The Kamukama Foundation Story
In 2011, a Texas couple walking through Bwindi met Kamukama Jr., a young boy searching for his father. The boy could not attend school because his father had abandoned his family leaving his mother unable to afford tuition. In Uganda, a country without a quality public education system, students who cannot pay cannot attend school.
The couple arranged for the young boy’s school fees to be paid, and after returning home, were struck by a question: How many more children were there like Kamukama Jr. who did not have access to quality education? In that moment, the idea for the Kamukama Foundation was born.
In 2023, Kamukama graduated from the Taibah International School, where he was awarded the Sportsmanship medal for his contribution to the soccer team. He is pursuing a degree in Social Work and Social Administration at the Nyamitanga College of Business Studies.
Kamukama Foundation Staff
Ian Sendagala
Managing Director, Uganda
Ian is a respected leader with a passion for helping his neighbors. He has been an active supporter of the local hospital, nursing school, and orphan development center. In 2016, following a successful career with Abercrombie and Kent, Ian joined the Foundation as Managing Director. Ian leads local implementation for all Foundation initiatives and programs.
Peter Kazozi
Project Coordinator, Uganda
With an extensive background in education and community development, Peter is a great asset to the Kamukama Foundation. In his role as Project Coordinator, Peter oversees the Foundation’s sponsorship program and community relations. Peter uses his skills to support the spiritual, mental, and physical needs of sponsored students.
Robert Bwiire
Asst. Project Coordinator, Uganda
Robert joins the Kamukama Foundation with experience as a social worker for the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. In his role as Assistant Project Coordinator, he supports the Foundation’s sponsorship and community initiatives, including student database management and skill development programming for secondary students.
Joshua Manzi
Chief Field Officer, Project Harvest, Uganda
Joshua joined the Foundation in June 2020 to lead our Project Harvest initiative.Joshua holds a Bachelor of Agriculture and Rural Innovation from Makerere University. In 2016, he was awarded a scholarship by the Ugandan government to study in Israel where he received an Applicable Agricultural and Animal Sciences diploma. We are grateful Johua has returned to his home village to lead our team and teach our families modernized agriculture.
Sophie Nanyonjo
Healthcare Coordinator, Uganda
Sophie leads programs to improve the physical health of our sponsored students and their families. She focuses on life skills, nutrition, and wellness, including installing a LifeStraw water purification system to encourage better hydration. Sophie grew up in a small village near Bwindi. She holds a Diploma in Nursing from the Uganda Nursing School in Bwindi and a degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
Scovia Ainembabazi
Asst. Healthcare Coordinator, Uganda
Scovia was a student sponsored by the Kamukama Foundation and has now joined Sophie’s team as the Assistant Healthcare Coordinator. She graduated with a certificate in Tourism and Hospitality and will now be focused on healthcare programs around sanitation and hygiene.
Vincent Omedo
Educational Consultant, Uganda
Vincent Omedo has joined our team in Uganda as an Educational Consultant under a two year contract. Mr. Omedo is well known in the field of education in Uganda. With 28 years of experience in this field, he is well equipped to train our teachers and staff to improve the quality of education in our partner primary schools. He has a Master of Education, has taught future teachers at the University level and is a published author.
Shaela McCarley
Operations Manager, US
Shaela McCarley has been an important part of Kamukama Foundation since joining the team as Operations Manager in 2015. Shaela has been instrumental in supporting the Foundations’s growth as it expands to reach more students. She manages outreach efforts and is a critical part of our work to connect donors and sponsors with school communities in Uganda
Elizabeth Howden
Communications Director, US
Elizabeth Howden has served as Communications Director for the Kamukama Foundation since 2016. In this role, Elizabeth supports the development of sponsor outreach materials and marketing collateral. She also serves as an Advisor to the Board on digital messaging and crisis communications.
Board of Directors
Carol Burdette
Milo Burdette
Ann Carter
Cynthia Collins
Bob Kay
Susan Kay
Linda Knoll
Jeanne Little
Lew Little
Sharon Purcell