the village without strangers coming and commiserating with us about our loss of Betty. 

Remembering Betty makes me think back to when I first met her. It was 2011, and our headmaster suggested that we try to get Betty Bigala as our school secretary. She had been the secretary at Bududa Secondary School. He knew she was a good person and had an outstanding professional reputation. Betty came to work for us then and has become an example to all. As BLC’s secretary, Betty handled the school business and the Women’s Microfinance Initiative hub on the school campus. Betty’s work with WMI gave out small loans to hundreds of women over many years. While Bettyformally retired last year, her loss is deeply felt by the students and staff of BLC.

Betty was a pillar of BLC. She embodied everything you think of when imagining an ideal school secretary. Betty took the time to truly get to know our students, their strengths, and their needs. When she found a student was struggling to pay their school fees, she would help with her own money if a scholarship wasn’t available rather than have them leave the school. She was known to invite students to stay with her if needed. As her son Eric said at her funeral, she was generous and selfless.

We have lost our beloved, hardworking, popular, responsible, socially active, community-centered, welcoming, loyal, generous, selfless school secretary and friend.  May her soul rest in peace.

Water is life

Bududa Learning Center, in Uganda, Africa, was founded in 2008 and currently has close to 300 students and faculty on its campus daily.  This center has a weekly Vocational School and a Saturday School for orphaned and vulnerable children in the community. Bududa is a tiny village in eastern Uganda with minimal electricity and no plumbing. Students at the center and people in the community must walk very far to fetch water, which is often polluted. Walking to collect water is very time-consuming, keeps students away from school, and can even put them at risk, especially females. 

Something remarkable happened this past spring at Bududa Learning Center. Thanks to the Presbyterian Women Group at Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C., clean, running water was brought to BLC! Cisterns, pipes, pumps, and taps were all recently installed in the spring of 2024. What a fantastic gift and an incredible improvement to life at this school.

In a recent interview, Nindinja Paul, a staff member at BLC, said, “Words cannot describe how grateful we all are and how much better life is at the school now that we have accessible water.” Paul continued to explain the numerous benefits to the students and the staff.

Several obvious benefits to having water on campus are time saved, reduced classroom absenteeism, improved sanitation, and water for cleaning, cooking, and drinking. Safety is another benefit, particularly for females and younger students, who often become vulnerable when required to go out for water. 

Additionally, some of the disciplines at Bududa Vocational School need daily water for their courses of study- such as bricklaying and hairdressing. The Children of Bududa Saturday School also frequently uses water for activities like painting and making clay.

Moreover, Staffer Paul shared how this gift of water has helped the nearby community. One of the taps with a pump was installed on part of the campus adjacent to the public road. The pump remains unlocked until 8:00 p.m., and locals are welcome to come get water.

The Presbyterian Women have given Bududa Learning Center such a blessing! Many parts of the world take clean, running water for granted, but not the people of Bududa. Staffer Paul concluded the interview by saying, " We are just so happy—water is life!”

Here is a slideshow of more photos!

Trade Show Offers an “Eye Opening” Experience for BVA Students

The Bududa Vocational Academy had the opportunity this summer to send 40 of its students to the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA)'s trade show in Mbale, which is located about 20 miles outside of Bududa. The UMA is a national trade show that showcases products and services from manufacturers, producers, and service providers across Uganda and the world. The fair is an opportunity for businesses to meet potential customers and business partners, and to promote their products or services.  As our students prepare to transition into the workforce following their vocational studies it is critically important that they gain exposure to current industry trends, technologies, and practices. This hands-on experience helps students understand the practical applications of their training. In this environment students can connect with professionals, potential employers, and peers. Building a network can lead to internships, job opportunities, and collaborations.

In Mbale, the UMA offered not only an industry trade show but also a consumer trade show, where products from different industries were displayed.  Our students were able to observe current fashion designs, construction materials, a wide array of hair products and engage in conversation with companies that where showcasing the various products.  BVA student, Okaso Emmanuel, has been studying Motor Vehicle Mechanic at BVA and shared that going to the trade show provided him with additional knowledge and practical reinforcement of what his teachers had been teaching in the classroom. Emmanuel also said that trade show members spoke to students about how to start their own business after school and how to network with potential clients. Learning entrepreneur skills is an important part of BVA's curriculum as we work to equip students with opportunities for self-employment.

