Kisa Foundation USA
About Kisa Foundation USA
Kisa is a Luganda word meaning empathy.
Mission
Our mission is to support health, arts and education for children in Uganda. In 2015 we founded Namungoona Children’s Art Center, and continue to support its work. We work closely with Kisa Primary School in Nansana, Uganda.
Organization
Kisa Foundation USA is a non profit organization based in Richmond California organized in 2010 to support health, education, and the arts 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. Current KFUSA projects include:
Namungoona Children’s Art Center has provided art training and practice for over 6,000 children since it was founded in 2015.
Uganda Online Art Consortium has marketed the work of several professional Ugandan artists, with 50% of the sales revenue going to support the Namungoona Children's Art Center.
Tailoring training program at Kisa Primary School financed by a grant from the Rotary Club of Richmond California
Financing for small farmers in setting up poultry and pig raising.
We’ve provided a small number of scholarships for students at primary, secondary, vocational and university levels.
We continue to support Nansana Youth Academy which organizes football (soccer) teams, training and practice free of charge to local youth.
Organization
Kisa Foundation USA is a non profit organization based in Richmond California organized in 2010 to support health, education, and the arts 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. Current KFUSA projects include:
Namungoona Children’s Art Center has provided art training and practice for over 6,000 children since it was founded in 2015.
Uganda Online Art Consortium has marketed the work of several professional Ugandan artists, with 50% of the sales revenue going to support the Namungoona Children's Art Center.
Tailoring training program at Kisa Primary School financed by a grant from the Rotary Club of Richmond California
Financing for small farmers in setting up poultry and pig raising.
We’ve provided a small number of scholarships for students at primary, secondary, vocational and university levels.
We continue to support Nansana Youth Academy which organizes football (soccer) teams, training and practice free of charge to local youth.
Our Team
Be in touch!
Kisa Foundation
Please use our contact form at the bottom of any page to start a conversation.
Board of Directors and Advisory Board
Tom Herriman
Board Chair
Founder and Executive Director; former journalist, union organizer and general contractor.
Yusuf Ssali
Executive Director
Yusuf Ssali is a widely recognized artist who was one of the founders of Uganda Art Consortium. His artwork has appeared in galleries and exhibitions in Kampala, Nairobi, Berlin, Brussels, New York, Washington D.C. Boston and Berkeley CA.
Peter Meyer
Board Member
Pete spent four years teaching at a Muslim boys' secondary school in Northern Nigeria with a program called Teachers for West Africa. He is a former history teacher in the Boston public schools. Pete believes it is crucial for the U.S. to help African countries to develop. He still visits Africa frequently.
Jimmy Kibuuka
Board Member
Jimmy Kibuuka is Director of Kisa Primary School in Nansana, Uganda, and the elected Local Council Chairman for Nansana West. He is also on the Board of Directors of St. Joseph's Secondary School in Nansana. He studied at Makerere University and Kyambogo Polytechnic, and worked for several NGOs before helping to found and guide Kisa Primary School. He is also a skilled mason and carpenter and headed his own construction firm for several years. Jimmy built many of the buildings at Kisa PS and at Kisa's farm.
Peter Kibanyi
Board Member and Treasurer
Peter is completing a Masters degree in Public Health from George Washington University. He lives in Chicago where he is active in the Ugandan Community. He plans to spend much of his working life in Uganda after he completes graduate work.
Gretchen Donart
Board Secretary
Gretchen works for Service Employees International Union as a communications manager.
Advisory Board
John Toki
Chair, Advisory Board
John Toki is a widely acclaimed ceramic artist based in Richmond CA. He retired as a faculty member from the California College of the Arts in 2007. He has published several books on ceramics and serves on the board of American Museum of Ceramic Art.
Tom Franco
Advisory Board Member
Tom is a fine art sculptor and painter. His work is described as found objects, folk-art, collaborative, California funk, and ceramics. Tom is a founder of a touring film production group that puts on art shows, public art activations, and workshops. Tom also directs the Firehouse Art Collective, which includes art studios, galleries, live events, cafes, co-housing, and classrooms. With his wife Iris Torres they formed Firehouse Films in 2015 to develop movies and documentary projects. They live with their infant son, and three dogs in Oakland and Los Angeles, California.
Phil Kwesiga
Advisory Board Member
Philip Kwesiga is Chair of the Department of Visual Communication Design and Multimedia, School of Industrial and Fine Arts at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. He has a Ph.D. in Art and Design Education and a Masters in Fine Arts in Industrial Ceramics. His exhibitions have been held in London, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Netherlands, Italy, Cuba, Belgium, and Israel.
Pam Stefl Toki
Advisory Board Member
Pam Stefl Toki is a monoprint artist from Oakland, California. She studied with master clay printmaker, Mitch Lyons, the originator of clay monoprints, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She holds an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Mills College and a B.S. in Special Education from California University of Pennsylvania. She retired from public school teaching in 2018, following a 35 year career. Currently, Pam is working as an Educational Therapist. She is on the board of the Lamorinda Arts Council.
Kent Tool
Advisory Board Member
Kent is a ceramic and textile artist who has taught business and finance at Kansas State Teachers College, University of Kansas, Indiana University Northwest and Northwestern University. He was a recruiting executive at International Harvester and Crocker bank. He has been an active member of Ruby’s Clay Studio since 1995. He serves on the Board of the American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California.
Ted Urban
Advisory Board Member
Ted Urban is an Orinda CA based architect who founded the city’s outdoor public art exhibition, Artspace Orinda in 2008 and is a continuing member of its Orinda Art in Public Places Committee. Ted has worked in Uganda designing a classroom building for Children of Grace School in Jinja.
Webmaster
Rees Clark
Webmaster, consultant
Experience in education, government, business and related technologies. His Clark Internet firm hosts the Kisa Foundation and other nonprofit websites.
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.
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