Empowering Communities Since 1989

Building resilient
communities
in Uganda.

BELL Foundation for the Less Privileged works to transform the lives of disadvantaged young people and communities — through education, health, livelihoods, and community resilience.

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Established
1989
Formalized as a CBO in 1991 · Registered charity 2024
Active Districts
9
Across Central, Eastern & Northern Uganda
Focus Areas
7
Education · Health · Water · Food · Livelihoods & more
We work in:
Kasanda Mityana Wakiso Luwero Kampala Ngora Moroto Kotido Gulu
Our History

A legacy of compassion
rooted in Uganda's story

Founded
1989

Born out of the desperation witnessed during and after the Luwero Triangle war, BELL Foundation began as community help activities, formally registered as a CBO in 1991 and as a charity in 2024.

Named after Sir Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell (1864–1952) — the first official Governor of Uganda — the Foundation is a tribute by Christopher Paul, Sir Hesketh's grandson, to a legacy of community transformation. Sir Hesketh's radical innovations — from cotton farming to medical campaigns — turned Uganda into a self-reliant agricultural powerhouse by 1914.

Starting in 1991 as grassroots community help activities, BELL Foundation for the Less Privileged has worked to deal with pain and suffering in a manner that respects those affected — with dignity, care, and time-consciousness.

The driving force was witnessing the misery of the people in the Luwero triangle. Christopher Paul, with roots in Uganda, chose to make a tangible change in their lives — carrying forward his grandfather's spirit of service and transformation.

Today, the Foundation continues to transform the lives of disadvantaged young people and communities in Central Uganda and parts of the north and Karamoja regions through community health, education, productive skilling, disaster action, and economic empowerment.

We operate on the conviction that poverty is man-made and can be addressed through positive human action — and that pain and suffering cross all borders, religions, and political divides.

Who We Are

Vision, Mission & Values

Our work is grounded in a clear set of principles that guide every decision and every programme we deliver.

🌿

Vision

"A society where the less privileged thrive in dignity, empowered to build sustainable lives and resilient communities."

  • → Dignity & Respect
  • → Fulfillment & Purpose
  • → Thriving Communities
  • → Community Resilience
⚡

Mission

"To empower marginalized communities through education, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental stewardship, enabling resilience and equity for a brighter future."

We believe strong communities are the foundation for children to realize their aspirations — and that poverty is manmade and can be overcome.
🤝

Our Values

Equality Every child deserves a chance to thrive, regardless of background.
Empowerment We equip young people with skills and resources to build a better life.
Hope We believe in the limitless potential of young people to create a positive future.
Resilience We reinforce the strength of children and communities to overcome challenges.
Opportunity We unlock access to education, healthcare, sanitation, shelter, and economic means for disadvantaged communities.
Accountability We are transparent with those we serve and those who support us — responsible for our actions and answerable for every fund spent.
What We Do

Our Programmes

BELL Foundation delivers targeted interventions across seven key areas, reaching communities across Uganda.

📚

Education

  • Scholarships & bursaries from nursery through to university level
  • Provision of school supplies to disadvantaged students
  • Teacher training in psychosocial skills to support at-risk children
  • Building and renovating educational infrastructure
🏥

Health & Wellbeing

  • Healthcare services delivered at BELL Foundation schools
  • Health outreach to communities surrounding our schools
  • Eye care refraction and free sight lenses for students
  • Healthy sanitation education through community demonstrations
  • Support for girl child menstrual health
💧

Clean Water & Sanitation

  • Building clean water sources in schools
  • Digging wells to provide clean water in communities
  • Rainwater harvesting tanks and water granaries for households
  • Construction of pit latrines to improve sanitation
  • Sanitation education in schools and communities
🌾

Food Security & Emergency Aid

  • Emergency food aid during crises and disasters
  • Long-term food security through crop, fisheries & forestry farming
  • Community education on organic, high-value, market-oriented farming
  • Farming skills education in schools
💼

Livelihoods & Skills Development

  • Vocational training for employment and economic independence
  • Sustainable alternative livelihood activities
  • Computer literacy for primary school students
  • Digital literacy programmes for out-of-school young people
  • Community education on alternative livelihood skills
🛡️

Community Disaster Resilience

  • Emergency response: food, water, shelter and medical supplies after disaster
  • Reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure and homes
  • Psychosocial support and counselling for disaster survivors
In the Field

