FORT PORTAL, UGANDA — Absa Uganda and the Baylor Foundation Uganda are continuing their “Keep the Girl Child in School” initiative, which provides financial and academic support to adolescent girls in the Fort Portal area. The program, funded by proceeds from the annual Absa KH3-7 Hills Run, aims to combat high dropout rates and vulnerability to HIV.
During a recent visit to Mpanga Secondary School, Jolene Abshire, Absa’s sector head for Development Organizations Coverage in the United Kingdom, saw firsthand the impact of the program.
“The school fees and scholastic materials gave me peace of mind,” said Kesemire Gorrette, a Senior Four student at Tooro High School, who is part of the program. “My grades improved, and my dream of becoming a lawyer feels alive again.”
The partnership targets 50 girls and young women across five schools in Fort Portal and the Kabarole district. At Mpanga Secondary School alone, 15 students are receiving tuition, scholastic materials and meals.
According to the head teacher at Karambi Primary School, who was not identified by their first name, the program is a vital lifeline.
“These girls are intelligent and full of promise,” the head teacher said. “All they needed was someone to believe in them and lift the burden of school fees.”
Fort Portal City has the country’s second-highest HIV prevalence, with most new infections occurring among girls and young women between the ages of 15 and 24. The initiative combines financial aid with peer mentoring and an early warning system to prevent students from dropping out.
Nationally, the Absa run has supported more than 21,000 girls with scholarships, educational resources, and hygiene facilities in districts including Abim, Mbale, and Mayuge. Mpanga Secondary School is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary in December.
