The donation will expand free reading and computer lessons for children in Kibuli and provide a base for the planned Angaza Mobile Library.
Children at the Angaza Resource Centre in Kibuli will have more space to read, improved access to water and new opportunities to learn, following a donation of a refurbished container and a 5,000-litre rainwater harvesting tank from SICPA Uganda.
The donation supports the work of the 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation (4040), which runs the Centre at Merowa Junior School in Makindye Division. The Centre provides children and young people aged 4 to 20 with free access to books, a computer lab and reading support. It also works with four partner schools that do not have libraries or computer labs of their own, while offering holiday workshops to help teachers strengthen literacy instruction.
Speaking at the handover, Suzan Kitariko, General Manager of SICPA Uganda, emphasised the importance of giving children access to learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
“A library gives a child somewhere to explore beyond what is taught in class, to read at their own pace, ask questions and come back to something until it makes sense,” she said. “Education deserves the business community’s attention, because the chances a child has to learn shape the choices they make later in life.”
Kitariko added that the donation marked the beginning of SICPA Uganda’s support for the Foundation, expressing the company’s commitment to continuing the partnership and seeing the model extended to other communities.
Bringing books closer to more children
The refurbished container will expand the Centre’s library space and provide a base for the planned Angaza Mobile Library. The initiative aims to take books and, eventually, computers to schools across Kibuli and Makindye Division whose learners cannot easily access the Centre.
For 4040, the donation is an important step towards reaching children beyond the Centre’s immediate surroundings.
“We partner with four schools, but the need is much bigger,” said Gloria Mbabazi, Angaza Project Lead at 4040. “This container will be the outpost for our mobile library. We want that project for the children it reaches.”
By taking learning resources directly to schools and communities, the mobile library will help address barriers created by distance and limited access to educational facilities. It will also build on the Centre’s existing work to nurture a love for reading and strengthen children’s literacy and digital skills.
Creating a better learning environment
Alongside the container, the 5,000-litre rainwater harvesting tank will improve the Centre’s access to water, particularly when the mains supply is interrupted. A more reliable water supply will help the Centre maintain a suitable environment for the children who use its facilities.
John Mbayo, Head Teacher of Merowa Junior School, said the Centre had become an important part of the pupils’ learning experience, with reading sessions incorporated into the school timetable.
“Our pupils come here to read and to learn computers,” he said. “Since the centre opened, reading and writing have improved.”
During the handover, pupils also shared how the Centre has helped them develop their reading and typing skills and allowed them to write their own stories.
The donation strengthens the role of the Angaza Resource Centre as a shared learning space for children and schools that lack essential educational resources. With the additional space, improved water access and plans for a mobile library, 4040 hopes to extend these opportunities to more children across the community.
About SICPA Uganda
SICPA Uganda supports the Government of Uganda with secure traceability solutions, primarily in tax administration, fuel integrity and product verification.