Activities at BELL Foundation

Building futures through education, clean energy, and infrastructure

Smiling children at Good Hope School, Uganda
Bright Futures Students at Good Hope School, supported by BELL Foundation
Technician installing solar panel for classroom lighting
Clean Energy Fixing a solar panel system for classroom lighting
Electrician fixing a light switch at school
Infrastructure Upgrades Fixing electrical switches for safer learning environments
Newly constructed staff housing
Supporting Teachers Newly built staff quarters — retaining dedicated educators
New solar panel delivered to school
Renewable Energy Newly received solar panel for a partner school
Builders constructing new classrooms
Expanding Access Putting up two new classrooms — more space for learners
Construction team raising classroom walls
Building Progress Raising the walls of the new classroom block
Classrooms with new iron sheet roofing
Durable Shelter Classrooms covered with iron sheets — weather-ready learning
Extension of classroom blocks under construction
Growing Capacity Extension of the classroom blocks — more students served
Dedicated teachers and staff of BELL Foundation school
The Heart of the Mission Staff members of the school — committed to excellence
Our Beneficiaries

Who we serve

Bell Foundation focuses on Uganda's most overlooked and under-served communities — the people who fall through every gap. Here is who we walk alongside.

👩‍👧

Single Mothers Empowerment

34% of Ugandan households headed by single mothers
1,200+ mothers supported since 2021
78% now earn a steady income
In Uganda, single mothers carry the weight of entire families — often alone. Many have lost partners to illness, conflict, or abandonment, leaving them to raise children on no income and with no safety net. Since 2021, we have supported over 1,200 single mothers through vocational training in tailoring, catering, and small business management. We provide startup kits, savings group membership, and legal literacy workshops. School attendance has risen by 61% in families we support.

$50 funds one mother's vocational training for a full month.

🧓

The Elderly — Care & Dignity

2.1M Ugandans aged 60+ with no formal social protection
840+ elderly reached by Bell Foundation
92% reported improved nutrition after our food support
Uganda has no universal pension system. For most elderly citizens, survival depends entirely on family support — and in a country where young people migrate to cities, that support often disappears. Since 2021, Bell Foundation has reached over 840 elderly men and women through monthly food packages, basic healthcare referrals, and home visits. We have built 12 senior welfare circles and run quarterly medical screening camps to detect and treat conditions that would otherwise go unnoticed.

$30 covers a monthly food package for one elderly person.

♿

Persons with Disabilities — Inclusion

16% of Ugandans live with some form of disability
670+ persons with disabilities enrolled in our programs
3× more likely to live in extreme poverty than others
In Uganda, disability is too often a sentence to invisibility. Over 7 million people live with a physical, sensory, or cognitive disability — yet remain largely excluded from schools, workplaces, and public life. Since 2021, we have enrolled over 670 persons with disabilities in tailored skills training programs, distributed 94 wheelchairs and assistive devices, and connected 230 individuals to disability rights advocacy networks. Inclusion is not charity — it is justice.

$80 provides one person with a disability with skills training and a starter toolkit.

🧠

Mental Health — Compassion & Care

14% of Ugandans affected by a mental health condition
490+ individuals and caregivers supported since 2021
1 in 10 people in Uganda has no access to mental health care
Mental health in Uganda is in crisis — and mostly in silence. Around 14% of the population lives with a mental health condition, yet Uganda has fewer than 50 psychiatrists for 48 million people. Since 2021, Bell Foundation has supported over 490 individuals and caregivers through community-based mental wellness circles, caregiver training, and medication access partnerships. We have trained 65 community health workers and run stigma-reduction campaigns reaching over 8,000 community members.

$40 trains one community health worker to support 10 individuals.

Reach

Where we work

We are active across nine districts in Uganda — from Central Uganda to the Eastern and Northern regions, including Karamoja.

📍
Kasanda
Central Region
📍
Mityana
Central Region
📍
Wakiso
Central Region
📍
Luwero
Central Region
📍
Kampala
Capital City
📍
Ngora
Eastern Region
📍
Moroto
Karamoja Region
📍
Kotido
Karamoja Region
📍
Gulu
Northern Region
Our People

Board & Senior Leadership

Visionary leaders bringing expertise, integrity, and unwavering commitment to serve Uganda's most vulnerable communities.

Board of Directors

`
Christopher Paul - Chairperson
Chairperson

Christopher Paul

Board of Directors

Chairperson

Ben Luzindana - Vice Chairperson
Vice Chairperson

Ben Luzindana

Board of Directors

Vice Chairperson

Martha Akurut - Secretary
Secretary

Martha Akurut

Board of Directors

Secretary

Monica Namiyingo - Treasurer
Treasurer

Monica Namiyingo

Board of Directors

Treasurer

Richard Kiwanuka - Board Member
Board Member

Richard Kiwanuka

Board of Directors

Member

Senior Staff

Martha Akurut - Chief Executive Officer
CEO

Martha Akurut

Senior Staff

Chief Executive Officer

Maria Mbabazi Nakanjako - Programs Director
Programs Director

Maria Mbabazi Nakanjako

Senior Staff

Programs Director

Opio Deogratius
Finance Office

Opio Deogratius

Senior Staff

Finance Officer

Legal Status

Compliance & Registration

Fully registered and accredited across multiple frameworks for transparency and accountability.

