Thanks to a grant of £3,400 from Hazel’s Footprints Trust, RedEarth has successfully completed Phase 1 of a girls’ hostel complex at Bishop Willigers Secondary School in rural Uganda. This new facility is providing more girls with the opportunity to pursue education in a safe and supportive environment.
RedEarth: Committed to Quality Education for All
RedEarth, formerly known as Friends of St Michael’s School, is a small international development charity focused on providing village children—especially girls—with access to quality education. The charity operates with the belief that every child, no matter where they live, deserves the opportunities that education unlocks.
RedEarth’s key focus areas include School Lunches, Phonics and Literacy, Healthcare, and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene). Their first supported school, St Michael’s Girls’ Primary, is now the top-performing school in its district.
Recognizing the need for secondary education, RedEarth began building Bishop Willigers Secondary School in 2009. Today, it serves 600 students, with government-paid teachers, and has seen national exam results improve each year. However, before the recent addition of the hostel, many girls faced challenges in attending school due to long distances and a lack of essential facilities, including washrooms.
Grant Impact: Transforming Girls’ Education
The £3,400 grant from Hazel’s Footprints Trust has played a pivotal role in completing Phase 1 of the girls’ hostel. This new facility now houses 76 girls, offering them a safe and supportive environment. With proper fencing, security, and mentoring opportunities from female staff, the girls can focus on their studies without the burden of household chores.
The hostel includes:
- A large bedroom block with mosquito nets and bunk beds
- Matron’s accommodation
- A five-cubicle toilet block
- A large tiled washroom
- Handwashing facilities and an incinerator (funded by the PTA)
Parents are asked to contribute 300,000 UGX (approximately £63) per term for boarding, which includes three meals a day. For families unable to afford the cost, RedEarth provides assistance, and the school accepts payments in installments or through produce from family gardens.
Ongoing Development at Bishop Willigers
RedEarth’s commitment to improving Bishop Willigers goes beyond the hostel. Since November 2023, the charity has been building new facilities to meet the growing demand for education in the region. Highlights of the ongoing development include:
- Two new classroom blocks, increasing capacity to 800 students in 2024
- A literacy hub with thousands of reading books
- A boys’ five-cubicle toilet block
- Desks for 200 students, built by local carpenters
- Sponsorship of two talented boys to attend an athletics training camp
Looking Ahead: Plans for 2024/2025
With the growing number of students enrolling at Bishop Willigers, RedEarth has ambitious plans for further expansion. These include:
- Phase 2 of the Girls’ Hostel Complex: Another bedroom block is needed to accommodate the 20 girls currently on the waiting list, a number expected to grow in early 2024.
- Staff Accommodation: Building more staff housing to enable teachers to live on campus and provide additional mentoring and evening activities for students.
- More Toilets: Construction of an additional toilet block in the classroom area.
RedEarth remains committed to ensuring that every child arriving at Bishop Willigers receives the best start to their secondary education, building on the success of their primary schools.