About Kisoro

Kisoro Town is located in the far Southwestern corner of Uganda and serves as the headquarters of Kisoro District. It borders both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is framed by terraced hillsides and three massive volcanoes. The population of the town of Kisoro is roughly 18,000 people, while the District comprises over 280,000 people. It is a place of considerable hardship, but also great joy, where deep religious faith, strong community ties, and a profound respect for education are the norm.

The 2014 Uganda National Population and Housing Census starkly reports on the reality of life in Kisoro District. 86% of households have subsistence farming as their main source of income. 60% of the population is under 19 years of age. Only 25% of girls aged 13-18 are in secondary school. 39% of children aged 10-15 are working. Among households in Kisoro District, less than 8% have access to electricity and about a third have access to piped water, but this water is untreated. Public schools are crowded, often include physical abuse of children, and generally have no food or clean water for children.

Kisoro Children's Foundation was founded to address such inequities and open the door to new opportunities for the residents of Kisoro.