About Us

Friends of UNIFAT Inc.

Welcome! Friends of UNIFAT is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization committed to supporting the educational and peace building initiatives of the Upper Nile Institute for Appropriate Technology or UNIFAT. UNIFAT is a private primary school located in Gulu, Uganda in East Africa.

Founded in 1985 by Mrs. Abitimo Rebecca Odongkara, UNIFAT formed under humble beginnings with just a few students who received lessons under a tree. Mrs. Odongkara, who only a few years early had fled with her family to the United States due to the violent dictatorship of Idi Amin, decided to return to Uganda to help children left destitute due to war, displacement and the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Despite these challenges, UNIFAT grew from that tree and became one of the best schools in the region, serving as a beacon of hope and a symbol of excellence in Northern Uganda. Today, UNIFAT School serves students from kindergarten through primary seven (the equivalent of eighth grade in the United States). UNIFAT’s uniqueness comes from its mission of “learning through love and understanding,” and its desire to not just educate children but to instill the values of love and peace.

In 2005, Mrs. Odongkara’s friends and family formed Friends of UNIFAT to help spread her mission of learning through love and understanding and to further promote educational, peace building and cross-cultural exchange initiatives in the United States.

 

You can help with this important work with a financial contribution, or contact us to learn about other ways to get involved.