Who We Are

The Byelich Foundation plans to open a self-sustaining, viable Primary School in Uganda, Africa.  This vision came about when Matthew Byelich, a veteran of the Iraq War, volunteered as a teacher in Uganda.  While teaching, he noticed problems in the educational system.

Being concerned, Byelich discussed the difficulties with with two Ugandan teachers, Jesse William Emuge and Michael Mujimba.  It was agreed that a new type of school was needed in Uganda.  Jesse and Michael have been working on the logistics of building and operating this planned school.  They have devised a structure to fix the problem that is holding most schools in Uganda back.

The Issue at Hand

The major problem comes from the actual school system.  For example, a passing grade is just a twenty percent.  With this low standard, children are able to move on to the next grade without learning the material.  Also, textbooks and other resource for educational are rarely seen in the classroom.  Due to these difficulties, educators are not given the proper system to become effective teachers.

Solution

The key to fixing this problem is simple: we must first create a self-sustainable school and teach the teacher

s how to teach. This can be done by creating workshops, which will give the faculty different teaching tools and techniques. The instructors of these workshops will primarily be Ugandans.   However, my sister, Leann Byelich, and Dave Schwind, who both have a degree in education, will be playing an active role in the school’s development.  Leann and Dave plan on building strong teachers by holding workshops for the teachers before the start of the new school year.

How You Can Help

You can help give the Uganda children the education system that they need and deserve by making a one time or recurring donation.  By simply donating as little as $10 a month, we can begin to build the foundation of an efficient and effective school system.

Cost

Based on a preliminary proposal, it will take $19,500 to obtain the land and build the school.  Another $6,300 will be needed to make the school functional.  The fixed costs and variable costs for the first year are projected to be about $11,000.  Basically it will cost about $36,600 to start up the school.  In order for the school to be successful, the school has to be self-sufficient.

The Byelich Foundation Inc. has been approved to be exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Any donations or contributions to the Byelich Foundation Inc. can be a tax deductible under section 170 of the code.