In June 2024, St. Bakhita Vocational Training Center (SBVTC) in Kalongo, Uganda opened its Early Childhood Development Center to give young children in the community a strong start. The classroom has child-friendly furniture, books and learning materials, including thematic backpacks of reusable, laminated materials on letters, numbers, shapes, animals, sports and emotions.
Teachers Judith and Gloria trained to build lesson plans around these resources and adapt them to every child’s abilities, and the children quickly settled into their new routine, joining in every day with enthusiasm.
Alongside the new center, SBVTC has grown its women’s health services, with education on maternal and reproductive health, nutrition and disease prevention, so women in the community have the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions about their health.
Our founder, Melissa Mendoza, worked with the University of Notre Dame on the center’s curriculum and serves as President of the Saint Bakhita’s Innovation Foundation. Our high schoolers can get involved too, through Project Impact.