In 2008, Aggie's Arts partnered with Simon and Aggie Paech to begin raising funds to help break the cycle of poverty in Uganda through education. In 2011, God clearly pointed us to Pastor George and the beautiful communities in Kisoro, Uganda and Kisoro Kids was born. When we started working with the five elementary schools, all had dirt floors, no desks, and many had leaky roofs. The schools also had insufficient toilets and stoves, and teachers did not have their own curriculum books.
But by God's grace, over the last 13 years Kisoro Kids supporters like you have partnered with the local communities to cement 48 classrooms, provide 461 desks, roof 36 classrooms, build 28 toilets, build 13 stoves, and provide 730 books!
As these schools have improved, more families began sending their children to these Christian schools, where some heard the Gospel for the first time. We've heard of families coming to Christ through the witness of these children!
The schools have grown over 30% since 2011. To keep the student-teacher ratio at or below 25, the number of teachers has grown over 40%! Donors have provided over three acres of land that is farmed for the sole purpose of supplementing teachers' salaries through the profits. Many new school buildings have also been built (included in the numbers above) to support their growing numbers.
Kisoro Kids supporters have also provided an amazing number of animals to help families start their own small business. Over the years, donors have provided 34 pigs, 66 goats, 24 sheep, and 342 chickens!
In 2013, only 53% of 7th grade students passed the all important national exam, the exam that greatly determines their futures. Since 2017 at least 80% have passed each year, and in 2022 and 2023, over 99% passed!
We praise God for all He has done and is doing in Kisoro! We truly, truly stand amazed and are humbled and overjoyed.
Since the beginning, we've desired to not do too much or too soon, make sure the community does not depend on us, and make sure that when Kisoro Kids is no more, that the people of Kisoro are left better because of us, and in no way worse. Part of that has been deciding how to help, how much, and when. And part of that is deciding when it is time for us to let them continue on their own.
Through much prayer and discussion, we believe Kisoro Kids is to continue our support of the five schools and communities for one last year, through the end of 2024, and then close the organization in January of 2025. We wish to finish strong for them and give them the best possible start on their own. As you can see on our Projects Page, we are currently raising funds for the completion of a new 9 classroom building at Kisoro Hill as well as desks for students and curriculum books for teachers. We also hope that this year we can provide more animals to the neediest of the needy in their communities.
We communicated all of this with Pastor George last September. I'd like to share a little from his immediate and amazing response: "...With tears of joy, I do not know how to thank you for this great partnership as you first raised funds in 2008 that caused great impact in our community and even caused the growth of our churches as I continued to proclaim Him as our Lord savior through Kisoro Kids.On behalf Kisoro Baptist churches we are so proud of Kisoro Kids for its great impact especially when we see all schools being stable even having the classrooms, furniture, toilets, even to see that our schools can compete with other schools in District, Again convey all our great appreciation to all our donors. As I said I do not know how to thank you but I thank you and thank you for great support and the love you have demonstrated from day one until (now). I saw God's hand and provision through Kisoro Kids, And I am really amazed with Robinah (his wife) of how God brought (you) into our hearts. Know that you will be always in our hearts, mind, and even in our prayers until Christ returns. Our strategy as we had agreed is to see our schools reach to the time of being self supported not to have dependency on only donors, I am so thankful for this decision, Know that this God's timing..."
None of this would have been possible without God and without people like you listening to his guidance. We are so blessed for each and every one of you. And we pray that with His help, we will be able to finish in a way that greatly supports and affirms the wonderful people of Kisoro.
Thank you again so very much,
Chris Persons
Executive Director