BeZao.com: Tell us a little about yourself and how you ended up in Uganda?

Mindy Burgin: I'm a graduate from Southern with an associate's degree in nursing and a bachelor's in music performance. Following my graduation I was accepted to graduate school in music, but to be honest, after 16 years of school I was a little burnt out. I wanted a break from anything scholastic, and while it didn't make sense to do that immediately before grad school, I really felt like I had to do it. I was reading a magazine and was struck by the image of a small child squatting in the dust in the desert of Sudan. I was so moved - I wanted to help but didn't really know how. So I did some internet searching, and came across the idea of visiting an African orphanage. Sudan wasn't really open, so I tried some nearby countries, and I found a little orphanage in Uganda. It was privately run, all on donations, and they had no medical personnel of their own. I emailed the director and asked if she could use a nurse. Her answer? 'When can you get here?'

It doesn't take much time in Africa to realize the immensity of the need. My time in Uganda was focused on babies -- babies dying of AIDS, babies fighting to survive without families, individuals sacrificing everything to give them a chance. If you visit a place like this, you don't leave the same way you came. It wasn't long before my four months were over that I had a life-altering conversation with a local pastor. He had become a friend of mine, often serving as a translator for me during church services. He grew up an orphan, and had a deep burden for the plight of the orphans in his country. He was very concerned for the many children who were forced to leave school as a result of being orphaned. Education in Uganda isn't free, and without the ability to pay the fees, the kids were required to give up hope of an education. Stephen wanted to help, and he wanted me to help too. He took me to visit several families, and it was clear right away that there was a real need. I promised I would do what I could, and not long after that, I headed back to the USA and to grad school.

A student is the wrong person to recruit if money is what you need! We started with seven students, sponsoring their education. I would beg relatives and friends for a few dollars, and somehow each term we would collect enough funds to make it for a few more months. It was pretty exciting to see how God multiplied our money. Stephen is quick to step out in faith, and he would find a few more students each year. And the money would always come. One semester I was the recipient of a completely unexplainable financial aid check (I still have no idea how it ended up coming to me!) for $1700 -- the exact amount we needed for the students that term. God is BIG.

When the student list got too big for me and a few others to handle, I realized the need for something more organized. I filed paperwork, and we became the Kirabo Foundation, a full-fledged 501(c)3 organization. Again, God worked throughout the process. I am no tax expert, nor an accountant, but He has always proved sufficient.

BZ: How does the education system differ in Uganda with, say, the United States?

MB: Ugandans follow a British system of education. There are seven years of primary school, followed by four years of secondary. If exams are passed in the fourth year, another two years of secondary are allowed. If the exams are not passed, a student can opt for vocational training. If all 6 years of secondary are completed, the student can take university entrance exams. They don't get to choose a course of study like we do, rather they are directed according to their achievement into an area that seems suited to their abilities.

As I mentioned before, there is no free public education. The government does run some of the schools, and they have begun to attempt some programs to help the poor, but education isn't available to all. If students test very well at the university level, there is assistance available to attend a government university, but it is very competitive.

BZ: Tell me about the Kirabo Foundation. What is it and what do you do?

MB: The Kirabo Foundation's mission is to allow every young person the possibility of an education. We feel that the loss of one or both parents should not be a limiting factor to a young person who wishes to succeed. We provide tuition assistance to students who can demonstrate financial need, and who are willing to strive for success.

BZ: What does Kirabo mean?

MB: Kirabo is a word from the Lugandan dialect meaning 'gift.' I believe education is the ultimate gift.

BZ: How many kids are being supported?

MB: Currently there are 43 young people in the Kirabo program. We are continually trying to reach more and more students, as the funding is available.

BZ: Can you be sure that the money you send to Africa gets used for education?

MB: We pay the fees directly to the schools in most cases. Occasionally when a student attends a more remote institution, te student carries the money, but we always collect a receipt from the school, verifying the exact amount received and the fees required by each student.

BZ: What is the biggest need of your organization?

MB: The biggest need of our organization is committed donors who will give on a regular basis. Right now we are also in need of a donor to provide a stipend to our Ugandan field director. He is strictly a volunteer, but spends countless hours working on the Kirabo project, and does not make a sufficient living to provide for his wife and infant twin daughters. We do not want to take money intended by donors for student tuition to use for a stipend, so we are seeking a donor who is willing to commit to this particular need.

BZ: Do the donations go to pay for school or are the students given help with supplies, food, rent, etc?

MB: Donations pay for school fees first and foremost. Students are mostly in boarding schools (as many of them do not have a stable home in which to live), and are required to bring some items to school (brooms, mattresses, toilet paper, etc.). We do also provide these items for them. We supply them with money for notebooks and other school supplies (also required by the school), and for transport when needed to and from the school for holidays and term breaks (some students live a long distance from a good school). Occasionally when a student is in dire need, we purchase shoes, soap, and other personals. Food is included in the tuition for the boarding students. There are some students who are able to manage a small amount of expenses themselves, so much of this is on a case-by-case basis.

BZ: What kind of overhead does Kirabo have? Do you have a large staff and spacious office?

MB: Our US office is located in my home. Our Ugandan office is located in Jinja, and is in a small office building on Main Street. It is a two-room office with concrete floors and walls, painted a rusty red and a vibrant yellow. There is a desk and two chairs. Stephen is so grateful for this office - we set it up when we visited last October and it is the first time he has had a place to sit and work. We received a grant prior to our visit that allowed us to purchase a laptop for his use, and it has eased our financial record-keeping immensely. Our staff includes myself, the executive director; Stephen, the field director; and James, his assistant (James is a full-time teacher and can only help occasionally). We all serve as volunteers. We have a board of 9 members, as well as a Ugandan committee of four members, also un-compensated.

Short of taking everyone to Africa with me, it's really hard to explain the desperate need. We have so much (even those of us with the least!), and giving even just a little goes so far. For me, the privilege of giving a kid the chance at a future is priceless. Our first Kirabo kids are getting ready to finish their vocational training. They will face the world with the ability to support themselves and their families, and to finally give back to someone else. That is truly a gift.

BZ: Mindy, given the tremendous needs for education, how can someone sponsor a student and how much does that cost for one year of school?

MB: Our students attend three terms a year. the fees vary greatly. What some people do is contact me and let me know how much they can send each year, and we find students that fit their budget to add to our list. Another thing a lot of people do is just send a monthly contribution, whatever they can afford, we apply that directly to the tuition costs of our students that are not individually sponsored (most aren't). primary school ranges from $50 - $150 per term, and secondary from $100 to $300 per term. Not bad for room and board plus an education!

The website is at www.kirabofoundation.org and there's a link to donate online as well as an address to send checks.

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