Zachary Stewart said he feels like a celebrity when he arrives in Uganda — but instead of being surrounded by paparazzi, he is greeted by hundreds of orphaned children.Stewart, biology sophomore, and Jonathan Brothers, political science sophomore, want to make a difference in the lives of the children of Uganda through their organization Uganda Education Project.After visiting Nansana community primary school — a school for children orphaned by AIDS located a few miles outside of Uganda’s capital — during the summer of 2008, Stewart knew he had to do something. Stewart started the nonprofit organization, UEP, last summer so he could provide aid to the Nansana school and orphanage — which provides about 400 children with an education and about 75 with a home. The mission of the organization “is to provide funds, materials and human assistance to the education, care and maintenance of the orphans and vulnerable children of Uganda,” according to the group’s Web site. The UEP will maintain the lowest administrative fees — as opposed to the $1,000 fee Stewart paid when he first traveled to Nansana — so a majority of the money will be allocated to the needs of the Nansana school and orphanage, Stewart said.The UEP raised about $6,000 dollars, Stewart said, but he would like to raise much more.Once Stewart realized he could receive large amounts of money from donors, he said he wanted to get a nonprofit status so donors could write off donations on their taxes. The UEP’s nonprofit status is currently pending with the IRS, he said.Brothers said he thought about starting a nonprofit organization to aid in humanitarian work. He met Stewart through a mutual friend and became involved in the UEP’s cause.Stewart and Brothers said their next step was to reach out to students at the University and encourage them to donate their time to help UEP’s cause.The UEP became an official University organization two weeks ago, Brothers said.Brothers said the organization’s ultimate goal is to set up a base in Nansana where students could volunteer at the school by building new facilities and teaching the children basic English, math and science.Stewart said he is currently trying to set up a study abroad program, in which University students can receive course credit from Makerere University, located in the capital of Uganda and volunteer at the Nansana school and orphanage.Stewart said he would like to raise at least $10,000 more, as well as send 15 volunteers to Nansana during summer of 2010.—-Contact Kristen M’lissa Rowlett at [email protected]