Melissa Prandi Children Foundation

Melissa Prandi Children Foundation

Our Programs

Sponsor a Student Program

We believe education is the most powerful pathway out of poverty. Thanks to generous donors, vulnerable children attend quality private boarding schools, where they receive far more than an education: hope, stability, safety, and the opportunity to dream. Our commitment extends beyond primary and secondary school. We stay with our students all the way through University. Donate to sponsor a student to fund private boarding school education, all meals and swimming lessons, cultural activities such as art, dance and music.

Sponsor a Student

Sponsor a Village Program

Sponsor a Village is our signature community transformation initiative. Working alongside local leaders, we address each village’s greatest needs through clean water, sanitation, education, health care, economic empowerment, and infrastructure improvements. This affords us the opportunity to make tremendous impact on a large scale.

Sponsor a Village

Hygiene Kit Program

We built a new sewing center at Janan Schools with 15 employees, 5 of whom were sponsored by MPCF under the vocational skills program. We produce 1500 hygiene kits a month and adjust our production based on the demand. Our Reusable Hygiene Kit Program keeps girls in school by pairing affordable, reusable menstrual hygiene kits with menstrual health education. Each kit is made locally at our vocational sewing center in Uganda, costs just $8, and lasts three to five years, supporting a girl through her basic education and helping her manage her menstrual health with confidence and dignity. A kit consists of 8 pads, 2 shields, 1 soil bag, 2 knickers, soap, and a carrying bag.

Donate Hygiene Kits

Garden of Eatin’ Program

Currently in 8 schools, the Garden of Eatin’ Program inspires children to develop a lifelong appreciation for healthy eating, nutrition, and agriculture. It uses the award-winning farm-to-table curriculum developed by the North Bay Children’s Center in California. Children ages 4–7 learn by doing: planting, nurturing, harvesting, preparing, and enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables they have grown themselves.

Donate to support Gardens

Vocational Skills Program

This program equips young mothers and underprivileged youth with practical, marketable skills that lead to employment, entrepreneurship, and long-term financial independence. Trainees learn hands-on: tailoring, knitting, hairdressing, animal husbandry, landscape design, and other trades in demand in their own communities. It continues to open paths to economic independence while strengthening families and communities throughout Uganda.

Support Vocational Education

Women Expowerment Program

This program equips women with microloans, business training, and mentorship to build sustainable businesses and improve their families’ livelihoods. As participants succeed, many become mentors, creating a cycle of women empowering women. Their businesses include pharmacy, brick laying, catering services, charcoal selling, juice making, farming, retail shop, a beauty shop and a cosmetics shop and many more.

Donate To MicroLoans

New Programs launched in 2026:

Respect & Responsibility Program (AKA R&R)

We are excited to announce our latests program the Respect & Responsibility Program launched in 2026 designed for boys aged 12 and above. It answers the need for positive male mentorship by equipping boys with life skills, strong values, and guidance to become respectful, responsible, and compassionate young men. Through school and community mentorship sessions, they learn to take responsibility for their words, actions, emotions, and the way they treat girls and women.

We teach in schools and to the sons and daughters of Police Officers.

Each boy receives an R&R T-shirt and a hygiene kit, reinforcing dignity, confidence, and personal responsibility.

OBJECTIVES of the R & R Program:

  • Understand what respect means

  • Commit to respectful behavior, words and actions

  • Learn how to treat girls & women properly

  • Understand what responsibility means

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The Shoes that Grow Program

In 2026, The Melissa Prandi Children Foundation also launched the Shoes that Grow Program which provides shoes which expand as children grow by 5 sizes.

For only $15 (including transportation costs) you can gift a child a shoe that will last years and provide confidence with safety and security in every step as they explore, learn and play.

Donate

Wakisa Pregnancy Home

Melissa Prandi Children Foundation partnered with Uganda’s Wakisa Ministries to support the Wakisa Pregnancy Home which provides shelter, food, medical care, counseling and vocational courses to girls with unwanted pregnancies who have been abandoned, rejected or abused by their families.

