Each morning, children in the hills of Kabale District begin their school day long before reaching a classroom. For many, the journey takes up to two hours on foot across steep terrain, leaving them exhausted before lessons even begin. For some boys, the climb proves too demanding, leading to irregular attendance or dropping out to pursue other activities.
While Uganda has made strides in expanding education through Universal Primary Education (UPE), physical access and the quality of learning environments in remote communities remain major challenges. Bwera Primary School, located in the hard-to-reach Bwera Village, Kahama Subcounty, Kabale District, has faced such difficulties for decades.
With no road access and limited infrastructure, previous efforts to improve the school were constrained by high transportation costs and logistical barriers, with some contractors declining to take on construction work due to the site’s inaccessibility.
On April 1, 2026, newly refurbished facilities were officially handed over at Bwera Primary School. The project, delivered through a partnership between the Mastercard Scholars Foundation, Makerere University, and dfcu Bank, resulted in a renovated four-classroom block, new furniture, improved sanitation facilities, and a water harvesting system. The upgrades now serve over 270 pupils.
Speaking at the handover, Helena Mayanja, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at dfcu Bank, highlighted the significance of the improvements:
“The journey to the school itself reflects the realities these children face every day. Improving infrastructure in such communities is essential to ensuring that access to education translates into real learning outcomes.”
District Education Officer Tumwijukye Moses Bwengye welcomed the development and praised the partners:
“Previous efforts to upgrade the school had stalled due to the area’s inaccessibility. Partnerships such as this are essential in unlocking development in hard-to-reach communities and improving education outcomes.”
The project was supported by a UGX 20 million contribution from dfcu Bank. Early reports indicate increased learner attendance and improved classroom conditions, demonstrating the impact of quality infrastructure on education in underserved communities.