Carrefour Uganda has officially handed over renovated classrooms and a dining hall to Peculiar Child Care Support in Mukono and the Kireka Home for Children with Special Needs.
These renovations were funded by the proceeds of the Round Up Your Bill initiative, which aims to support vulnerable groups in the communities where Carrefour operates through customer donations.
According to Carrefour which is operated by Majid Al Futtaim, the retailer's customers have raised over Shs285 million through this program, benefiting three out of six children's homes and schools so far.
Christophe Orcet, the Regional Director for East Africa at Carrefour, expressed his excitement about the second phase of the Round Up Your Bill initiative, following the handover of two newly constructed classroom blocks last year at St. Noah's Ark in Entebbe.
"Today, we are handing over renovated classrooms at Peculiar Child Care Support in Mukono and a refurbished dining hall at Kireka Home for Children with Special Needs. This was made possible through the Shs88,277,164 raised at our Carrefour stores in Oasis Mall and Metroplex Mall," He said.
Orcet explained that the funds were utilized for painting, repairing, and replacing roofs, windows, and floors, among other improvements.
"Additionally, we purchased food items to improve the children's nutrition and well-being." he added.
Aloysius Kilibaki, the treasurer at Kireka Home, expressed gratitude to Carrefour for their timely assistance when the school was in urgent need of resources to provide essential services.
"We appreciate the government's support in providing teachers for our school. However, considering our current situation, I must emphasize that we need a teacher-student ratio of one teacher for every two students. With 103 children enrolled, we would require a substantial number of teachers. Unfortunately, we can't even achieve a one-to-one or one-to-two ratio due to our limited resources," he stated.
He also thanked Carrefour for their support in renovating the school to an international level.
"I want to specifically highlight my excitement and joy that Carrefour Uganda Limited has stepped in to assist our school. Our dining area was in terrible condition and not very inviting for the children during meal times. As a result, children often ended up making a mess while eating," he explained.
He added., "The dining area was not appealing at all. We are extremely grateful to Carrefour for transforming it into a space that meets international standards. Now, children can come in and enjoy their meals in a pleasant environment. Additionally, they have introduced beautiful colors and artistic designs that enhance the space."
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Launched in September 2021, the Round Up Your Bill Initiative is Carrefour's commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable children by supporting schools and homes across Uganda, where its stores operate.
Each store partners with a specific home or school to raise funds for their unique needs.
Oasis Mall partnered with Peculiar Child Care Support, Metroplex Mall partnered with Kireka Home for Children, Acacia Mall supports Mulago School for the Deaf, Village Mall partners with Kiswa Primary School, Lugogo Mall supports Ntinda School for the Deaf, Victoria Mall partners with Noah's Ark School under the Disability Community for Humanity.
The Round Up Your Bill initiative works by offering Carrefour customers the option to round up their total at checkout, with the difference being donated to a partner home or school.
"For example, if a customer's bill amounts to Shs 7,300, they can round it up to Shs 8,000, donating Shs700 to support vulnerable children through this initiative.Since its launch, Carrefour has raised over Shs285 million across all its stores, with proceeds funding various projects at the partnered homes and schools," Carrefour says.