🏛️

Community-Based Organisation

Registered in Uganda as a community-based and non-governmental organisation (NGO).

📋

Registered Charity

Registered as a charity by the Uganda NGO Bureau under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

⚖️

Company Limited by Guarantee

Registered by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) under the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

Latest

News & Stories

Stories of success, community impact, and transformation from our programmes across Uganda.

Official Press Release 📅 August 3, 2026

Bell Foundation Becomes Official Nonprofit Partner of GlobalGiving

Bell Foundation for the Less Privileged is Fully Vetted as a Trusted Organization Working on Education, WASH, Elderly Care, Single Mothers Empowerment, Orphans and Vulnerable Children, and Food Security in Kassanda District, Uganda.

"Being vetted as an official GlobalGiving partner is a milestone for BFTLP. It means more visibility, more trust from donors, and ultimately more support for the communities we serve under our motto, 'Humanity at Heart,'" — Executive Director, Bell Foundation for the Less Privileged.

Download PDF Document
Single mothers learning tailoring skills
Empowerment

Practical Tailoring Training Empowers Single Mothers

Single mothers in our community are gaining valuable tailoring skills, creating sustainable livelihoods for their families.

📅 May 2025
Read more →
Construction of new classrooms
Infrastructure

Two New Classrooms Under Construction

We're expanding access to quality education with two new classrooms, creating space for over 100 additional students.

📅 April 2025
Read more →
Solar panel installation for classrooms
Clean Energy

Solar Power Brings Light to Classrooms

New solar panel systems are providing reliable lighting, enabling evening study sessions and improving learning conditions.

📅 March 2025
Read more →
View All Stories →
Reach Us

Get in Touch

BELL Foundation for the Less Privileged is committed to responding to every responsible request in a timely and respectful manner. We welcome inquiries from donors, partners, volunteers, and community members.

📧

General Enquiries

info@bellfoundation.org
👤

Chief Executive Officer

ceo@bellfoundation.org
💰

Finance & Donations

finance@bellfoundation.org
🤲
💼
🌐

Website

www.bellfoundation.org

Send us a message

Take Action

Get Involved

There are many ways to support BELL Foundation — choose the path that works for you and help transform lives across Uganda.

📧

Direct Support

You can directly sponsor any activity of BELL Foundation for the Less Privileged. Reach out to our leadership team and we will guide you on how your support can make the greatest impact.

🚀

Start a Fundraiser

Turn your passion into impact. Create a personal or team fundraiser for clean water, education, or school construction. We'll provide resources and support to help you succeed.

Start your fundraiser →
🤝

Volunteer With Us

Share your skills on the ground in Uganda or remotely. We need teachers, builders, medical volunteers, and digital marketers. Your time changes lives.

Apply to volunteer →
🏠

Emergency Shelter Support

Help us provide safe housing for vulnerable children and families. Your donation directly funds shelter, bedding, meals, and protection services.

Support shelter →

Start a Fundraiser

Support those in need by picking a cause you care about and launching a fundraiser in your community, workplace, or online.

🌾
Famine Food Aid (Elderly)
Help us provide emergency food aid to elderly people affected by famine across Uganda's most vulnerable communities.
🩸
Menstrual Hygiene for Girls
Support our programme to provide menstrual hygiene products and education to girls in schools across Uganda.
💼
Vocational Skills Training
Empower single mothers and youth with vocational skills training to build sustainable livelihoods and economic independence.

Volunteer Opportunities

Lend your time and skills to support communities across Uganda. Pick a cause you care about and sign up to volunteer.

🏫
Post-Conflict School Construction
Help build and rehabilitate schools in Central, Eastern, and Northern Uganda that were affected by conflict.
🧵
Vocational Skills for Single Mothers
Share your expertise to help train single mothers in vocational skills that create employment and economic independence.
💻
Computer Skills Training
Teach computer and digital literacy skills in schools for single mothers and youth in Central, Eastern, and Northern Uganda.

Provision of Emergency Shelter

Support those in need by helping sponsor emergency shelter for the most vulnerable members of our communities.

🏠
Emergency Shelter for the Most Vulnerable
Sponsor the provision of emergency shelter for extremely poor individuals, single mothers, and the elderly who lack safe housing.