Apollo Gabazira, our Country Director in Uganda, tells us about his job and how our education work is impacting on the lives of young people across the country.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

I feel very lucky that I am helping thousands escape the poverty trap and the accompanying social inequalities.

Why did you choose to work for Build Africa?

I had worked for one of the largest nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) - CARE International - as Assistant Country Director in Uganda. After nine years of great work addressing social inequality it was time to move on. My attraction to Build Africa was to put my leadership skills to the test as country director, but also via a much more focused approach. Build Africa does this by focussing on education and enterprise as their main sectors.

What part of our work with schools has the most impact?

One seemingly small but big impact our work has had over recent months has been the special facilities for the disabled pupils in all the pit latrines we have built at the schools. The disabled in our society are normally the forgotten group and providing them with special facilities and a disabled toilet stance may be the difference between them staying in school or leaving. Of course this is in addition to the tremendous work done in improving the physical environment of the school

And how can the impact be seen when visiting schools we have worked with and those in which we haven't?

I recently visited a school called Kokwech in Bukedea District and even though I grew up in poverty, I was shocked by the lack of resources at the school and I know other schools are in exactly the same situation in Uganda. As Build Africa Uganda, we know that it may take some time for these schools to get to a level playing field with other schools in the country, especially urban schools with better access to resources. With our intervention Kokwech primary school will see a massive shift in the physical environment at the school.

How could we improve schools?

For sustainability reasons, Build Africa will increasingly work with the communities and bring them on to the education decision making table - they are critical stakeholders and only when they are fully aware of their rights and duty, will they be able in the long-term to demand and monitor quality in the education system.

How important is it to involve the parents in our work with schools?

Only they at the end of the day, can demand and get an improved education system. We can only facilitate and support the process - they have the full mandate to demand quality service from the government they elect; but because their  socio-economic status is low, they are unable to do that all the time; that is the reason Build Africa Uganda will sensitise them and build capacity to participate in decision making.