Another BVA student, Anyango Lillian Teddy, who is studying tailoring explained that the trade show helped her learn about different fashion designs, how to make beautiful paper beads, how start a business with a small amount of capital, how to take advantage of potential employment opportunities, and how to enhance brand recognition. According to Lillian, the trade show was an “eye opener to the world of work!”

We know that Overall, participation in this trade show significantly enhances vocational students' educational experience and career prospects for years to come.

Building Community Resilience: A Story of Unity and Empowerment

At Bududa Learning Center (BLC), we are constantly reminded of the unique challenges we face in our pursuit of education and community development. The lush landscapes surrounding our campus in Bududa, Uganda, bring life and vitality, but they also present us with distinct obstacles, such as heavy rains, mudslides, and erosion issues.

A few months ago, the relentless downpours caused us to face a significant challenge. The erosion threat was not just a minor inconvenience; it had the potential to disrupt our operations and compromise the safety of our buildings and campus. Recognizing the urgency, we decided to take action and protect our campus by constructing a low wall around parts of it.

Here are some photos of the problem:

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What started as a project to protect our campus became a powerful symbol of community resilience. It was a reunion of sorts, as past and present members of the Bududa Vocational Academy (BVA) community came together. Graduates who had once considered our campus home returned to join forces with current students. This collaborative effort was a testament to the strength of our community. Our very own BCP Department Head Moses Maseleje managed the project and current BCP students were able to obtain hands on practical skills work on campus that is a required element of their coursework.

As shovels were dug into the earth and bricks were laid in place, a sense of unity and purpose filled the air. It was a powerful sight to witness generations of Bududans, both young and old, working side by side with a shared goal in mind: safeguarding our campus and ensuring its resilience in the face of nature's challenges.

It turns out that this project was about more than just building a physical barrier—it was about building community resilience. It proved that your impact is real, and your investments are in Bududa's future, its people's empowerment, and its community's strength.

With each brick laid, with each drop of sweat shed, BVA students and graduates were not just building a wall. They were building a sense of belonging, a sense of ownership, and a sense of pride in our community. This project was a symbol of our collective strength and our ability to overcome challenges when we unite.

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As we look to the future, we carry the lessons learned from this experience—the importance of collaboration, the power of unity, and the resilience of the human spirit. Together, we will continue to build a brighter, stronger future for Bududa, one brick at a time.

April 2023 - Letter from our Founder

I returned to the USA on March 9th and immediately fell sick with a nasty infection much like Covid and thus am delayed in sending you this update. It should have been a chance to get lots of work done but that did not happen.

As usual, I loved my time in Bududa. I love the people I work with and many of them have been friends for sixteen years. The school is thriving! I heard that yesterday we had 187 students in attendance. That is 27 more student than we have ever had. Our goal was 200 students enrolled by the end of the year, it looks like we may reach that goal by end of the term.

While I was there, the school was inspected by the Ministry of Education in Uganda. The inspectors conducted a site visit and gave us high marks, which enables the center to remain an accredited examination center. The inspectors were impressed by our facilities and skilled staff. One of them admitted to being “wowed” by all of our functioning computers. I do not think he had seen another school with such facilities.

We have a new principal, Paul Wasolo, and that seems to be going well. One staff member said he was “approachable and a leader.” What I think is important is that he is a Bagisu, the same tribe as everyone in the village and speaks their language.

Our big news is that for the first time ever we have hired a professional grant writer, Rachel Tanner. We think she is terrific! She will work half time for us focusing on identifying and applying for grants. We secured funding for her position from an outside body so that BLC's operational budget will not be impacted.

Once we had hired Rachel, she requested that we get letters of approval from two graduates in each department. Until I read these letters, I really did not realize what an incredible impact we are having in the community. Some of them are truly heart-warming, filled with gratitude for BVA. The one I remember best was from a tailoring graduate a few years back - she now has her own tailoring shop, many customers and is employing other women in the community. She was so grateful to have had the opportunity to attend a vocational school locally and is now able to not only support her own family financially, but also pay the school fees for her siblings.

