Uganda Mathematics Initiative (UMI)

Sciences: The key to the future

Sciences for Girls Education Program (SGEP) Uganda, an NGO dedicated to increasing brand awareness and sharing our Science and mathematics projects in schools. We begun by focusing on girls, but we now help all students. Discover how we are shaping the future together through education.

Our vision

A world in which women are empowered through science education to achieve gender equality, justice and freedom.

Our mission

To provide financial and logistical support for science and mathematics education programs to girls and other students from low-resource environments

Our values

Equality, Empowerment, Compassion, Integrity, Justice, Transparency

We conduct extensive due diligence checks to ensure every project we fund meets rigorous criteria that align with our Vision, Mission and Values.

Our committee of volunteers works hard to maintain low overheads and maximise the dollars that go directly to our sponsored projects.

We are a registered Ugandan Charity and we've been running for over 10 years

Our approach

At SGEP, we take pride in our adaptability and our pursuit of excellence in every aspect of our programs. We develop innovative sciences and mathematics programs and projects tailored to the needs of girls and rural schools in Uganda. Discover what we have to offer and see how we can contribute to the success of the next generation.

Meet our team

Behind our very successful and many projects is a committed and dedicated team of professionals, each bringing their unique expertise and enthusiasm to SGEP Uganda

Jackie Nassozi

Founder & Director

Angella Mwiza

Programs Coordinator

Benjamin Ssemambo

Treasurer

Suzan Kaliisa

Secretary & Communications officer

Our programs

We offer a range of specialized sciences and mathematics development programs and projects tailored to the individual needs of schools and students. Our approach focuses on understanding and responding to student needs, and providing effective and practical solutions to make sciences and mathematics fun and accessible.

Sholarships

SGEP's Secondary School Scholarship Programme supports students who would otherwise be forced to drop out due to financial constraints. The programme covers tuition fees, uniforms, books, examination costs, and, where necessary, supplementary food support for child‑headed households. We also encourage caregivers to participate in savings groups to strengthen household resilience. Our goal is not only graduation, but also the development of confident, responsible young adults who are ready to pursue higher education or vocational opportunities.

Adolescent Girl's Movement

The Adolescent Girls Movement is a collaborative initiative between SGEP and a number of rural schools. This program aims at addressing the societal barriers that impede girls’ holistic development and their study of scienc subjects. The program seeks to create a platform to support girls, with an innovative, new approach towards nurturing adolescent girls in rural areas so that they are equipped to fully express their identity, claim and exercise their rights, and realize their full potential. The program has established 5 local nests with adolescents in four districts (Mukono, Mubende, Luwero and Nakaseke) The program also has a curriculum of 8 lessons that is developed by SGEP for the girls to be taken through with the aim of better understanding of sciences and mathematics

Training teachers

Training science and mathematics teachers by SGEP requires overcoming immense hurdles like geographical isolation, lack of lab infrastructure, and low resource availability. To achieve sustainable outcomes, initiatives prioritize context-based learning, targeted local recruitment, and distance education models.

Effective training programs are tailored to the specific constraints and realities of remote, developing areas:

Contextualization: Training teachers to link the curriculum with the local environment. Instructors use local farming methods, indigenous flora/fauna, and nearby ecosystems to explain complex biology and chemistry concepts.

Targeted Recruitment & Local Training: Initiatives like sgep science teacher training programs actively recruit relief teachers and local school-leavers who already reside in the region, drastically improving teacher retention rates.

Distance & Flexible Learning: Utilizing Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and mobile support systems allows untrained or underqualified teachers to gain certifications while remaining on the job.

Logistics & Infrastructure

SGEP works hard to establish laboratories, libraries, textbooks, computers and other science infrastructure. Providing the right infrastructure is a game-changer for promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in schools. It moves these subjects away from being just textbook theories and turns them into hands-on, engaging experiences.

A well-rounded STEM infrastructure includes several key areas, ranging from physical spaces to digital tools:

Physical & Specialized Learning Spaces

Modern Science Laboratories: Safe, well-ventilated spaces equipped with workbenches, sinks, emergency eye-wash stations, and storage for chemicals and equipment.

Makerspaces & Fab Labs: Dedicated areas where students can build, tinker, and design. These usually include 3D printers, laser cutters, robotics kits, and basic hand tools.

Flexible Classrooms: Modular furniture that can easily be pushed together for collaborative group work or separated for individual study.

Technology & Digital Infrastructure

Robust Hardware: Access to desktop computers, laptops, or tablets for coding, data analysis, and running simulations.

Reliable Internet & Connectivity: High-speed Wi-Fi and school-wide networks that allow students to access cloud-based tools and digital libraries seamlessly.

Software & Subscriptions: Access to graphing software, virtual dissection tools, coding platforms, and data-logging software for experiments.

Mathematics & Science Resources

Manipulatives and Models: Physical tools to help visualize concepts (e.g., 3D geometric models, fraction blocks, or mechanical physics sets).

Data-Collection Sensors: Tools like digital thermometers, pH meters, and motion sensors that plug into computers so students can record and analyze real-time data.

Well-Stocked Libraries/Resource Centers: Providing books, academic journals, and study spaces for deep research.

Supporting the Human Infrastructure

Technical Support: Hiring or training dedicated staff to maintain computers, repair lab equipment, and set up experiments.

Out-of-School Infrastructure. Community Partnerships: Setting up mentorship programs with local universities or tech companies to give students real-world exposure.

About SGEP

It all started with with Ruth Nassolo an orphan, born in Mukono, a rural area in Uganda. She had seen how rural students, especially girls struggled to learn sciences and mathematics. We begun by focusing on girls, but we now help all students.

SGEP is a registered nonprofit committed to expanding access to quality science and mathematics education for for girls and economically disadvantaged students. Since 2016, we have supported hundreds of talented but needy learners through secondary school, giving them the tools to transform their lives and contribute to their communities. Our donors help fund school fees, textbooks, build libraries, laboratories, teacher training, research to empowering students to rise above hardship and shine in their futures.

SGEP focuses on personal attention and dedication to every detail of our sciences and mathematics projects. Our approach is rooted in quality and integrity, ensuring that everything we do reflects our commitment to excellence. Notable subjects of focus include MATHEMATICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, PHYSICS

Sciences and mathematics make impact

We are proud of the tangible impact we make in schools and communities in Mukono, Luwero, Nakaseke, Mubende, Masaka in Uganda. Discover how our sciences and mathematics projects change lives, develop talents, and contribute to a better future for young people in Uganda. View our projects and see our impact.

SGEP Uganda has transformed our school. The students are more enthusiastic than ever about sciences and mathematics and their results have improved significantly!

Stella Nansubuga, Director, St. Stevens Secondary School Mukono

My daughter always found science subjects and maths difficult and stressful, and she had little confidence in these subjects, and her performances were always worrying. Since SGEP placed her in the ‘’Sciences for adolescent girls project’’, she has rediscovered the joy of learning. I am so grateful for their dedication.

Joyce Namisango, parent

Working with SGEP as a volunteer is an unforgettable experience. It is wonderful to see how much of a difference we make in the lives of these students, from Kamwano village to Bubuubi to Namakofu to Bukunja.

Richard Finley, volunteer from Lowell, MA, USA