EducationThe foundation provides 46 scholarships for children between the ages of 4 and 13. The children attend St. Kizito Rubuguri Private School.

HealthcareAs part of the ‘Beyond Barriers’ project, healthcare workers regularly visit several local Batwa communities in and around Rubuguri. They provide information about health and hygiene, as well as basic healthcare and essential medicines for families.

Mama kitsDuring the first year of the project, 100 so-called ‘mama kits’ were distributed. These sterile packages contain the basic supplies needed for a safe delivery. In Uganda, women are often required to bring such a kit themselves in order to give birth in a hospital.

Why a private school?Fewer than 30% of Batwa children attend school. There are several reasons for this. Traditionally, daily education and fixed school routines have played only a limited role within Batwa culture. Many parents also lack the financial means to pay compulsory contributions or buy school supplies, clothing and shoes. Many children are chronically undernourished and simply do not have the energy to make it through a full school day. There are also very few role models within the community who can show children how important and rewarding education can be and encourage them to attend school every day. As an ethnic minority, Batwa children also regularly face discrimination and exclusion at school.

In a previous local project that supported Batwa children in attending public schools, the annual dropout rate was 51%. Support was limited, while both the children’s motivation to attend school consistently and the parents’ motivation to make sure they did so proved insufficient. For this reason, the ‘Beyond Barriers’ project chose to provide education through a private school. The children receive meals every day, which encourages them to attend and gives parents an additional reason to make sure they actually go to school. They also receive intensive support. Absences are followed up immediately and all essential school supplies, including clothing, shoes and notebooks, are provided. This gives the children the opportunity to develop in a safe and stable environment. In 2025, the project’s first school year, this resulted in a 0% dropout rate and average daily attendance of 97%.

Support within the wider communityTo build the project sustainably and ensure it is firmly embedded in the community, approximately 80% of our support is directed specifically towards the Batwa community. We deliberately allocate the remaining 20% to the wider local community. This helps prevent social tensions and ensures that our support is not perceived as exclusive or disruptive. Instead, it contributes to local support, cooperation and a stable environment for everyone.

Duration of the ‘Beyond Barriers’ projectAs of 1 January 2025, the Van Bommel Foundation has made a five-year commitment to this project. This timeframe gives participants, families and the local team the stability and certainty they need to build something sustainable. At the same time, running long-term projects in a complex international environment also brings organisational challenges. Throughout this period, we therefore continuously assess whether the project remains practically feasible and is achieving its intended impact. If the results remain positive, extending the project beyond the initial five years is an obvious next step.

Our vision for the futureAlongside the direct support currently provided by the project, some of which still has the character of emergency relief, the Van Bommel Foundation has a clear focus on sustainable, structural support. The ultimate aim is not to make people dependent on aid, but to help them build independent and self-sufficient lives. The children participating in the project have an important role to play in this. Our ambition extends beyond the primary education currently provided through the project. Ultimately, children within the Beyond Barriers programme should have the opportunity to progress to secondary education and vocational training. Over time, our aim is to build a generation of ‘Beyond Barriers’ alumni who can contribute to the continued development and strengthening of their own community.