Knowing that we have a grant writer, we realized that our current website needed work and so we found a young man, Simon Rogers, CEO of A Little Better Company, to help us with our website and we think he’s outstanding. Stay tuned as we hope to launch a new website in the coming month.

The most exciting news is that our greatest supporter, Court Young, who does more than anyone to further our program in Bududa paid us the honor of bringing her family to Bududa for a week and they were action packed days indeed. They fell in love with Bududa, the students and staff of BLC, and of course, everybody at our school loved having them, and showed their joy in so many ways.

There are so many stories to tell but I must end now and tell more next time!

Celebrating 200 Students

Our organization has pursued a goal for years: to reach a milestone of serving 200 students in a single term. This goal holds immense importance to us as it symbolizes our dedication to expanding educational opportunities and profoundly impacting the lives of individuals within our community. However, our journey toward this milestone faced an unexpected roadblock when the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to close our doors temporarily.

As the pandemic unfolded, our community experienced economic challenges, resulting in a slow return of student enrollment. 67% of our community faced a decrease or total loss of income during this challenging period. Despite the hardships, we are overjoyed to announce that we have finally accomplished our long-standing goal.

Initially slated for achievement by the year's end, we have surpassed our expectations today. We hold a profound responsibility to our students to provide the highest quality education possible. The quality of education they receive is always at the forefront of our minds.

This achievement is a testament to the perseverance and resilience of our board of directors, our dedicated Ugandan staff, and, most importantly, the students themselves. It celebrates their thirst for knowledge, commitment to personal growth, and unwavering determination to succeed.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have participated in this journey, including our supporters, community partners, and volunteers. Without your unwavering support, this milestone would not have been possible. Together, we have created a nurturing environment that fosters educational excellence and empowers students to unlock their full potential.

We look forward to the future with renewed determination as we celebrate this remarkable milestone. We remain committed to expanding our impact, creating even more educational opportunities, and ensuring every student receives the support they need to thrive.

This achievement is not the end but rather the beginning of a new chapter in our journey. We are inspired by what we have accomplished, and it only strengthens our resolve to continue making a positive difference in the lives of our students and community.

Once again, we express our profound appreciation to everyone who has played a role in this achievement. Together, let us embark on the next phase of our mission, knowing that by providing quality education, we are shaping a brighter future for all.

Family planning at BLC

Periodically, Bududa Learning Center hosts a family planning session for students of Bududa Vocational Academy and the community. A total of 180 students attended the session, filling our main hall. 

It was a great day of learning for everyone! Midwife Jessica Agwena, the family planning educator for Bududa District, was the main speaker. She was engaging with what could be an awkward subject. She continuously confirmed that the group was following her logic. She explained the benefits of family planning, the methods, and, notably, the myths surrounding family planning, an example of which is that birth control pills or implants can cause mothers to have children with oversized heads.

Some BVA students are already overwhelmed with caring for their babies and attending classes. Some come with babies to school, and some are currently pregnant. Two of the girls told us they became pregnant because they thought that if they used contraceptives, they would get cancer or become barren. Jessica, the midwife, showed everyone her upper arm where her contraceptive implant had been inserted, helping them understand that contraceptives are safe for women. She also outlined some reasons a woman may use contraceptives: those who wish to delay having children, those who want to have space between children, or women who decide not to have children. 

It is challenging for many students in Bududa who had children before completing school. They can't afford medical care, food, and school fees for their children and themselves. Life is complicated for most people but worse for students with children. They are required to attend school five days a week, and most of them come from peasant families with many issues and cannot provide basic needs for their children and grandchildren.

We want to thank all our donors for their sponsorship of our organization. This tremendous work of helping young women and men learn about family planning and contraceptives will enable them to complete school and have a manageable number of children. 

At the end of the session, 26 students got contraceptive implants, 8 ladies made an appointment with the midwife, and all 5 boxes of condoms and pills were taken. We still have some implants, but girls are gradually coming into the office to ask us to make appointments with the midwife on their behalf.