Kitgum’s Nakwanya village gets first permanent school building after decades

Kitgum | After decades of living without access to education, at least 500 children in Nakwanya village, Akurumo parish, Orom East sub-county, Kitgum district, now have something to smile about.

Nakwanya, which is about 12 kilometers from the nearest school in Orom trading center or Karenga district, has long struggled with a lack of basic services.

The nearest health center is Orom Health Centre III, followed by Namokora Health Centre IV and Kitgum General Hospital.

Women in the area have had to travel long distances to receive medical care, often in difficult circumstances.

Until recently, children under the age of twelve in Nakwanya did not go to school. This has now changed since the Irene Gleeson Foundation (IGF) opened Nakwanya Child Care Primary School in 2021.

Given the area’s history of educational neglect, a 17-year-old girl in Primary Three or Four is now regarded as a major achievement.

According to John Paul Kiffasi, Executive Director of the IGF, “over 500 children in the village were without education. I don’t know any part of Uganda that has a 12km radius without a school.”

He added, “We already know that the Acholi sub-region is the poorest in the country, and Nakwanya is the poorest of the poor.”

Five years ago, IGF approached the Nakwanya community to determine their needs. Kiffasi stated that the community prioritized food, education, healthcare, and agricultural support.

The IGF’s first step was to construct a church on 46 acres of land donated by the locals, signaling the start of development. Learning began under trees and progressed to grass-thatched huts.

By 2022, the number of children seeking education had increased to 450. This prompted IGF to seek assistance from international partners.

That same year, the foundation started distributing cassava stems, maize, sorghum, and beehives to help local farmers and alleviate poverty.

The commissioning of permanent school buildings at Nakwanya Childcare Primary School marked a significant milestone for the community in April 2025.

Two classroom blocks worth shs212 million were completed with joint funding from Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), Feed the Hungry (FTH), and the International Grain Foundation (IGF), all based in the United States.

The blocks, which include offices and storage units, were officially opened by Henry Okello Oryem, Minister of State for International Affairs, who praised American charities and the IGF for constructing the first school in the region.

Stefan Radelich, President and CEO of Feed the Hungry, was pleased with the transformation the organization had brought to the remote village.

Kiffasi described the transition from learning under trees to permanent classrooms as fulfilling, and he confirmed plans to build two more blocks because the school currently only offers classes up to Primary 4.

Patrick Ojara, a resident of Zaire village in the same parish, stated that he dropped out of school in 2015 after taking his Primary Leaving Examinations at Kwarayo Okuti Primary School.

“From Zaire to school is about 15–20 km. Without food and with such a long distance, continuing with education was impossible,” he said.

He warned that limited access to education leads to low literacy and numeracy rates, impacting the community’s potential to contribute to the economy and society.

Vicky Auma, a 17-year-old in Primary Three, described the difficulty of walking long distances in the sun on an empty stomach. “The future is alive and near. These challenges make life hard, but overcoming them makes life meaningful,” she said.

Another student, Anyango Gladys, aged 13 and also in Primary Three, emphasized that without education, children lack the knowledge and skills needed for personal and professional growth.

“Lack of education can lead to a cycle of poverty, limit opportunities, and hinder community development,” she explained.

Obedo Jackson, Chairperson of the School Management Committee, added that communities without schools become overly dependent on external aid.

“Lack of education can also contribute to social problems such as crime, violence, and inequality,” he noted.

Nakwanya, located about 98 kilometers from Kitgum Town, has benefited from Project-Based Food Assistance (PBFA) programs, including school feeding and support for vulnerable households.

In 2021, a collaborative effort between IGF, FMSC, and FTH began to reshape the future of this once-forgotten village, beginning with the children.