{UAH} Australian woman dedicates her life to educating children in Uganda
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Australian woman dedicates her life to educating children in Uganda
As far as impressive Australians go, Annabelle Chauncy is definitely one of them. In 2008, aged just 21, the Sydney woman travelled to Uganda with a dream to start a charity and build schools.
Nine years on, she's done all that and more.
Why? Because in Uganda, seven out of 10 children don't finish primary school and never resume their education. Ms Chauncy believes education is freedom. Her philosophy is "if you give a child an education, you give them a life".
Ms Chauncy said when she was first getting the idea off the ground, execution was the most difficult part because the process was extremely slow and difficult.
Corruption in Uganda is insidious. Land and property records are all on paper and very few people speak English.
But over the past nine years, School For Life has purchased land on two sites in rural Uganda, about an hour and a half drive from the capital Kampala. School For Life has employed dozens of staff and built two schools; Katuuso and Mbazzi.
Katuuso opened in 2011. About 360 students are enrolled there, from primary right through to year 7. Another 200 students attend Mbazzi; predominantly pre-school to year 3. Eventually this site will be used as a secondary school. Twenty-five "teacher houses" are also on this site, as an incentive for quality teachers from all over Uganda.
Construction for a third school is currently underway.
But it doesn't end there. In 2016, a clinic was opened on site at Katuuso Primary. Nursing staff provide basic check-ups, malaria testing and first aid to staff and students. Twenty different types of crops and vegetables are grown at the school farm for improved nutrition, and a water pump as well as underground tanks provide clean drinking water.
So far, School For Life has raised $A3.5 million. It costs $50 per month to sponsor a child; this money goes directly towards education, as well as access to clean drinking water and three nutritious meals a day.
Ms Chauncy won the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2015.
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2017
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