our story
From One Village in 1998 to 630 Villages and Communities Across Uganda Today
"From day one, we placed children's welfare at the center of all our decisions — and engaged only where we were invited and welcomed by communities."
— Conche McGarr, Founder & Executive Director, BKB U.S.
In 1982, the HIV/AIDS epidemic began sweeping through Uganda, taking with it a generation of parents, aunts, uncles, and caregivers. Frail grandparents were thrust into caring for their ailing children and orphaned grandchildren. Millions of children were left behind, plunging Uganda into a national crisis.
Conche McGarr struggled with how to support these children when she returned to her ancestral village in 1998. When village elders asked her — not for money, but to teach them how to earn enough income to feed and care for the orphans in their midst — she was guided by her mother's counsel: make sure your efforts create lasting impact, not quick results.
That idea defined everything that followed. BKB began with income-generation workshops that combined skills development with business planning, financial literacy, and marketing. Participants launched small poultry, pig rearing, and handicraft enterprises — and as word spread, women from neighboring villages asked to join.
Recognizing the complexity and interconnectedness of community needs, BKB expanded its work into integrated programs addressing the core needs of children and their caregivers. Today, our programs span Education, Nutrition and Agriculture, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), and Adolescent Health and Wellness, with our commitment to three Core Principles - health, income generation, and trust-based community partnership - woven throughout our work.
From two staff members in one village in 1998, BKB has grown to 84 full-time and 30 part-time staff implementing programs across 55 districts and 630 villages — reaching more than 450,000 Ugandans. The organization now operates three sister organizations — BKB Uganda, BKB US, and BKB UK — with leadership and staffing rooted in the communities we serve.
25 Years of Growth
What began as income-generation workshops in one Ugandan village has evolved into a multi-program, multi-district organization — always guided by community-identified needs.
1998
BKB founded. First income-generation workshops launched in one Ugandan village.
1999-2000
Child sponsorship program launched. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) program begins, with the first community boreholes and protected springs installed.
2001-2022
Six core programs formalized. Mobile Health Clinic launched. Nutrition and agriculture programs developed. Gogolo Nursery School opened to model early childhood best practices. Expansion to multiple districts.
2015
Gogolo Junior School opens with 6 kindergarten students and 2 teachers in Kisubi. In 2018, primary school grades were added in response to community demand. By 2024, the school has grown into a model primary school with 600 students and achieving top national exam results.
2023-present
114 staff reach 55 districts, 630 villages, and more than 450,000 Ugandans. School Gardens Program and Adolescent Health Program launched.
Support Our Work
Help Ugandan communities build a better future and makes a difference for generations.
Bega Kwa Bega is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) organization supporting Ugandan-led change.
All donations are tax-deductible.
IRS EIN No. 34-2009707
