Sponsor a Child at the Mount Everest Primary School

Sponsor a Child at the Mount Everest Primary School. On Monday, the 23rd of March, 2009, Graham Kinch and Ian Taylor officially opened the Mount Everest Primary School in Kitandwe, Uganda. Graham and Ian climbed Mount Everest in the spring of 2008 to raise money for the Kitandwe School Project in partnership with Fields of Life.

Sponsor a Child at the Mount Everest Primary School

This concluded a three-year project in which they climbed 4 mountains on 4 continents to build the school.  In order to open the school, they raised $100,000, and continue to support the school today.

Supporting a Village

The school consists of two blocks, totaling seven classrooms, an office and toilet facilities. The facility also houses teachers accommodation along with a Kindergarten block. We have also drilled a bore-hole pump supplying water to over 600 villagers. The school also doubles-up as a multi-purpose community building.  An appropriate support structure of a Board of Management, trained teachers, a Principal, a PTA, and official curricula, etc., is already in place. In 2013, the Mount Everest Primary became number one in it’s district.

Sponsor a Child at the Mount Everest Primary School

A Message from Fields of Life

My name is Frank Betzer, and I oversee Fields of Life in the United States.  We are happy to help you with selecting a child to sponsor and in setting up a sponsorship account, and answering any questions you may have.  We are currently recruiting sponsors for 16 girls and boys at Mount Everest Kitandwe Primary School.  As you probably know, Mount Everest is the school that Ian and a friend funded in 2008 through his amazing climbing challenge.

Spending Some Time at the School

I spent a week at Mount Everest School last year with a mission team. It was wonderful to get to know the children, including the children that my wife and I sponsor. Mount Everest is an amazing school with a very dedicated headmaster, Peter Mwesigye, and wonderful teachers. These teachers are are making a huge impact in the lives of the children and for the surrounding villages, in a remote area of Central Uganda.

Mount Everest Pre-School

Sponsorship enables the most vulnerable children in these villages to obtain an education that will transform their lives, their family and the country. The Ugandan school system follows the British model, with the new school year starting in February and concluding in December, each year.  Preschool includes Baby Class (age 3), Middle (age 4), and Top (age 5).

Mount Everest Primary School

Primary school is from Grade 1 (comparable to the American kindergarten level) to Grade 7 (American Grade 6).  Most of the families in the villages around Mount Everest are subsistence farmers who cultivate small garden plots.  Depending on weather and market conditions, they may not be able to pay the basic tuition and fees to send some or all of their children to school for a term or two each year, so each class is made up of a mix of students of varying ages.

Sponsor a Girl

Girls are especially vulnerable to being kept at home to tend the garden and help raise the younger children. Sponsoring a child can dramatically ease that burden on a family and give girls and boys an opportunity to learn.  Sponsorship of $32 a month gives a primary school child an opportunity to go to school, a uniform and school materials. Funds help the school to retain skilled teachers and  purchase quality education materials, so every sponsorship benefits the entire school as well as your sponsored child.

When you Sponsor a Child

You will receive a child profile, two yearly updates, an annual photo, and periodic reports on the school. You are also able to write/email your child and receive responses from her/him. The kids all love hearing from their sponsor and sharing the message with classmates and family members.

You can set up your monthly account and learn more about the program through our Sponsorship Page. In the “Leave a Message” box, enter the name and sponsorship code of the child you would like to sponsor. Please also include a second choice, as there are several people currently reviewing these profiles.

Contact Fields of Life Directly

I am happy to answer questions and set up your sponsorship by phone. You can also send me an email or text message with a couple of times you are available and your contact number.  Again, thanks for your willingness to make a huge impact in the life of a vulnerable child. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks – Frank

Important Note

Due to Covid-19, Ugandan schools have been closed since late March.  We are awaiting information from the government about plans to reopen this fall. Meanwhile, we are trying to help students receive educational materials that they can use at home.  We are also supporting teacher salaries, and providing resources that schools will need to reopen safely.  Office hours: Mondays 6 AM to 3 PM. Tuesdays and Wednesdays 7 AM to Noon. Thursdays 7 AM to 4 PM (all times Pacific). I check emails and voicemails occasionally on my days off.

The Mount Everest Primary School Kitandwe Uganda
Visit the Mt. Everest Primary school in Uganda
Climbing High on Mount Everest