There was excitement and celebration at Nabumali Boarding Primary School in Mbale on Thursday, 23 October 2025, as Equity Bank Uganda officially handed over the school’s first-ever bus.
The event began with a flag-off ceremony at Equity Bank’s Mbale Branch before the bus made its way to the school, where guests were welcomed with lively performances of poetry and dance by pupils. Among the dignitaries in attendance were Mbale District Education Officer Paddy Khaukha, Area Mayor Moses Kutoi, and Reverend Eridad Milton Shissa, the Diocesan Secretary of Mbale Diocese.
The bus was acquired through Equity Bank’s Asset Financing facility, a programme that enables schools, businesses, and individuals to obtain essential assets without paying the full amount upfront.
According to Ronald Sam Nakhasanga, the bank’s Regional Manager for Eastern Uganda, Nabumali Boarding Primary paid 20% of the total cost, while Equity Bank covered 80%, to be repaid over nine school terms (three years).
Nakhasanga said the initiative demonstrates the bank’s commitment to empowering education and improving community livelihoods.
For years, the school has struggled with transport challenges, affecting participation in academic functions and mobility for staff. Headteacher Beatrice Katami Wachaya said the new bus will transform both the school and the surrounding community.
“This bus is not just for the school but for the entire community. It will ease transport for learners and staff and help us serve better. As educators, we aim to make a difference beyond the classroom, and this is one of those ways,” she said.
Founded in 1975 by missionaries, Nabumali Boarding Primary School is among the oldest in the Bugisu sub-region. It is jointly managed by the Church of Uganda and the government and remains the only boarding Universal Primary Education (UPE) school in the area.
