The mission of Thrust Ministries International and Afri-Tendo is to preach the gospel to the whole man. Thrust Ministries is committed to evangelism and social welfare of all people everywhere in accordance with the Great Commission. The Afri-Tendo Christian School/Orphanage’s mission is to ensure the quality education desperately needed and the evangelism and discipleship of children and young adults who will serve the purposes of God in their generations and nations. The school will seek to ensure a high quality education in an intellectually exciting and nurturing environment and establish Christian moral foundations for the students who go through its gates.

Over 54% of Uganda’s population are children, the majority of whom are from poor illiterate families who cannot afford to send them to school. In 1997, the government started the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Program, which entitles up to four children (ages 4-12) per family to receive free education in government and government-aided schools. Since there is a tendency for the families to educate the boys instead of the girls, partly because of the mindset that girls don’t need an education because they are expected to get married, but also because there are home-based barriers where parents retain the girls at home to work, the UPE requires that of the four two should be girls.

Although this bold initiative removed a key obstacle for families and sent a strong signal on the importance of education, it is not without its problems. The challenges include staffing, teaching, facilities and learning materials, but the biggest challenge by far is the lack of quality education caused by lack of facilities. Facilities are stretched to the limit. The year before UPE was implemented the total Primary School Enrollment was 3.4 million, in 2001 the enrollment was 6.9 million. Classes are overcrowded (classes of 100 children with one teacher are normal) causing a significant drop in the quality of the education. Many communities do not school structures. In Central Uganda classes are often conducted under a tree. The reality of a teacher trying to teach a class of over 100 pupils under a mango tree is all too common. There too many pupils for a teacher pay attention to all of them, thus creating a decline in teacher involvement and quality education.

Also few schools exist that address the moral growth of children. The available local Christian schools lack the basic facilities to offer both quality education and Christian training. The majority of the Uganda population is Christian, but there is a serious lack of the equipping of the saints, from primary school through the secondary level. There is also the additional need to address the plight of the girl child and the many war and HIV/AIDS orphans in the acquisition of their education and Christian morals.

The school will be located on 25 acres of land, already purchased, in Central Uganda, Mukono District, Kajjansi Sub County. It is approximately 20 km from Kampala City Centre. The projected date to break ground on the property is December 2007 with an approximate school start in the fall 2008. The first year expected enrollment will be 600 students. By the third year of operation enrollment will reach 1500 students. The student will be a mixed body of local students and orphans. The ages of the students will range from 4 to 18. Primary education is from ages 4 to 12; secondary education is divided between ages 13 to 16 (ordinary level) and 17 to 18 (advanced level) a mandatory requirement for entry to tertiary (college) institution.

Construction will be completed in five phases. The initial phase will include the following buildings: classroom block, administration and library, dormitory, and dining hall and kitchen. The first phase will also include two staff houses and chapel. Plans are also under way for accommodations for a staffing unit to house visiting missionaries and volunteers.

Personnel will include principal, administration staff, bursar (accountant), chaplain, teachers and other support staff.