Kampala: Mercy Aujo, a Senior Six student at Code High School in Seeta Bajjo, has received UGX 1 million in school fees support under the Bona Basome Campaign, an initiative by DTB Uganda and Furaha Finserve Uganda aimed at helping learners stay in school despite growing financial pressures on families.
Aujo became the first beneficiary of the campaign during an engagement attended by school owners, headteachers and education stakeholders at Code High School. The support is expected to ease her school fees burden and enable her to continue her studies without interruption. The award comes at a time when school fees remain one of the biggest barriers to education in Uganda. According to the 2024 UNICEF policy note on Overcoming the Challenges of Education in Uganda, insufficient funding is the leading reason children drop out of school, with 67.1% of boys and 62.1% of girls aged between 6 and 24 citing financial constraints as the primary obstacle to accessing education.
Speaking during the event, DTB Uganda Head of Marketing and Communications Samuel Matekha said the Bona Basome Campaign was introduced to help address some of the pressing challenges in Uganda’s education sector by providing financial relief to parents and guardians while ensuring learners remain in school. “When financial constraints become a barrier to education, it is the future of our children that is placed at risk. Through the Bona Basome Campaign and our partnership with Furaha Finserve Uganda, we are helping families overcome these challenges by providing accessible education financing and direct support to learners such as Mercy,” Matekha said.
He noted that the award to Aujo marks the beginning of a wider effort to support learners across the country. “Today, we are pleased to award Mercy as the first beneficiary of the Bona Basome Campaign. We believe this support will go a long way in helping her pursue her education without interruption. As the campaign continues, we look forward to supporting more learners across the country and helping many more young people achieve their educational aspirations,” he added.
Launched earlier this year, the Bona Basome Campaign seeks to support parents and guardians facing school fees challenges while increasing awareness of accessible education financing solutions. Denis Musinguzi, the Chief Executive Officer of Furaha Finserve Uganda, said many families continue to struggle with school fees payments, particularly at the start of school terms.”Many parents continue to face difficulties meeting school fees obligations, especially at the beginning of school terms. Through initiatives such as Bona Basome, we are providing meaningful support that enables children to stay in school while giving parents greater financial flexibility,” Musinguzi said. Since partnering in 2025, DTB Uganda and Furaha Finserve Uganda have been providing affordable school fees financing solutions to help parents manage education expenses while ensuring continuity in learning.
Beyond supporting families, the partnership also offers financing and school fees collection solutions for schools, helping institutions improve cash flow management and strengthen operational sustainability. The Bona Basome Campaign targets the disbursement of UGX 5.6 billion in education financing, reaching more than 3,203 schools and supporting over 9,597 learners across Uganda.
“At DTB Uganda, we believe that meaningful progress begins with empowering communities. Through our Bank with Us, Bank on Us promise, we continue to develop innovative financial solutions that support families, unlock opportunities and contribute to Uganda’s long-term development through education,” Matekha said.
