About Us - We Are All Volunteers, and Work Simply From LOVE ♥♥♥

DIRECTORS

Mpagi Edward Edmary, Co-Founder of the Dream Nursery and Primary School. Edward is well known as "The Nelson Mandela of Uganda" for his life story and incredible capacity for forgiveness. His dream the entire time he was held on death row nearly 20 years for a crime he did not commit was to build a school for AIDS orphans and children of prisoners in his community. Seeing his dream become a reality is a constant joy. Although Edward suffered a stroke several years ago which somewhat limits his walking, he still does speaking engagements around the world against the death penalty, including at the United Nations, and is the head of the Ugandans Against the Death Penalty organization. To learn more about Edward, please click HERE. ♥♥♥

Ronald Katongole, Uganda Manager of the Dream Nursery and Primary School. Ron is quite simply, amazing. He oversees all construction on site, coordinates the volunteer Dreambuiilders and gets all the needed materials, manages all funds for the project, hires the volunteer teachers, gets all the food each week for the children and staff, creates events for our children, manages our sponsorship program in Uganda, takes all the photos we use for our website and Facebook pages, emails regularly with Kathy, coordinates all visitor needs, and travels with Edward to support his speaking engagements. He has a kind and gentle demeanor, and the children adore him. Ron is a gift, and we are endlessly grateful to him. ♥♥♥

Juliet Nabakooza, Uganda Assistant Manager of the Dream Nursery and Primary School Sponsorship Program. Juliet grew up in an orphanage because she lost her parents at an early age, and had a very difficult life. Yet Juliet stayed in school, got an education, and is happy to now help the disadvantaged children at our school. Juliet helps manage our sponsorship program in Uganda, and is a direct liason between sponsors and their children. We are all so grateful to her. ♥♥♥

Mary Treder, U.S. Director and Sponsorship Director of the Dream Nursery and Primary School. Mary became a sponsor in 2015 and is proud to say that her "adopted" daughter graduated from Dream Nursery and Primary School, and is continuing her post-primary education with Mary's support. As the mother of five grown children and grandmother of five, and with a long career in project management, process improvement, and data analysis, she loves sharing her talents and experience to support, strengthen, and grow our school. "No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else." ♥♥♥

Rae H. George, Chief Financial Officer. Rae has been helping the school in various capacities since its inception. His love for our children, our organic gardens named after him that help feed our children, the school, and all aspects of running the school is deep and profound. Rae is a compassionate vegan, the business manager for Banyan Tree Sanctuary in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, has been a massage therapist for over 30 years, is an expert organic gardener, has an incredible zest for life, and personally sponsors several of our children. Rae is also a musician, (percussionist), and singer/songwriter. His motto is simple: Love everyone, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. ♥♥♥

Kathy Ozzard Chism, Co-Founder and Former U.S. Director for Dream Nursery and Primary School. Given the Haupert Humanitarian Award in 2014 for her volunteer work throughout the U.S. and around the world, Kathy was tireless since 2008 in seeing Edward's dream come to fruition. Kathy did most of our fundraising, marketing, social media work, website construction, overseeing of our sponsorship program, communication with Ron, and design and planning of the school site. She has personally sponsored six of our children. A holistic wellness educator, author, and former 4th grade teacher, Kathy is committed to love, health, peace, and opportunity for all. For more about starting the school with Edward and Ron, please click HERE. For more about Kathy, please click HERE. She retired in December of 2022. We thank Kathy for her fearlessness in starting a school 6,000 miles away with a complete stranger, for her hard work through 14 years, and for her vision. None of this could have happened without her. ♥♥♥