We donated a new kitchen, hygiene kits, baby clothes, a sewing machine and a computer.

The mission of Wakisa Ministries is the promotion of dignity and self-esteem for young girls with a crisis pregnancy while addressing their emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. This is achieved by providing temporary shelter, counseling and care services. We equip pregnant girls with life and vocational skills, thus transforming the lives of this vulnerable group.

19,000+ girls
have been served with medical and birth-care since Wakisa Ministry’s inception in August 2005.

We Teach

Tailoring, English & science for primary, trauma counseling, vocational skills such as cooking, candle making, paper bead necklaces, knitting, urban agriculture, and health care (including breastfeeding & infant care).

In 2025, Melissa Prandi Children Foundation built a Kitchen for the Wakisa Pregnancy Home which was all thanks to Allan & Lisa Brayton’s generous donation.

BEFORE

AFTER

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Sponsor A Student Program

  • Senior one students at St. Mark High School, Kayunga.

  • Florence, 19 in photo, entered University in August 2024.

  • Students after a Heart of Dance performance at Janan Schools. Salma (left) 14, Sonia (middle) 14, Ismael (middle) 15, and Jamila (Right).

  • Connecting with students on Melissa's very first visit to Uganda.

  • Food distribution to our students during the holidays at Heart of Dance.

  • Melissa addresses our students at Janan School.

  • Melissa and Natavia (17) at Janan School.

  • Ashley, 15, Elizabeth, 16, and Benjamin, 16, sponsored by Tiburon Rotarians.

  • Senior 1 students at St. Mark High School.

  • Jamila, 14, introducing herself to the visitors from US when in seventh grade at Janan School.

  • Abdul, 12 and Melissa when he was in sixth grade at Janan School.

  • A Heart of Dance performance for the community.

  • The Heart of Dance performance to welcome Melissa and the volunteers on their initial visit.

  • The Heart of Dance with their village Gogonya behind them.

  • Collin, 16, a high school student at Janan School.

  • Jamila, 14, middle school student at Janan School.

  • Students posing for Melissa on her second tour of the village of Kabalagala.

  • Melissa and Gift, 17, at Janan School.

  • Hygiene kit distribution and education at the Janan Schools, open to all children in the community.

  • Angella, 23, graduated 2023. Martha, 23, graduated 2023. Jamal, 24, graduated in 2024.

  • Martha, 23, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

  • Jamal, 24, graduated March 2024 with a degree in clinical medicine.

  • Angella, 23, graduated Feb. 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology. She is addressing the Rotaract Club where is is the currently the president.

  • Melissa with volunteers and board members, Barbie and Lori, during a visit to Uganda with Grace and other children.

  • Anisha, 15, senior two at Janan Primary School and volunteer Grace from the US.

  • Lisa Brayton and Merissa 8, planting a tree at Janan School in Bombo.

  • Our students performing for Melissa and volunteers at Heart of Dance African Rhythm.

  • Our students performing for visitors during the visit at Janan Schools.

  • Melissa and volunteers with students at Janan Schools.

  • From left: Grace volunteer from US, and Eric, a leader with Heart of Dance and students

  • Melissa and our students after the Heart of Dance performance at Janan School.

  • Sonia, Jamila and other Heart of Dance students performing for visitors at Janan School.

  • Richard (a Uganda Rotarian) address students during the volunteers visit at Janan School.

  • Angella, 16, a senior high school student at Janan School.

  • Maria, 13, in primary six at Janan School.

  • Melissa with Jamil, 5th grade student at Janan School.

  • Melissa with Salma, seventh grade student at Janan School.

  • Melissa with Linda, 18, senior in high school at Janan School.

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Sponsor A Village Program

  • 2026 Villages

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Hygiene Kit Program

  • Lillian, Rotary DG, other Rotarians with students in Mityana village during the hygiene kits distribution.

  • A happy girl after receiving a hygiene kit in Luwero village.

