This year, MCS continues to support its partner trust, Mustardseed Junior School, to build a sustainable, inspirational school in Sentema, Uganda. We managed to raise £40,000 last year (19-20) -- matched by a generous OW -- and we would like to beat last year's extraordinary total again this academic year. Every pound we raise (up to £40k) is doubled thanks to Sir Vernon Ellis OW's generous matching pledge.

1480 Challenge, Founders' Day 2021

To commemorate Founders' Day, pupils are completing their own 1480-based challenges to raise money for Mustardseed From 14.8km runs (in the rain), to musical and artistic, to the most surreal challenges, all our pupils are getting involved in raising money for our partner school.

Now that the school is built, we are primarily directing our donations towards bursaries. It costs £366 to fund one pupil's education for a year -- just a pound a day -- so all money raised really does go a long way.

Update, June 2021

While the Covid lockdown in Uganda has postponed the school's opening this June, the site is ready and very excited to welcome its first pupils. See the photos in our gallery to see how wonderful it is looking.

Updates from Uganda, December 2020:

Despite the considerable and unforeseen challenges that 2020 has brought, extraordinary progress has been made at the Mustardseed School site in Sentema. Supply chains have been creatively managed by the Localworks construction team to accommodate COVID-19 related logistics and safety measures, and the local labourers have spared no effort. The primary block is now over 90% complete, the administration block is almost 80% complete, and all three sanitation blocks are over 90% complete. The Waynflete playing field has been seeded, stone is being laid to create walkways and paths, and many beautiful trees have been planted. These successes are in large part thanks to the wonderful generosity of your contributions. Thank you!

Progress continues with the kindergarten block and teachers’ accommodation, as the Ugandan Board start to further plans for the school’s opening in the Spring of next year. We are nearly there, but we still need your help as we finish construction, employ staff, equip teaching facilities and set up a bursary scheme for the neediest children in the surrounding area. It costs £365 a year to educate a child at Mustardseed School, so just £1 a day can transform a young life for a whole year.

Your donations last year made a massive difference in Sentema, and Mustardseed School is enormously grateful to have such a supportive partnership with MCS in the years to come.

Thank you for supporting our fundraising.

How it all started:

Mustardseed School (http://mustardseed.school/) was conceived by two friends: Kenneth Buwule, a Ugandan school teacher, book editor and post graduate scholar of peace and conflict resolution, and John Caird, a British writer and theatre director of plays, musicals and opera whose work has been performed all round the world. Kenneth and John share a deep sense of care for the health of the world in ecological and educational terms. They want to inspire a new generation of young people with the knowledge, the will and the self-confidence to make their world a better, greener and more peaceful place. Mustardseed School will diligently prepare young children with the requisite academic and practical skills to pursue their ambitions into their secondary education and beyond.