KAMPALA, UGANDA – Carrefour Uganda has handed over renovated classrooms and a dining hall to two children’s homes in Kireka and Mukono.
The UGX 285 million donation, raised through customer contributions via the Round Up Your Bill initiative, has benefited three out of six partnered children’s homes and schools.
Christophe Orcet, Regional Director for East Africa at Carrefour, expressed delight at the initiative’s progress. “Following last year’s handover of two newly built classroom blocks at St. Noah’s Ark in Entebbe, we’re announcing the second phase of the Round Up Your Bill initiative.”
The initiative, launched in September 2021, supports vulnerable children by partnering with local schools and homes. Each store partners with a specific home or school to raise funds for their unique needs.
Carrefour customers can round up their bills at checkout, with the difference donated to partner organizations.
Since its launch, Carrefour has raised over UGX 285 million across all its stores, funding various projects at partnered homes and schools.
Orcet encouraged customers to continue supporting the initiative. “We urge our customers to keep rounding up their bills, enabling us to improve the lives of more vulnerable groups in our communities.”
Aloysious Kiribaaki, treasurer of Kireka Home and a member of the school management committee, highlighted the challenges faced by the school. “We have children who were brought here but with insufficient resources to enable them. We would like to thank the government for giving us teachers, but looking at the situation in this school, the children require a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:2.”
Kiribaaki emphasized the need for increased support. “We have a population of 103 children, but because of limited resources, it’s impossible to achieve this ratio. The government has given six teachers who are currently here serving, but it’s still very high. And because they have mental challenges, their capacity and ability to manage sustained activities require you to have, say, five of them in a classroom, you need two or three other teachers to help you.”
He appealed to the government to consider affirmative action for schools like Kireka Home. “If you came and sat here and saw what happens here, you would want us to have one child to three teachers.”
Kiribaaki praised Carrefour’s support. “We had a dining hall that was really in bad shape, not even appetizing when it comes to mealtime for children. We’re exceedingly happy to Carrefour for renovating this space to an international standard. The colors and artistic impressions in the room are good and nice for children.”
He expressed gratitude and hope for future support. “We’re grateful to Carrefour, and we pray that there are many other organizations that can come in and support us.”
