EarlyBird256 School Fees fundraiser receives support from the June Canavan Foundation.
The EarlyBird256 community believes that education is more than just the classroom– it’s about enriching students’ learning experiences. We began as an initiative advocating for after-school creative programs in rural Uganda. Still, as we witnessed the hunger in classrooms, it became clear that investing in education was the best choice. Our work seeks not to replace the classroom but to support the students’ continued learning outside school. The Porridge program became crucial to our mission, as no person can learn on an empty stomach.
In 2024, our founder, Reginah Sanyu, participated in the StartSomeGood June Canavan Fellowship, which focused on mentoring social entrepreneurs. This support led to EarlyBird256 receiving a $2,000 contribution towards our school fees fundraiser. This contribution has put us in a strong position to meet our goal of $15,000, which will pay for three terms of boarding school—giving the students a chance to complete their secondary school with the necessary stability and resources.
Dr. June Canavan was an Australian sports physician and humanitarian whose dedication to making the world a better place continues through the foundation started by her friends in her honor. In 2009, Dr. June began a significant fundraising campaign to raise $50,000 for the School of St Jude in Tanzania. She called the project “Klocking up the Ks,” with the plan to walk/climb five mountains with “K”s. She started with Kiel Mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, and the peak of Mount Kinabalu in Borneo. The Kokoda Track in August would have been her fourth "K," and she planned to finish the project by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to deliver the $50,000 to the School of St Jude in Arusha, Tanzania.
Dr. June Canavan
Dr. June’s life was cut short when the plane she was traveling in to reach the start of the Kokoda Track crashed into the mountains surrounding the airport. The June Canavan Foundation's legacy is a testament to the power of friendship and collective action.
The EarlyBird256 School Fees campaign is powered by the work of Dr. June Canavan and inspired by our founder, Sanyu’s grandparents, John Baptist and Bernadette Lubowa. This is an opportunity for anyone who wishes to honor a loved one by investing in the future of the students receiving the scholarship. Every contribution brings us closer to our goal of covering the next two school terms, ensuring our students can complete their education uninterrupted.
A few of the EarlyBird256 students at Busoga High School.
We extend our deepest gratitude to Tom Dawkins and Caitlyn Touzell from StartSomeGood, who run the June Canavan Fellowship. Their belief in our mission and willingness to share their expertise has been instrumental in our fundraising efforts.
Our sincere appreciation also goes to the board of the June Canavan Foundation, who graciously allowed our Founder to pitch and said yes to contributing to the school fees campaign. This decision reflects a shared commitment to making a meaningful impact in the lives of students who otherwise would struggle to complete their education.
EarlyBird256’s Reginah Sanyu at Busoga High School
Your support, whether big or small, will help us complete the 2025 school fees balance, strengthening our relationship with Busoga High School so that more students can benefit from this collaboration.
Thank you for believing in them and us.
