IOCC and St. Nektarios Education Fund Celebrate Over 15 Years of Successful Partnership in Uganda

Partners Continue to Support the Education and Well-Being of Children Attending School and Residing in Orphanages in Rural Areas

Baltimore, MD (October 8, 2025) For more than 15 years, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and the St. Nektarios Education Fund (SNEF) have been writing a remarkable story in Uganda—a story of opportunity, dignity, and lasting change. In close partnership with the Uganda Orthodox Church (UOC), what began as a shared vision in 2009 has blossomed into a vibrant network of schools, clean water initiatives, and vocational training programs that are transforming rural communities.

At the heart of this mission lies a belief in the potential of Uganda’s youth. Through building and renovating schools, improving sanitation, and investing in food and water security, IOCC and SNEF have together helped plant seeds for a stronger, more hopeful future. Since the start of this journey, over $879,000 in generous donations have been poured into these life-changing efforts.

From the beginning, SNEF Chairman and IOCC Board Member Fr. Evan Armatas has been a guiding presence in the work. In his own words:

“From early on in seminary, there was a group of us dreaming up ways to bring education to children in need. From sponsoring a few students in Kenya, to the founding of the St. Nektarios Fund, to where we are today, it’s incredible we’ve been able to realize that dream. Through God’s grace and with the help of amazing partners like the Uganda Orthodox Church and IOCC, we’re extraordinarily grateful and have so much more we hope to achieve.”

This sense of community and partnership can be felt in everywhere IOCC and SNEF have worked. Together with the UOC, they have focused their efforts on several educational communities—in Butembe, Gulu, Nakabaale, and Lwemiyaga—and at St. Mary of Egypt Monastery in Kampala.

At St. Luke Secondary School in Lwemiyaga, a school built through a grant from SNEF and completed in 2013, enrollment has grown to 300 students. With continued support from the UOC, the school now includes a girls’ dormitory, a central sanitary block with showers and toilets, a fully equipped science lab, and the newly constructed Trenton White Science and IT Center. A new kitchen is also under construction, ensuring that the school can continue to nourish both minds and bodies.

In Gulu, St. Michael the Archangel Secondary School stands as a testament to shared commitment. Built with funding from SNEF and IOCC, the school now boasts upgraded sanitation facilities, inclusive restrooms for students with disabilities, a functioning rainwater harvesting system, and a fully equipped science laboratory.

In Butembe, IOCC and SNEF have worked together to enhance Prophet Obadiah Primary School, installing a central sanitary block and rainwater harvesting system in 2015. When a powerful storm struck a nearby school in 2024, IOCC responded immediately, replacing the damaged roofing with durable steel sheets—turning a crisis into a moment of resilience and solidarity.

With continued support from the Uganda Orthodox Church, IOCC and SNEF are forging ahead with new initiatives for 2025 and beyond. At St. Luke’s in Lwemiyaga, a new kitchen and outpatient clinic are being built, along with additional rainwater harvesting systems. In Nakabaale, plans are underway to rebuild a girls’ dormitory at St. Paul School. At St. Mary of Egypt Monastery—home to 71 orphans and 250 primary school students—a new agricultural and irrigation program is being introduced to support food production and sustainability. And looking ahead to 2026, work is in motion to equip and repair the church-managed St. Nektarios Outpatient Clinic in Akonyibedo village.

IOCC’s Executive Director, Constantine Triantafilou, had this to say about the achievements:

“This is more than development work—it is a movement of faith, compassion, and empowerment. Each school built, each child educated, and each drop of clean water gathered is a testament to what is possible when communities across continents come together in love and service.”

Uganda’s future is being written, and thanks to IOCC, SNEF, and countless supporters and partners, that future is brighter than ever.

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International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is the humanitarian relief and development agency of the Assembly of Canonical Bishops of the United States of America. Since its inception in 1992, IOCC has provided more than $858 million in humanitarian relief and sustainable development programs in over 60 countries worldwide. Today, IOCC applies its expertise in humanitarian response to natural and human-caused crises in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, offering assistance based solely on need. Learn more at iocc.org and follow us @IOCCRelief on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Hi-resolution image available for download here.