When MAF’s partner, Ezekiel 37 Ministry, established a school in Uganda’s Karamoja region, they knew they wanted to provide education. What they did not fully realise was how much protection the school would offer local girls. Mary’s success story stands in contrast to the reality faced by many of her peers.
“I’m happy that I am going to secondary school,” says Mary with a smile. Soon, she will take the next step in a journey she has dreamed about for years.
Mary Nangiro is a dedicated student. She joined Akigyeno School in 2021, a school run by MAF’s partner organisation, Ezekiel 37 Ministry. The school serves around 300 students in Uganda’s Karamoja region, where literacy rates are among the lowest in the country.
“I used to read my books in the night to excel. The school gave us torches which helped for our night reading,” she says.
Mary’s village has no electricity, making the solar-powered flashlight an important tool in helping her pursue her goals.
At age 17, Mary became one of the few students to achieve top results on Uganda’s Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), the national exam taken at the end of primary school. The results play an important role in determining a student’s opportunities for further education.
Unfortunately, not all of Mary’s friends have had the same opportunities.
Education protects against human trafficking
Last year, one of Mary’s friends was abducted by a man who later forced her into marriage. Mary knows many other girls who have experienced the same situations – some her age, others even younger.
A 2021 report by ENACT (an initiative combating crime in Africa) found that girls from the Karamoja region have been sold for as little as five dollars and trafficked to Nairobi. Keeping children in school is vital, as education helps protect them from human trafficking and child marriage by giving them a safe haven, better opportunities and teaching them to say no to exploitation.
Florence Talamoi, a senior education official in Napak District, has seen the impact of these challenges firsthand.
“Poverty and insecurity are major contributing factors to child trafficking here,” she says. “But also, some children are trafficked to Kenya where they are married off by relatives.”
Ezekiel 37 Ministry provides more than free education. For girls like Mary, the school offers safety, and a hope for the future.
“The presence of Akigyeno school has helped so much, but there’s still a lot to be done.”
In addition to free education, Akigyeno school provides two meals for its pupils during school days. Most of the time this is the only meal the children will have, because eating at home is not guaranteed.
A partnership that changes lives
MAF flies the Ezekiel 37 Ministry team to Moroto, from where they travel to Akigyeno Primary School in Napak District. The region is remote and difficult to access. Travelling by road can take one or two days due to poor infrastructure and challenging conditions.
Rebecca Sekamanya, the school’s founder and director, is deeply grateful for MAF’s regular flights to Moroto.
'We appreciate MAF so much. I don't think we could make these trips without you.'
Because the flight takes only about 90 minutes, Rebecca and her team can continue their work even on travel days.
“Using two days on the road is not a good use of our money, and it doesn’t make sense to spend days on the road,” she says.
For Rebecca, the students are the reason behind everything.
“I’m so proud of these kids, because being the first class to do PLE at Akigyeno, I didn’t have high expectations,” Rebecca says.
All of the 19 pupils that sat for their PLE at Akigyeno school qualified to join secondary school, with three of them achieving highest grade.
Before joining the school, many of these children spent their days herding livestock or staying at home.
Without access to education, many would face a very different future – one marked by vulnerability, poverty, and risk of exploitation.
Mary is now preparing to begin secondary school. She dreams of becoming a nurse so that one day she can serve and support her community.
STORY & PHOTOS / DAMALIE HIRWA
This story was originally published in "Flying for Life - Winter 2026." To view the full issue, click here.