Our Impact
In 2008, Aggie's Arts partnered with Simon and Aggie Paech to begin raising funds to help break the cycle of poverty in Uganda through education. In 2011, God clearly pointed us to Pastor George and the beautiful communities in the Kisoro district of Uganda, and Kisoro Kids was born.
When we started working with the five elementary schools, all had dirt floors, no desks, and many had leaky roofs. The schools had insufficient toilets and stoves, and teachers did not have their own curriculum books. The schools also struggled to pay their teachers a competitive salary.
Simon and Aggie Paech
But by God's grace, over a 14 year history, Kisoro Kids supporters partnered with the local communities to cement 53 classrooms, provide 564 desks, roof 45 classrooms, build 13 stoves, and provide 930 books!
In 2016 and 2017, Kisoro Kids supporters also provided 28 sanitary toilets for the five schools just in time for the schools to pass critical health inspections. In one area, the school we supported was the only one the government did not close.​
As the conditions improved, more families began sending their children to these Christian schools, where some heard the Gospel for the first time. We've heard of families coming to Christ through the witness of these children!
Since 2011, the schools have grown over 30%! Many new school buildings have been built to support their growing numbers. To keep the student-teacher ratio at or below 25, the number of teachers has grown over 40%! Donors have also provided over three acres of land that is farmed for the sole purpose of supplementing teachers' salaries through the profits.
Kisoro Kids donors made the construction of this nine-classroom building at Kisoro Hill possible. Designed, built, and inspected by local builders and engineers, the project not only supports education but also strengthens the local economy and fosters a sense of ownership within the community
​The quality of education has also steadily improved. From 2012 to 2016, only 68% of seventh grade students passed the all important national exam, the test that greatly determines their futures. Since 2017, 91% have passed, and since 2022, an incredible 99% of students have passed!
Beyond education, supporters have also helped struggling families in Kisoro start their own small business. Over the years, Kisoro Kids supporters have provided 36 pigs, 79 goats, 39 sheep, and 384 chickens!
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Kisoro Kids donors provided over 500 animals to families, empowering them to start and sustain their own small businesses.
​​From the beginning, our goal has been to not do too much or too soon, to ensure the community does not become dependent on us, and to leave the people of Kisoro better off when Kisoro Kids has completed its mission. This meant carefully deciding how to help, how much to provide, and when to step in. It also meant recognizing the right time to step back and let them continue independently. After giving over a year’s notice, we made our final transfer to Kisoro in January 2025 and formally closed the organization.
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We praise God for all He has done and is doing in Kisoro! We are humbled, amazed, and overjoyed by His faithfulness and the amazing impact of this journey. We thank Him for all He has done and for the unwavering support of our donors and partners over the years. If you’d like to communicate with us, we can still be reached at kisorokids@gmail.com.
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Webale kushima (thank you so much) for being a part of this incredible story!
​Chris and Kelly Persons
Simon and Aggie Paech
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