Chardon United Methodist Church

Since 2002, the congregation of Chardon United Methodist Church  has embraced this project and has been generous and tireless in their support. In late 2002, construction commenced and in February 2003, Rock Foundation School opened it's doors to the Masindi community, offering high-quality, affordable, Christian education to the children of Masindi. 

Small classes of sponsored children began attending nursery through Primary 4 (P4), with the next grade level added each year thereafter. The school buildings are basic but adaquate, with walls of burnt brick, iron-sheeted roofs, cement floors, sturdy iron doors and large windows. Each classroom has a large blackboard and the children use simple wooden desks and benches. 

In the fall of 2003, additional classrooms were built to make room for an expanding student population and a library building was added to the school compound. This library will serve not only the students of Rock Foundation, but also their families, in an effort to improve national literacy rates.

Trip with Habitat of Humanity Gives Birth to Rock Foundation School

In 1998, David Weir of Chardon, Ohio traveled to East Africa to build houses with Habitat for Humanity International, unaware that his trip would be the beginning of a lifelong involvement with the people of Masindi, Uganda. At that time, the coordinator for Habitat efforts in the District of Masindi was Christine Kyomuhendo, an educated African woman with a passion for God and her country's people. As the mission team worked with the community, David noted that the poor in the area were not asking for food, clothing, or material goods, but rather for school fees so they could give their children an education. Christine, a former schoolteacher, was also very aware of the needs of the children in her community, and when David returned to Masindi in 2002 with his family, the seed for Rock Foundation School was planted.

Since then, David, his wife Donna, daughters Nikki and Brittany, and son Brian, along with many others, have traveled to Masindi to support the mission.