What’s new at KAASO? Fences Up, Ponds Dug, Maize Planted! 🌽🌿

KAASO Coffee Garden Project

We’re delighted to share that the KAASO Coffee Garden Project is progressing well, thanks to your generous support through Unity is Strength. With your help, we’ve recently been able to strengthen and expand the project’s impact by funding several key priorities:

Water conservation: With increasingly dry periods from January to March and June to September, the KAASO team identified the need for improved irrigation. A first pond was completed in March 2025, and in May, we were able to fund the construction of three additional ponds, along with a water pump and piping system to increase water access.

Garden protection: To prevent damage from neighbouring livestock, KAASO requested support to fence the perimeter of the 9-acre plot. Unity is Strength was able to provide funds for this alongside the ponds and maize for intercropping (see below). This new fence will help protect the crops and maintain the security of the garden.

Intercropping: To make the most of the land while the coffee plants are still maturing, we supported KAASO in purchasing maize for intercropping—providing a valuable secondary income stream. Fertiliser was sourced directly from the school farm in the form of chicken manure, helping to reduce additional costs.

Thank you to all our supporters for being part of this journey with us — your continued support is helping the KAASO Coffee Garden grow into a sustainable, community-driven success.

The seedlings planted this year will be ready to harvest for the first time in June 2028 – imagine one day sitting down to read a Unity is Strength blog post with a cup of KAASO Coffee!

KAASO Piggery Project

Introducing the KAASO Kids Coffee Project

KAASO has recently launched an exciting new initiative — the KAASO Kids Coffee Project. Purely an educational initiative separate from the main coffee growing business, this hands-on learning opportunity has been designed to give every student the chance to learn how to grow coffee, from seedling to harvest.

As coffee is one of Uganda’s most important cash crops, this initiative aims to equip students with practical, lifelong skills in sustainable agriculture and agribusiness. It offers a valuable opportunity not only to understand how coffee is cultivated, but also to explore its wider role in livelihoods and local economies.

The project is already underway, and students are actively preparing for the planting phase. They’ve been busy filling grow bags with soil for the first round of coffee seedlings, which will then be planted in the nursery bed until they are big enough to be taken to the coffee garden. This foundational stage teaches essential lessons about soil preparation, planting techniques, and how to care for young plants.

KAASO students preparing coffee seedlings

KAASO hopes that this project will instil a strong sense of knowledge, responsibility, and pride in the students as they take ownership of something meaningful and productive.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Initiatives like this are helping KAASO to build not only education but also practical skills that will serve these young people far into the future. We look forward to keeping you updated as the coffee garden continues to grow!

KAASO students planting the coffee seedlings in the nursery bed

Learning Materials workshop

At the end of the last school term, KAASO hosted a Learning Materials workshop in response to a request from the teachers. The workshop aimed to strengthen staff capacity in several key areas. Teachers were trained on how to effectively plan and manage sports and music events, with a focus on ensuring inclusive participation of both boys and girls.

The sessions also covered lesson planning in line with the new curriculum. A strong emphasis was placed on the development of classroom and school learning materials, highlighting the importance of being creative and resourceful. The workshop concluded with a session on classroom arrangement and management, tying together the key themes covered.

Teachers at the Learning Materials workshop

Teachers from KAASO and Disney Junior School at the Learning Materials workshop

Celebrating 25 Years of KAASO!

This year marks a truly special milestone — 25 years since KAASO first opened its doors. In 1999, two Ugandan teachers, Dominic and Rose Mukwaya, opened their home to 12 children with a dream: to ensure that every child, regardless of their ability to pay school fees, could receive a quality education.

Classes began under a thatched roof, with few resources but an abundance of determination and heart. By the end of that first year, 49 students were enrolled.

Photo credit https://kaaso-uganda.org/about/

A quarter of a century later, KAASO now educates over 700 primary school children each year, continuing its commitment to accessible education by charging fees only to those who can afford them, and supporting those who cannot.

To celebrate this remarkable journey, KAASO will host a major event that brings together past, present, and future parents, students—both old and new—and the many well-wishers who have worked alongside the school over the years. It will be a joyful reflection on how far KAASO has come and a powerful reminder of the vision that continues to guide it forward.

Unity is Strength 2024-25 Accounts now available

The latest Trustee Report and Accounts are now available to read.

This annual report provides a transparent overview of our activities, achievements, and financial performance over the past year. It highlights the impact of your support and outlines our ongoing commitment to our mission. We invite you to take a look and see how your contributions are helping to make a difference.