  • Handmade reusable diapers for young mothers.

  • Lillian with students at St. Mark High School after receiving hygiene kits.

  • Janet with students in Nsawo Village after receiving hygiene kits

  • Al distributing hygiene kits to students during the visit in Nsambya.

  • Girls from Kaswa Primary School in Kaswa village after receiving hygiene kits.

  • Melissa with students after receiving hygiene kits in Nsambya village.

  • Volunteers from the US and young mothers after hygiene kit distribution in Kikuba Mutwe village.

  • Melissa distributing kits to girls at Kibuli Police Children School.

  • Lillian, Deb and the girls after distributing kits in Bumbu village.

  • Melissa showing the save a girl hygiene kit guide to the women in Kabalagala Village.

  • A sample of what goes into our hygiene kits.

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Garden of Eatin’ Program

  • Richard, Teacher Esther and Lillian at Good Mother Nursery School.

  • Students leaning growing techniques for plants.

  • Al & Lisa Brayton, our sponsors, at Janan School.

  • Students excited to help and learn!

  • Volunteer Richard harvests eggplant.

  • Teacher Esther harvesting tomatoes.

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Vocational Skills Program

  • Herbert, Lillian, Philip and the two employees at the sewing center, Helen and Esther in Nsawo village.

  • Lillian and Deb organizing and parking hygiene kits at the sewing center.

  • Brenda from TGUP training the girls at the sewing center Nsawo village.

  • A trainer teaching girls how to assemble hygiene kits in Nsambya village.

  • Beautiful finished products from the young mothers in vocational skills training.

  • Finished products from the young mothers in vocational skills training.

  • Finished jewelry from the young mothers in vocational skills training.

  • Vocational students at their graduation after completing a tailoring course at Janan vocational school Bombo.

  • Melissa and Grace 18, at graduation day at Janan vocational school in Bombo.

  • Vocational students at CIDI Vocational school, Kabojja

  • Janet, age 21, at CIDI Vocational School, Kabojja

  • Sylvia, age 21, vocational student at CIDI Vocational school, Kabojja

  • Grace, age 19, vocational graduate at her working station at Mbuya Village

  • Grace's finished products, baby dresses

  • Lori, a volunteer from US buying products from the young mother business owners.

  • A young mother from Kikuba Mutwe village selling bangles to the volunteers from US.

  • Volunteers from US buying products from the young mother owned businesses.

  • Anna, a volunteer from US, checking out products made by the young mother business owners.

  • Gardening students at CIDI Vocational School, Kabojja.

  • A young gardening student in the field.

  • Gardening and landscaping students training at CIDI Vocational school in Kabojja.

  • Landscaping students in the field working at a client's home.

  • Landscaping students at CIDI Vocational School.

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Women Empowerment Microloan Program

  • Chairman Mike telling US board members about the women owned businesses during their visit

  • Brenda, Board member Nasser, Chairman Mike, Lillian, Deb and Sanyu at the site of the new sewing center in Kabalagala village

  • Chairman Mike visiting the women owned businesses to see their progress

  • Volunteers from US, Ugandan board members and the women meet at their business station in Kikuba Mutwe

  • Volunteers from US, Ugandan board members and the women gather at their business station in Kabalagala

  • Brenda visiting one of the women owned businesses: mushroom growing in Kikuba Mutwe village

  • A women owned businesses, mushroom growing in Kikuba Mutwe village

  • Kimbugwe women development association, a group for microlending in Kibuli village

  • President Betty, Deb, Brenda and board member Nasser at the medical camp at Janan School, Kabalagala

  • Volunteers from the US, Ugandan board members, university students, Lillian and the microloan recipient group at Janan School

  • Melissa, Anna, Janet, Barbie and women from Bwesigwa Development Association

  • Melissa and some of our parents after meeting at Janan Sec School, Kabalagala

  • Brenda and Hajjati, one of the microloan recipients from Bwesigwa Development Association

  • Women happy to receive microloan

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