Growing up in Uganda, Phoebe Gonahasa did not have modern amenities, but she never felt deprived or lacking anything. “We made our toys, created our games, and exercised through the various activities in rural settings."
Both her parents were teachers, and they valued education. Phoebe and her siblings used to walk six miles to get to school. "We were considered privileged children because our parents did everything to get money to pay for our school fees." Many children dropped out of school because they could not afford the school fees.
Our Beginning
When my husband James and I visited Nakyere village in Namutumba District, Eastern Uganda, in 2001, we saw the poor state of Education after so many years of political instability and poor management. The classes were overcrowded, and the teachers’ morale was exceptionally low.
At the village elders' request, in 2002, we started saving money to construct a multi-purpose building that would serve as a community center and a school. Every summer, we returned to Uganda to supervise construction, train teachers, and meet with parents and the community leadership. The building took four years to complete.
The Birth of the Amazing Love School
Phoebe and James started the Amazing Love School in Nakyere village in 2006 with 46 children and two volunteer teachers. In 2008, eight friends from Oasis Baptist Church in England provided money for the foundation of the first four-classroom block of the elementary school.
In 2010, James and Phoebe, with a few friends, created ALDO as a not-for-profit organization. In 2021, ALDO applied for and received charitable status.
Our Journeys
From September 2013 to August 2014, we spent a year in Uganda working on the school construction, recruiting teachers, and sensitizing the community about the importance of educating girls and boys. We also completed the construction of the four-classroom all-season block.
From September 2018 to August 2019, we again spent a year in Uganda supporting the project's expansion in Uganda. Funding from supporters helped construct additional structures to provide for the growth, recruit additional teachers, and start the construction of the girls’ dorm.
The school has grown from 46 kindergarten children to 400+ children from kindergarten to primary seven. We have 15 qualified teachers and five support staff, and we serve a growing community of over 3,500.
The stories of the struggles and successes have been a galvanizing force for people to lend a helping hand to the children to escape the cycle of poverty and have a better future. Members of ALDO and some friends have volunteered at the school providing great inspiration to the children and community.
We are working to address disparities and create a fair and inclusive society. We believe that the provision of quality education, decent infrastructure, and community support will result in social justice for all.
Management of the School
The School Management Committee (SMC) and the Parent Teachers' Association (PTA) manage the Amazing Love School in Uganda.
- The SMC oversees the school to effect long-term improvements and make necessary changes to help it achieve its vision.
- The Parent Teachers’ Association promotes open communication and understanding between parents and staff to help children achieve their highest potential.
- The SMC and PTA are doing an exceptional job educating many illiterate parents, monitoring the progress of academic performance, and identifying the community’s challenges and solutions.
Our Students
The children of Nakyere village are enthusiastic and intelligent with a lot of creativity. They attend school regularly despite constant challenges, including hunger, lack of resources, and poor infrastructure.
Our target population includes orphans, children who suffer abuse and neglect due to parental separation, domestic violence, alcoholism, and divorce, children living with disabilities, and HIV/AIDS-infected and affected children.
Community Involvement
This local community is very proud of the school's development and participates in various ways, including construction, school infrastructure maintenance, and food provision.
During the lockdown, the community helped with the back-to-school campaign to announce the reopening of schools and highlighted safety precautions for parents and students. They maintained the school compound, repaired broken desks, and continued to give voice to children by sharing what affects students’ ability to stay in school.
Your support for the Amazing Love School project makes a huge difference in the community.
