Kisa Foundation USA
About Kisa Foundation USA
This page is under revision 5 March 2023. RC
Kisa is a Luganda word meaning empathy.

Mission

Our attention and resources are focused on five specific areas:

  • Children's Education
  • Children's Health
  • Art Education
  • Community based media
  • Loans for starting small businesses
Kisa Foundation would rather make loans than gifts. While some grants and donations will be provided as seed money, for capital expenditures, and for scholarships, we aim to support projects through our revolving loan fund that will be self-sustaining and income generating. By repaying loans and paying interest, each project we sponsor can contribute to future projects.

For example, rather than donating books or desks to Kisa Primary School, we are lending them money to start a poultry and egg farm that can provide a permanent stream of income to the school. We provided seed money and in-kind donations to start the Uganda Online Art Consortium, providing a way for Ugandan artists to sell their artwork over the internet and at the same time to generate funds for charitable art projects in Uganda. We will evaluate any request for support in terms of its potential to be self sustaining and income-producing.

KFUSA accepts donations from individuals and organizations for our revolving loan fund as well as for specific projects. We also accept loans which can be earmarked for specific projects or individuals.

Organization

Kisa Foundation USA is a non profit organization based in Richmond California organized in 2009 to help fight poverty, disease and lack of education in Uganda. We believe the best way to pursue these goals is through development of self-sustaining, income-generating activities.

History

KFUSA originated in visits to Uganda by Tom Herriman and Gretchen Donart in 2007. Tom was recruited by Llwanga Llwanga, to be a volunteer at Kisa Primary School in Nansana Uganda. Lwanga is a founder and longtime benefactor of the school, which is dedicated to educating and caring for orphans and children of poor families. About half the 400 students at Kisa pay zero or reduced school fees. Tom and Gretchen helped raise funds to build a new kitchen at the school, and to pay teachers salaries. With Llwanga's support, KFUSA was organized to continue the work that he started and to continue to broaden the Kisa Primary School project and other projects aimed at benefiting Ugandan children. Llwanga serves as Chairman Emeritus of KFUSA Board of Directors. KFUSA projects include:
  • Rakai Community Media;
  • Uganda Online Art Consortium
  • Uganda New Entrepreneurs Network
  • Building a new kitchen at Kisa Primary School
  • Helping finance an egg production facility at Kisa Primary School to provide food for the children as well as cash income for the school;
  • Providing secondary school scholarships for orphaned children;
  • Loans to individuals for start-up businesses;
  • Nansanet...an online community newspaper in Nansana, Uganda (since discontinued)
 
 

Be in touch!

Kisa Foundation
Please use our contact form at the bottom of any page to start a conversation.

Board of Directors

Yusuf Ssali
Executive Director
Tom Herriman
Board Member, Co-founder
Peter Meyer
Board Member
Jimmy Kibuuka
Board Member
Peter Kibanyi
Board Member and Treasurer
Gretchen Donart
Board Secretary

Lwanga Lwanga
Chairman Emeritus
In memoriam. Our former chairman, Llwanga Llwanga was a retired University of Washington mathematics teacher, widely known tennis coach, and long-time benefactor of Uganda children and schools. He passed away in 2022 at age 89.

More..


Overworked Staff

Rees Clark
Webmaster

 
 
 

On the Web with Clark IP

Internet services for Kisa Foundation are provided by Clark Internet of Mill Creek, Washington. Clark Internet specializes in sites for non-profits and small businesses, including database-driven, over-the-web management information systems.