newest UPDATe
Through your generosity and donations, in its THIRD year, more than 400+ children attend the EITZ CHAYIM SCHOOL Monday through Friday. They enjoy a comprehensive curriculum of Jewish and secular classes, including academics, arts and sports. Providing breakfast and lunch at the school ensures that teachers have the strength to successfully teach their large classes and the children are well nourished and ready to learn.
Ezra Uganda continues to raise funds for the completion of the school facilities. To reduce the funds needed from your donations, thousands of bricks will be hand made this year by the Namutumba Jews who infuse them with their love and great hopes for their children.
At the beginning of February,2026, your donations made possible Ezra Uganda’s continued to help saving the lives of two young girls with Albinism (an inherited genetic condition that affects the production of melanin). These two girls must receive a special medicinal cream that saves their skin; they would not survive without the cream in the African sun. Except for vision problems, most people with Albinism are just as healthy as anyone else. A six month supply of the medication is now available for the girls.
Areas of Focus
Education
We, and our Abayudaya colleagues in Namutumba, know that education is one of the keys to community advancement. When their children were forced to change schools in January, 2024, they were desperate for support to build a Jewish elementary school in Namutumba-Magada. Mindful of Theodore Herzl’s prophetic words: “If you will it, it is no dream," we agreed despite the enormous challenges. With the assistance of contributions from Ezra Uganda and financial support from Ezra Uganda donors, the Eitz Chayim School provides a full curriculum of secular and religious studies for 400+ Jewish, Christian, and Muslim children who learn and play together.
Entrepreneurship
We support entrepreneurial projects that will eventually allow the residents of Namutumba to support themselves. These have included small community businesses such as the raising and selling of poultry, eggs, and livestock, a sewing project that will supply school uniforms and clothing to sell in Uganda, and the opening of small stores in the larger Namutumba town center.
These entrepreneurial projects will eventually allow the residents of Namutumba to become less dependent on foreign donations. In addition to raising and selling chickens, and community businesses such as the sewing project (which will include both a small store in the larger Namutumba town center and a sewing machine repair service), other small stores are planned.
Health
We help to provide preventative medical care, including fully inoculating the village--Jews and non-Jews alike--against COVID-19; we've also sent dozens of mosquito nets to stem outbreaks of malaria. We provide an emergency fund to the village council, to be distributed to families in need due to medical emergencies. Through this fund, we recently saved the life of a premature infant who needed expensive care in a far-away hospital.
infrastructure
We focus on improving Namutumba's infrastructure and the community's ability to sustain itself. In 2023 we provided funds to purchase the 1st of 2 acres of land on which the school was built. The second acre will provide for additional school facilities and, in the future, construction of a Community Clinic. When funds are available, a new borehole will bring water to the School and future clinic.
We've provided funding for the synagogue, granary and shared community oxen and plows. When funding is available we will provide solar lights for the school, add to those at the synagogue, and assure that all the family homes have at least some long-lasting solar lights.
jewish life
We work to supply Hebrew and Jewish educational materials for the Abayudaya of Namutumba. We have also brought the community with its first full-sized, Kosher Torah; funded the construction of the community synagogue; performed Jewish marriage ceremonies for multiple couples in the village; and facilitated the Jewish schooling of the community rabbi and cantor.
Services in Lusoga
In November 2021, Ezra Uganda Assistance executive board member Samantha Mandeles traveled to Namutumba, Uganda to bring the Abayudaya community there its first ever full-sized, Kosher Torah.
Sam stayed with the Abayudaya in Namutumba for two weeks and was able to join the community for services in the synagogue. The Abayudaya of Namutumba pray in Hebrew and local languages Luganda and Lusoga, and using both Ashkenazi and Ugandan tunes.
Check out this video of Abayaudaya services in Namutumba. (Un-mute by mousing over the video and tapping the sound-on button.)
For more photos and information about Sam's visit to Namutumba, click here.