In today’s world, the role of computer experience cannot be overstated. This is especially true in countries where only a select portion of the population has this experience, as it can be the deciding factor between success and stagnation.  Uganda is one such country. Many of the students at John Paul Secondary School will not have operated a computer before doing so in class – compare this with the widespread use of technology in the United States, where children as young as one or two years old have their own tablets. That does not make Ugandan students’ knowledge of computers less important, though: if a Ugandan student in secondary school…

Proudly affirming that 97% of donor contributions goes toward student and faculty programs and facilities, we want to provide an update on our Three-Year Development Program. While the school itself was closed, Friends of John Paul School and the school faculty were as busy as ever. First, there were government mandates to satisfy, such as security fencing, hiring a full-time nurse and security guards for the campus. After more than 12 years, there was a significant amount of maintenance needed for older parts of the campus. This included foundation work, new and restored flooring, doubling the number of latrines and improvement of the campus water supply. The entire computer lab…

Friends of John Paul School recognized early on that proficiency in the sciences and digital technology would be necessary if students were to be ready to take their place in today’s business world. The Science and Learning Center was the second major construction on campus and contained Chemistry, Biology and Physics labs. The first computer lab was introduced in 2015; as school attendance grew, so did the requirement for more computer hardware. In 2019, Board Director Liz Comerford began the process of funding and developing a major expansion – to more than double its capabilities. Coordinating their efforts, Liz and Computer teacher Francis Akol explored the most efficient and cost-effective…