Get (Basket) Weaving: Since the first holiday Skills Club last year was hailed a huge success, and enjoyed by so many, the kids and staff at Uphill asked for another one to be arranged. As the last two weeks of the big school holiday always drag, and with few opportunities for the local children of […]
Helped by four volunteers from Spain, pupils and staff at Uphill Junior School have relished the opportunity to learn new Skills for Life this summer. First to arrive, were Javier and David, who quickly got to work: Checking out and setting up the school’s small supply of second-hand laptops for extra curricular IT lessons. There […]
What do these faces say to you? I see happy, relaxed children in a school environment – learning, spending time with friends and enjoying a meal in the middle of the day. Without support for grassroots education, the majority of these children would not be in school, but would instead be working on the family […]
During our trip in February 2020 I held a dental health and toothbrushing workshop with some of the school staff. The aim was to start a toothbrushing programme for everyone at Uphill. We had taken toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental education aids and posters out in our suitcases. All the supplies were left at the school for […]
During our trip to Uphill in February we were privileged to join the school’s staff and children for a very moving tribute to Danny Furey. Danny, who died in Scotland at the end of 2021, was one of The Uphill Trust’s first supporters. Born with cerebral palsy in Dundee in 1950, Danny was recognised as […]
After the longest COVID closure in the world, school’s back in Uganda! Uphill pupils fared better than many others in rural schools – the teachers were paid and remained at work. The Uphill home schooling programme certainly helped the primary school children remain connected with education – but it was no substitute for daily lessons […]
What do you think when you see a photocopier? Is it just another bit of office equipment?
The Class of 2020 faced challenges in their final year at school: COVID lockdown, home schooling, then back to school to live in a ‘bubble’ with their classmates for 4 months. In March 2021 they were finally allowed sit the 2020 Ugandan Primary Leaving Examination (PLE). This is a national qualification, and without a good […]
On 7 June 2021 Uphill was looking forward to welcoming all the primary year groups into school for the start of the last term of the delayed 2020 academic year. But it was not to be… Three days later we received this message from school director, Elius: “Uganda at Crossroads! What is happening is very […]
Elius Muhimbise has a dream: To transform society by offering a quality education to everyone who wants to learn, no matter their means. Especially girls. […]
Who would you choose? International development charities have different ways of dealing with construction projects, especially in rural areas. Some like to use overseas volunteers to build schools, clinics and other capital projects; others use local tradesmen. The Uphill Trust is firmly in the second category. We celebrate our local build team – all of whom are […]
Uphill Junior School has a staff of excellent teachers: Meet four people who are inspiring the next generation in rural Uganda. Teacher Joan Joan worked in several roles at Uphill including Deputy Head and Bursar, in addition to classroom teaching. She is a local girl, born in the same county as the school, and was […]
Uphill Junior School serves a rural community of subsistence farmers and small traders. Income levels within the community are very low or non-existent. Fees are set at a low level – even by Ugandan standards – to encourage families to send their children to school. Orphans pay no fees and adjustments are made for families […]
The 2019 Christmas Appeal raised money for a permanent hand-wash station at Uphill Junior School. Construction began in August 2020, once the Uphill Build Team were allowed back on site after the COVID 19 lockdown. The station was designed by Uphill Chairman Max, following discussion with the builders. The builders in turn had detailed discussions with […]
Towards the end of 2020, Uphill Junior School hosted a team from Kirabo Africa Foundation, a US-funded non-profit organisation partnering with community-based organisations in Uganda to effect grassroots change. The visitors were particularly interested in learning about water harvesting systems, the new Uphill handwashing station, making liquid soap and to find out how to raise […]
Play is a key element in child development. Learning to play encourages children’s imagination, cognition and emotional development. Physical play develops motor skills and dexterity. Play is important for healthy brain development and helps to maintain a sense of well-being throughout life. Play is an essential part of early years learning and its importance continues […]
We are delighted to learn that Uphill Junior School has been designated a COVID safe school, following a rigorous inspection by members of the local District COVID Task Force. All the schools and universities in Uganda were closed in March 2020, when the country went into full lockdown. Only schools which meet the full COVID […]
In December 2018 we launched the Uphill Farm Appeal, to fund a programme of hands-on agricultural experiences for the pupils (and staff) that would, in time, become a source of additional income for the school. This is an ongoing project that began with vegetable growing around the school grounds in odd corners, raised beds and […]
The early years classes at Uphill are often the biggest and, up to now, children in the Baby, Middle and Top kindergarten classes have been crammed into their small wooden classrooms like smiley tinned sardines. We decided to take action… We have been fundraising for the last 2 years to build a permanent Kindergarten separate […]
In response to the COVID 19 pandemic, Uphill Junior School, along with all the other educational establishments in Uganda, closed its doors on 20 March 2020. At the start of May, the Uphill teachers on lockdown in Iruhuura met school director Elius and offered to begin a lockdown schooling program for the older primary children […]
