About BSUF

“Vision without action is merely a dream, action without vision is merely passing time, but action with vision can change the world.” - Nelson Mandela

Our Vision:

To empower and improve the welfare and well being of village communities in Uganda, to enable the villagers (children and adults) to better educated, more aware of health issues, economically self-sufficient and to enjoy a better standard of living.

Our Mission:

To provide welfare, educational, vocational and spiritual support, as well as infrastructure programs to enhance the health and wellbeing of the village communities in Uganda:

• To support needy children, often orphaned through HIV/AIDS, via a sponsorship program to provide school fees, scholastic materials and other essential requirements.
• To provide adult literacy programs to the community and to train the women in new income-generating activities.
• To provide the youth with skills through vocational training.
• To implement a health educational program for the youth and young girls in the community (Young people’s centre).
• To provide improved amenities - community centre, water supplies, proper sanitation and power (solar) supply

BSUF has a UK based committee for executive decision making, fundraising and networking and Uganda based committee for implementing decisions and administering the charity on the ground and day-to-day activities.

UK Trustees

John Faith MRICS: BSUF Chairman

John is the Chairman and founding shareholder of the Kitewood Group, a UK property development and investment company operating in the areas of commercial development, private housing, affordable housing, healthcare and strategic land. The organisation operates from the City of London, Kent and Wiltshire.

Previously, John was founder and senior partner in a multi-disciplinary professional practice in architecture, town planning, building surveying, valuation, and project management, the constituent parts of which continue to operate successfully 30 years after their creation.

John is Chairman of Children of Uganda (UK) as well as the UK Chairman of BSUF. His involvement in Uganda and Kenya began 10 years ago with educational sponsorship of children.

In 2007, he founded Kitewood Uganda in Kampala. Kitewood Uganda's purpose is to create business opportunity in Uganda, and help people achieve independence by acquiring the skills needed to become self sustaining, breaking the cycle of dependence on aid from NGOs. In addition to delivering opportunity to Ugandans, its objectives include contribution of future profits toward funding of Children of Uganda and BSUF programmes.

An avid fly fisherman, his fishing has taken him to some of the most beautiful places in the world, from the Caribbean to Canada, Russia and across Europe. He is committed to helping others less fortunate than himself.

Jon Exton MBA: BSUF Treasurer

Jon has worked in corporate finance and banking for over 25 years. He spent many years in Canada, starting in the hotel industry and subsequently becoming an international corporate banker.

After returning to the UK, Jon worked for 12 years in multinational banking for two international banks.

For the past few years Jon has worked independently as a Financial Consultant. He provides advice on corporate finance and fund raising for private companies and charities and specializes in film and media, property financing and venture capital.

Jon is FSA registered, a member of the Securities & Investment Institute and The Worshipful Company of International Banks. He is actively involved in charity work and is a Trustee on 3 charities, whose work covers the UK, Uganda and China. He is also a member of the Microfinance Club UK.

Ugandan Trustees

Annette Mbedha: BSUF Founder & Director

Since I was a young girl, I have always been a dreamer… and I mean BIG dreams. I am very fortunate to come from a middle class family in Uganda which enabled me to benefit from a good standard of living and good education system.

However, from an early age, I identified myself with the village, Butansi, which was our country “home”. My Father used to supply the villagers with sugar, soap, paraffin – and at Christmas time precious gifts of beef or pork. My Mother would give us food to take to people who had nothing to eat and our home was an ‘open house’ for meals for everyone in the village.

I came to England to further my education, but being away from Uganda somehow made me more determined to do something for my homeland that’s living in poverty and with HIV/AIDS. On the 4th of August 2005 I decided to sponsor two orphans from my village with the help of my Brother based in Kampala, and so here was the beginning of the realisation of my BIG DREAM.

My late Father had a very big influence on my life and I decided to carry on his good works. So I started The Byemba Suubira Uganda Foundation (BSUF), as a tribute to my parents and a commitment to carry on the work that they started. “I have a lot in common with the people of Butansi village in that I come from that village and I speak the same language. However, I have had great opportunities in my life, which they have not had.”

But now… the dreams have got bigger and we want to do much more for my village and Uganda. As well as helping the orphans, there is a real need to assist the young people in terms of skills and health awareness and to also help the women learn new skills, so that they can be more self sufficient. There is a need for a clinic to operate in the village, so that the sick do not have to walk 6 miles to the nearest hospital. We dream of a community centre with power and water, which will be the base for fulfilling the dream of giving the whole village a better standard of education and self sufficiency, a better standard of health care and a better standard of living.

We seek to make Butansi a working village model, which can then be rolled out to other villages in the region and the whole of Uganda.

We need support (be it financial or benefit in kind) to help fulfil this dream and for the villagers to have a chance to fulfil theirs.

Mary Tooli: Chairman

Is a retired teacher who oversees BSUF activities in the village.

Jethro Mukembo: Vice Chairman

Is a priest at St. Marys church in Butansi village.

Florence Namusisi: Secretary

Is a former grade 2 primary teacher.

Ambrose Katuntu: Treasurer

Ambrose has a (BA) honours Degree in Social Science from Makerere University and a post graduate diploma in human resource management from the Uganda Management Institute.

He manages the day-to-day activities of the Foundation in Uganda, which includes paying the children’s fees while monitoring their progress at school, organises the adult literacy classes and works with the BSUF Uganda committee members in the village.