Medisort Supports NECS — Helping Transform Lives in Nkuringo, Uganda
At Medisort, we believe in making a difference — not only through our work in recycling and sustainability, but through supporting communities around the world. That’s why our MD, Stuart Brittle, has for several years backed the work of Nkuringo Education and Community Support (NECS). NECS was founded in 2013 after a chance encounter with the community in South-West Uganda. What started as a simple question — “How can we help?” — quickly evolved into a growing volunteer-led charity dedicated to giving children and families in Nkuringo hope, opportunity and dignity.
Education — building brighter futures for children
One of NECS’s core missions is to provide children in Nkuringo with access to quality education. The charity supports two key schools:
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Nkuringo Foundation Nursery and Primary School: Since 2014 NECS has invested in refurbishing and expanding this school — building new classrooms and dormitories, kitchens (with energy-saving stoves), water tanks, toilets and shower blocks, teacher accommodation and a play/assembly area. Today, the school serves over 300 children, of whom around 70% are supported by sponsors from around the world. Sponsorship doesn’t just cover schooling — many children also receive boarding, uniforms, meals and stability.
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Nkuringo Community Vocational Secondary School: As the primary school thrived, NECS established this secondary school in 2017 so students could continue their education locally. Since then the school has expanded quickly — adding dormitories (for boys and girls), classroom blocks (including a building housing a library and science lab), a kitchen, a playing area, and even a wing for disabled students. Around 200 students are now enrolled, with ~75% sponsored. Students are taught by a dedicated team of teachers and support staff, and receive a broad education that blends academic and vocational skills — from science and languages to carpentry, sewing, agriculture and animal husbandry.
By providing children with education, boarding and a real chance at a better future, NECS is breaking cycles of poverty and giving hope to generations.
Empowering Women — creating stronger communities from the ground up
NECS understands that sustainable change requires more than educating children — it means empowering entire families. That’s why they launched Team Women — a project focused on uniting and supporting the women of Nkuringo. Many had never had access to education themselves; many raise children alone, work in fields, and struggle to make ends meet. NECS spoke with these women, listened, and created a space for them to come together under the motto “Stronger Together.”
Through sponsorship (£25 per woman per year) Team Women provides more than companionship — it funds craft projects (baskets, bags, handmade goods), and offers opportunities for education in literacy, skill training and income-generating activities. Already, 127 women across four groups are part of Team Women, many learning to read and write for the first time — often helped by secondary-school students who volunteer to mentor them.
Income-generating initiatives are also underway. Some groups now own pigs — livestock which can provide ongoing income and food security for their families. Over time, as the groups grow stronger and more self-reliant, the hope is that Team Women will be self-sustaining.
Community Resilience and Infrastructure — more than education
NECS doesn’t just focus on schools. They take a holistic, responsive approach to community needs — working with the people of Nkuringo to address urgent problems and long-term development.
During crises — like the COVID-19 lockdown — NECS provided money for seeds, tools and plants so families could grow their own food when businesses and trade shut down and government support was absent.
In response to housing damage from violent wet seasons and other disasters, NECS helped rebuild homes and offered extra support to affected families.
And recognising that community needs evolve as the schools and population grow — NECS has identified over 30 separate projects where help is needed, ranging from water infrastructure and sanitation to emergency support, community spaces, and more.
One of their most ambitious current plans is the building of a Community Hall — a purpose-built hub to give the community a gathering place. Located next to the existing guest-house used by visiting supporters, the hall will provide an indoor space for community groups (like Team Women or local HIV support), cultural events, school ceremonies, meetings, classes, and social gatherings. The proposed building is roughly 17 m by 10 m, and designed to meet local needs with flexibility — giving the people of Nkuringo a place to come together throughout the year. The project is costed and ready to go — what’s needed now is support.
Why Medisort Supports NECS — and How You Can Help
At Medisort, under the leadership of Stuart Brittle, we’ve seen firsthand the power of community and the impact that a small act of support can have. By backing NECS, we align with our own values of sustainability, social responsibility, and global citizenship.
Supporting NECS doesn’t just help individuals — it helps entire communities. It builds infrastructure, creates education and opportunity, empowers women, fosters hope and dignity. We’re proud to play a part.
How you — and our customers — can help too:
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Through donations — every pound goes directly to the community in Nkuringo (NECS is volunteer-run, so 100% of funds are used for aid).
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By sponsoring a child’s education or a woman through Team Women.
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By raising awareness — sharing NECS’s story, projects and vision in your networks.
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By volunteering on one of NECS’s “Go Uganda” trips: deliver aid, meet the community, and experience first-hand the impact of your help.
Hope, Purpose, Pride — Together with NECS
The story of Nkuringo is a story of resilience, ambition, hope and community — and of what can happen when people come together with empathy, understanding and action. Through education, community support, women’s empowerment and infrastructure, NECS is transforming lives in a remote corner of Uganda.
For Medisort, supporting NECS is more than charity — it’s a commitment to global community, to giving people a chance, to being part of a broader purpose. We invite our customers, partners, and website visitors to join us — to help ensure that the children of Nkuringo have the opportunity they deserve, that families have support, that communities have dignity.
If you’d like to donate, sponsor or find out more about how to help, visit NECS’s website at necs.org.uk.