The Blessed Margarita Foundation (BMF) is a registered Community-Based Organization (CBO) based in Mbarara, Uganda. We are dedicated to acting at the grassroots level to transform lives, especially those of individuals and communities in urgent need of support.
Inspired by the lifelong humanitarian legacy of Mrs. Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, the Blessed Margarita Foundation (BMF) is a community-based organisation (CBO) rooted in love, equity, and compassion. BMF aims to provide a holistic response to the multidimensional challenges faced by underprivileged communities in western Uganda, without prejudice to race, gender, religion or ethnicity.
Poverty, health disparities, and educational inequality continue to define the lives of many people in southwestern Uganda, particularly among vulnerable groups such as women, children, cancer patients, orphans, and smallholder farmers. Despite efforts from government and development actors, thousands of families still face enormous hardships in meeting their basic needs, healthcare, education, mental wellness, and sustainable livelihoods. Cancer, especially among women and children, remains largely under-supported. Mental health issues in children, often stigmatized or overlooked, go untreated. Orphaned children lack opportunities to dream beyond their present circumstances, and rural farmers struggle with outdated practices and minimal support.
BMF's flagship initiative, the Blessed Margarita Outreach, serves as a multi-sector empowerment program addressing urgent needs in cancer care, mental health, agricultural self-sufficiency, vocational empowerment, and STEM innovation for orphaned children. It seeks not just to alleviate suffering, but to ignite dignity, hope, and purpose in the lives of those often forgotten.
01
To support cancer care for underprivileged individuals, especially women and children, by providing access to early diagnosis, treatment, palliative care, and emotional support through community outreach programs, STEM, Innovations and partnerships.
02
To promote mental health awareness and support with a special focus on children facing mental health challenges, by integrating STEM, Innovations, psychosocial support, counselling services, and advocacy into schools and communities.
03
To empower smallholder farmers and rural families by facilitating access to agricultural training, ICT tools, sustainable farming techniques, improved inputs, and market access to enhance food security and economic independence.
04
To equip orphans and vulnerable children and youth with vocational and life skills by establishing training programs that provide hands-on learning in innovations, entrepreneurship, and digital skills for self-employment and resilience
05
To inspire and nurture STEM and innovation among the youth and underserved children by creating maker spaces, mentorship programs, and innovation hubs that foster creativity, scientific curiosity, and a belief in their potential to change the world.
06
To promote climate resilience and environmental stewardship among vulnerable communities, especially women, youth, and smallholder farmers, through awareness campaigns, climate-smart agriculture, reforestation initiatives, clean energy solutions.
Sensitization Campaigns
We believe that lasting change begins with awareness. Through creative, inclusive, and multilingual sensitization efforts, we aim to break myths, reduce stigma, and educate communities.
Training & Capacity Building
We equip individuals and communities especially the underprivileged with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive
Scaling of Digital Tools
We leverage low-cost, inclusive, and context-appropriate technologies to solve local challenges facing those in rural areas.
Humanitarian Funds
We recognize that emergency needs can quickly derail progress. Our humanitarian fund supports the most vulnerable with transport for treatment, school fees, urgent medical bills.
Humanitarian Donations
Sometimes, dignity begins with a blanket, a meal, or a bar of soap. We provide essential donations such as food, clothing, hygiene items, and school materials to individuals and institutions in crisis.
Innovation Ecosystems Building
We create inclusive spaces both physical and digital for innovation to flourish beyond formal education systems.
Psychosocial and Emotional Support
Mental health is a foundation for well-being. We provide counseling, emotional first aid, peer support platforms, and resources to help children and caregivers deal with trauma, grief, and chronic illness.
Vocational and Skills Development
We prepare youth and orphans especially those with disabilities for the real world through hands-on vocational training, soft skills development, and digital literacy.
Access to Assistive and Medical Equipment
Children with disabilities deserve the tools to learn, move, and express themselves. We provide assistive devices, learning aids, medical supplies, and accessibility improvements.
