The Aliguma Foundation has officially launched the Sunny Magezi Academy at the Aliguma Foundation Sports and Empowerment Centre in Kinuuma Village, Masindi District. The launch marked a major step in the foundation’s mission to transform lives through sports, education, and enterprise.
The new academy, whose motto is “where every child shines,” sits on fifteen acres of land and is named in honour of the Foundation’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ritah Aliguma’s late parents, Mr. Magezi Steven Nyakana and Mrs. Sunny Nsungwa. The school celebrates their legacy of compassion, resilience, and belief in education.
“This is a school the country can learn from,” said Ritah Aliguma during the launch ceremony. “We are introducing an integrated learning approach that is hands-on, skill-based, and talent-driven to make education relevant, affordable, and transformative.”
The event attracted top leaders from the area, religious figures, U.S. Exchange Alumni, community members, and the youth of Masindi, all gathering to celebrate the opening of a project that brings hope to rural Uganda.
The Guest of Honour, Honorable Ronald Aled Akugizibwe, Member of Parliament for Buruli County, joined other dignitaries in planting trees to promote nature conservation. He praised the initiative as a model for development and empowerment. “This school is a beacon of hope,” he said. “Ritah has done what many could only dream of. Education is the greatest gift one can give, and this is proof that development can start right here in rural Uganda.”
The District Education Officer, Ms. Monica Kiiza, pledged government support and confirmed that the school would be registered and licensed. “It has every requirement of a model school, and as Masindi District, we stand ready to support this dream,” she said.
The celebration was filled with music, dance, and joy as pupils from God’s Care Community School in Acholi Quarters, the sister school to Sunny Magezi Academy, performed a series of activities that captured the spirit of the day. The children wore their new uniforms and presented short skits, poems, songs, and traditional dances that celebrated education, discipline, and the memory of Sunny and Magezi. Their performances showed early signs of the academy’s focus on nurturing creativity, confidence, and teamwork.
The crowd, made up of parents, community leaders, and dignitaries, responded with enthusiasm and emotion, showing how deeply the new school had already touched the community.
Sunny Magezi Academy will offer both national and international curricula with a strong focus on talent development and practical skills. The first fifty parents who registered their children received free school uniforms, a gesture that reflects the foundation’s inclusive and community-centred approach.
Representing the U.S. Exchange Alumni Network, President Immaculate Owomugisha Blessing praised the Aliguma Foundation for its transformative work. “What we see here in Kinuuma is breathtaking. Partnerships like these show that global ideas can spark local transformation. Our dream is to nurture young Africans who will rise as future leaders and champions,” she said.
The celebrations concluded with a lively football match at the newly laid AFSEC pitch, where Kinuuma FC defeated neighbouring Kabutukuru FC by three goals to one. Farouk Muhinda, Tony Katusabe, and Sula Asiimwe scored for Kinuuma, while Vincent Achala provided Kabutukuru’s consolation goal. The match was organized by Councillor Ismail Mukoiko, a close friend and volunteer with the Aliguma Foundation.
The academy’s launch follows the Aliguma Foundation’s third consecutive UEFA Foundation for Children grant, part of a five-million-euro global package supporting seventy-two projects in eighty countries in 2025. The recognition reaffirms the Aliguma Foundation’s place among Africa’s most impactful community-led initiatives.
Built on love and inspired by legacy, Sunny Magezi Academy represents a new dawn for education and empowerment in Masindi and beyond.
Below are more pictures from the event:
