The excitement is building at Buiga Sunrise School as students prepare for Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) Day, an important part of Uganda's Ministry of Education curriculum.

Students are divided into three houses—Iceland House, Canada House, and America House—and spend months rehearsing songs, traditional dances, and dramatic performances. Through music and storytelling, they celebrate Uganda's diverse culture while sharing important social and health messages.

The second school term is officially underway, and our students jumped right in with examinations. These assessments are an important part of our new centre number registration requirements, but they also serve another valuable purpose — helping our teachers understand exactly where each child is academically and where extra support may be needed.

One of our favourite new additions this month is the creation of "Together Seats" around campus. These shared study spaces encourage students to learn side-by-side, support one another, and strengthen the sense of family and cooperation that makes Sunrise so special.

We closed out the first term with final exams, a successful Ministry of Education inspection, and exciting progress toward receiving our official center number registration this June — a major milestone for Sunrise and one of the Coalition’s big goals for 2026.

While students enjoy a well-deserved three-week break, Jovia and the teaching team are travelling through surrounding communities and the islands of Lake Victoria sharing news about the expanding boarding program.

Excitement is building at Sunrise as we prepare to break ground on our new dormitory on April 14! With plans officially approved at the sub-county level, this milestone reflects both strong local support and the Coalition’s growing leadership. Partnerships with the Plattern Foundation, Reach Out Mubuya, and a third foundation in Kisoga—alongside a vibrant marketing campaign—are already paving the way to welcome boarding students for the 2027 school year. These partnerships will bring students through independently run international sponsorship programs, while proceeds from the boarding section will directly support scholarships for low-income day students in the surrounding community.

After a long holiday, the classrooms are full again — full of laughter, chatter, and the sound of friends finding each other.

When asked why she was happy to be back at school, one student didn’t hesitate: she missed her friends. At Sunrise, school is more than lessons and books. It’s where friendships grow — at shared desks, under shady trees at lunch time, and during group activities where everyone has a chance to belong.

We are pleased to share that Sunrise Centre Canada has approved a 2026 partnership with the Bond Beyond Blood Coalition from Banda Kyandaaza, Uganda — a community-led group formed to protect and rebuild Buiga Sunrise School.

The coalition is led by former students Nakabuya Jovia , alongside advisor Mr Okidi Tom, who is serving as the Chairperson and providing non-operational oversight on a volunteer basis.  Together, they are stepping forward with a shared understanding that past governance and accountability failures damaged trust — and a firm commitment to doing things differently.

As we look back on 2025, we are deeply grateful for your continued support. It was a year of resilience, learning, and reflection, and because of you, we were able to build opportunity, strengthen infrastructure, and offer hope to children who need it most.

December marked the end of the school year for our students and a natural pause for the Canadian charity to reflect on how best to move forward in 2026. Responsible stewardship continues to guide every decision we make.

It’s hard to believe another year is already coming to a close—and what a year it has been. We began in an incredibly challenging place, facing an illegal claim on the school property and intimidation tactics that shook the CBO during the first half of the year. Yet through persistence, courage, and the unwavering support of many helping hands, we successfully registered the school back with its original founder and protected the mission at the heart of our work.

Sunrise had the privilege of meeting with the parents of our Grade Seven candidates this October as we wished the students success in their Primary Leaving Examinations, scheduled for November 3rd and 4th, 2025.

This cohort marks the 9th group of pupils to graduate from Sunrise since our first class completed their journey in 2016—an achievement that fills us with pride and gratitude.

The Sunrise Sensorial Dinner was a beautiful success - an evening that touched hearts and inspired hope. Guests were immersed in an unforgettable sensory experience where Natasha Hall’s soulful violin performance intertwined with Chef Kyle Dampsy’s innovative molecular cuisine and Cam Mathieson’s organic light installations. Together, they created a space filled with creativity, compassion, and purpose—all in support of Sunrise Center’s vision for sustainability and education.

From the very beginning, the mandate of Buiga Sunrise School has been clear: to bring first-class education to children and families who could not otherwise afford it. The school remains committed to offering quality learning at rates that are manageable for the local community, ensuring that no child is denied the chance to learn because of financial barriers.

Sunrise School welcomed two interns for the months of July and August  -  Sergio and Eshika are Master of Public Health students from the University of Alabama.  An internship experience at Sunrise provides them with an opportunity to enhance their skills, practice cultural competence and diversify their knowledge through hands-on applications.

After facing many challenges, Buiga Sunrise CBO and the community members have taken it upon themselves to form committees to evenly distribute the weight of project responsibilities.  An annual general meeting was held in June to nominate and elect candidates for the committees.  The purpose of the committees is to identify local funding sources, with the long term goal of shifting the CBO from a model of international donor reliance, to a model of empowered self sustainability.

The second term has started and students are back after a 3 week holiday. Students are excited to see their friends and teachers and to get back into classroom routines. Our teachers have been prepping and our students have completed their ”holiday homework packages” so there will be a smooth transition back to learning.

Buiga Sunrise Uganda hosted 16 visitors from Iceland - it was a whirlwind of activity!  Retired board member Hrefna Bachman and current board member Eva Gomes planned and organized the trip - we appreciate all the time and energy they dedicate to cultivating this amazing connection!

Achipe Naume joined Buiga Sunrise School this month and a storage room has been renovated  to serve as the new school sickbay. Naume is providing first aid, teaching healthy habits, introducing reproductive health to teens, and promoting the overall well-being of all students.

There is so much to celebrate this month, but it’s also important that we pause and acknowledge the serious challenges that we’ve recently overcome.

Step-by-step we are collaborating with local people to reimagine and restructure according to arising and ever-evolving needs.