Visitors to share story of Uganda’s Vashon School
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Meet the leaders of the Uganda’s Vashon Primary School: Henry Tumwebaze and Judith Abenawe will visit the the island over Strawberry Festival weekend and share the story of their innovative school at 7 p.m. Monday, July 21, at the Land Trust Building.
That evening, islanders Jim Diers and Sarah Driggs will also show photos from their visit to the school last year.
It has been 14 years since Henry visited Vashon while he was training at the University of Washington for his AIDS outreach work in Uganda.
At the home of Linda Barnes and Ed Swan, he shared his passion for making education accessible to children who couldn’t afford it. They encouraged him to follow his dream, and in 2014, he opened a primary school on the outskirts of Kampala. He was so enamored with his experience on Vashon that he named the school after it.
Vashon Primary School now serves over 300 children ages 3-15. Unlike most other schools in Uganda, it is open to families of all religions and incomes. Tuition is based on a sliding scale, and poor families can barter to have their children enrolled. The school is government-certified and its students score high on their tests, with most going on to the next level of education.
Henry’s wife, Judith, serves as the school’s principal and uses her social work background to engage deeply with all the students and their families. The couple’s modest home is located on the school grounds.
After Ed Swan, who authored “Birds of Vashon,” died suddenly of a heart attack in 2022, the Bird Alliance established a memorial fund. The proceeds raised were used to help purchase a bus that transports students to and from the school.
In addition to enjoying life on Vashon once again, Henry and Judith will be exploring possible partnerships. They will meet with teachers from Chautauqua Elementary School, who are interested in establishing a sister schools’ relationship, and also address the members of Vashon Rotary.
To find out more and discuss other ideas for partnerships, contact jimdiers@comcast.net.
