Celebrating Progress, Community: Highlights from Term 2 at Saint Martin's

As the second term of our school year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to look back and celebrate everything our vibrant community here in Kibagare has achieved together.

Despite ongoing economic challenges—including rising food costs and high inflation—our school remains a safe haven of learning, hope, and support for our students. None of this would be possible without the incredible generosity of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers.

Here is a look at what we’ve been up to over the past few months!

🤝 Bringing Hands-On Support: Our Fantastic Volunteers

Engagement with our global community was a true highlight of Term 2! We were thrilled to host two dedicated groups of volunteers: Tenth Revolution Group in May and Friends of St. Martins in July.

Our volunteers didn’t just visit—they jumped right into the heart of our daily operations! Together, we:

• Served daily meals in our kitchen and supported our busy Weekend Feeding Program.

• Hosted a fun "Maths with Fun" class to spark curiosity in learning.

• Assessed our newly completed solar project.

• Ran an exciting student hackathon, held our first Innovators Workshop, and hosted a thrilling Dragon’s Den competition to encourage young entrepreneurs!
  

🏆 Excellence Beyond the Classroom: Sports & Athletics

Term 2 was packed with energy and competitive spirit across both Primary and Junior School levels. Our students participated in everything from chess, volleyball, and basketball to netball, handball, and soccer.

We are so proud to share some major achievements at the Sub-county, Regional, and National levels:

• Athletics: One of our teams placed 7th overall, with 3 individual students qualifying for the Nationals!

• Soccer: Our incredible girls' soccer team fought their way all the way to the School Competition Finals!

🍲 Feeding Program Updates

Rising inflation and unpredictable rainfall make guaranteed meals a luxury for many families in Kibagare. That is why our daily and weekend feeding programs remain a lifeline for our community.

Thanks to your continuous support we were able to ensure:

• Daily Meals: We served nutritious breakfasts and lunches to 915 students every school day.

• Weekend Feeding Program: Every weekend, between 1,400 and 1,600 children from Kibagare and surrounding areas visited our school for a warm meal. In the last three months alone, we served over 15,000 weekend meals!

🌱 Building a Sustainable Future: Solar & Urban Farming

To ensure our operations are sustainable for years to come, we are actively taking steps to grow our own food and cut utility costs:

• Solar Energy (Phases 1 & 2 Complete!): Our solar power project is now fully operational! The significant savings on electricity bills will directly fund our feeding programs and essential educational activities.

• School Farm & Garden: Between April and July, our farm team worked tirelessly to prune 1,500 coffee trees and plant maize, beans, and arrowroots. We are currently harvesting our maize, and our school vegetable garden has already provided 960 kilograms of fresh produce for the school kitchen!

  
  

💙 The Power of Student Sponsorship

Every child deserves access to a safe learning space, technology, nutritious meals, and the freedom to play. Student Sponsorship is the driving force that makes all of this possible.

To everyone who continues to sponsor, subscribe, or renew their commitment each year: Thank you. You are directly changing lives here in Kibagare.

If you’d like to join our community of sponsors and support a student’s journey, please reach out to us today—we are always looking for new sponsors to join the St. Martins family, or sign up here

What’s Next?

Our students are currently enjoying a well-deserved three-week holiday to rest and recharge. Classes will resume on August 27th for the third and final term of the school year.

Thank you once again for walking this journey with us. Together, we are building a brighter future!