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Angaza Resource Centre successfully opened to Kibuli's education needs

The 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation (4040) officially opened the Angaza Resource Centre at the start of the month after over two months of construction and donations from the public. The Centre opened on 1st July 2023 with an event which was attended by representatives from civil society, community-based organizations, schools in Kibuli, local leaders, parents and 4040 partners.

4040 Foundation successfully unveils Angaza Resource Centre to Kibuli's education needs

The new facility is located at Merowa Junior School in Kibuli, Makindye Division and will diversify the range of educational facilities and learning spaces in the area, particularly for children in primary schools, young people and teachers.

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The project started over two months ago comprising a fundraiser dubbed "BuyABrick" to realise the dream that had been five years in the making.

The centre will avail resources such as textbooks, story books, games, computers and other materials that support and facilitate better learning outcomes for children while in school, as well as provide a safe space for children to play and interact with their peers. It will also give a chance to out-of-school children to learn hands-on skills that can contribute to their economic well-being in the future.

While speaking at the event, Esther Kalenzi, the Founder and Team Leader of 4040 noted that the resource centre presents a great opportunity for learners who attend schools without facilities such as libraries and computer labs which are necessary for quality learning outcomes of children.

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"Our hope is that the resource centre will transform learning for schools in Kibuli by providing that extra support. The Foundation is grateful to all its partners, individuals, organisations and groups of people who have contributed to this project and its volunteers who have worked relentlessly to build the dream and bring it to life," Kalenzi said.

The project was borne out of the foundation's objective to contribute to the concerted efforts of the government, civil society organisations, international bodies and well-wishers to bridge existing gaps in the education sector.

"Children and young people, especially those that attend underserved schools in Uganda have to work harder to break barriers in education to unlock their potential and compete favourably with their peers who attend 'good' schools. This is because underserved schools have inadequate or lack facilities that support research and access to information and well-trained teachers that teach in child-friendly ways that focus on their needs. The situation is even worse for children who drop out of school," the statement from 4040 reads.

4040’s Angaza Resource Centre Project Lead, Gloria Mbabazi noted that the Angaza Resource Centre demonstrates the Foundation's commitment to improving the learning outcomes for children while in school.

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“Since 4040 started in 2012, our goal has been to support underprivileged children to have access to materials that improve the quality of their learning. We have done this through our Angaza programme by donating over 1,500 storybooks, training life skills and hands-on skills to children and enhancing the capacity of teachers in our partner schools to foster a learner-centred educational approach. The establishment of the Angaza Resource Centre will only complement our work in the Kibuli community and help us do more.”

The Angaza Resource Centre will be open from Monday to Saturday, during the school term and holidays. Access to the centre is free and schools can borrow books to use during class lessons and at home.

4040 is a volunteer-based non-profit organisation that provides literacy and learning resources to vulnerable children and underserved communities as a means of increasing enrolment, retention and improving access to quality learning for all children.

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It is still looking for resources to stock the Angaza Resource Centre thus donations are still welcome. You can donate any amount of money or gently used items such as computers, textbooks, storybooks, games and puzzles, projectors and educational charts for children.

  1. Mobile money on 0776 840407/0757 140407
  2. DCFU Bank on account number 01083551658354 under the name Forty Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation
  3. Online via Global Giving 

For further information, reach out to us via:

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  1. Email at info@40daysover40smiles.org.
  2. Tel: 0776840407/0757140407
  3. Visit our website: www.40daysover40smiles.org.
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