Child Protection Uganda Project #26217

Supporting vulnerable children in Uganda's slums

by Kids Club Kampala

Supporting vulnerable children in Uganda's slums

Project Report | Aug 2, 2024
Projects Update: Summer 2024

By Andy Brown | Fundraising Manager

Educating - A Warm Welcome To Our New Sponsors!

Our School Sponsorship project has seen some really encouraging growth over the last quarter - thanks to our wonderful Child Sponsors! We have had 8 new children join the project, which means we now have 171 children enrolled! Each of these children now has the opportunity to access a good quality education, as well as the hope for a bright future.

Our Encouraging Education project has also been going brilliantly. This quarter, we identified 4 new children who were in need of early education and that we thought were capable and would benefit from joining part way through the year, instead of waiting until the next academic year.

However, we do not just provide essential education at our centres. Like the rest of our projects, our Encouraging Education project provides holistic support to those that benefit from it - leading to greater and longer lasting change. The grandmother of one of the girls on the project had this to say about her granddaughter's experience:

‘My granddaughter is given a healthy meal every day, I can barely afford a decent meal for all my grandchildren. She is always happy as I pick her from the centre and always tells me stories from her class including which meal Aunt Lillian [the cook at the Katanga centre] prepared for them that day.’

All three of the Early Education Centres were also supplied with new learning materials, study resources and food supplies. Two of the centres have also been installed with wall fans, as there has been a heatwave in Uganda recently, with temperatures reaching up to 33°C! A teacher training session was also held for all of our Early Education teachers this quarter, to help ensure that the children continue to get the best possible education.

Protecting - Wide Reaching Impact

Our Protecting projects are located across 10 different slum communities in Kampala. Thanks to the hard work of our staff and many volunteers, we are able to impact the lives of so many vulnerable children and young adults.

858 children regularly attended our weekly Saturday Kids Clubs
84 girls counselling sessions held with teenage girls, with 564 sanitary towels distributed
59 boys regularly attended our Football Project, with KCK FC playing 13 friendly matches and entering a tournament at Kampala International University

Skilling - Working Hard and Changing Lives

As usual, our skilling centres have been a hive of activity and learning. Below are some of the highlights of the quarter:

12 students have been undergoing carpentry training - 9 of the students attended a mentoring session with a local police officer where they received guidance and talked together about making positive behavioural choices
47 students are enrolled on the 14th tailoring and knitting cohort - 30 of the students attended a mentoring session with the project head focused on self-esteem and confidence building
The tailoring students are able to market the garments they make during training outside of the skilling centre and sell to members of the local community

*Phionah, is one of our current students who has been able to sell some of the dresses she has made on the course: ‘When I joined in May, I had zero experience in tailoring or operating a machine. But I am grateful for the dedicated guidance and support by my teacher. I have made tremendous progress in just two and a half months. I am now confident in my ability to make a dress, shirt or skirt from scratch, entirely on my own. What is more, I have already successfully sold three dresses to my neighbours, confirming my newfound skills. I am deeply grateful to KCK for empowering me with this valuable skill, which has opened up new opportunities for me.’ (*Name changed)

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May 15, 2024
Projects Update: Spring 2024

By Andy Brown | Individual Giving Manager

Educating - New Beginnings

In Uganda, term times run a little bit differently compared to here in the UK. Children take their exams towards the end of the calendar year, so have their longer break over the Christmas and New Year period. This means that children went back to school in February, some into new classes and others into new schools! 36 children who sat their Primary Leaving Examinations or O Levels received their results, and on the whole, they did really well. One child did so brilliantly in their Primary Leaving Examinations that they were featured in national newspapers! All 163 children on the School Sponsorship Project received learning materials, such as stationary, before going back to school.

At the start of the year we had a little boy called Oliver* enrol onto the project. He really enjoys going to school and is grateful for the two hot meals that he now receives at school each day. His grandmother had this to say: 'How would my grandchild have accessed a good education without your help? He would not be able to go to school, I barely feed them all. My heart is full, and my hope is renewed, you have given us hope.’ (*name changed)

We also had 3 successful graduations! Poppy* was one of those students who graduated from the project. After completing her O-Levels, Poppy went to technical college to pursue a certificate in Computer Science. As part of her course she did an internship. After completing her course and receiving her certificate, the company that she was doing her internship with decided to keep her on as a paid member of staff! This has allowed Poppy to become independent and take care of her own basic needs. ‘Kids Club Kampala has seen me through my education since primary level until graduation with a certificate in Computer Science. I have received guidance and attention every step of the way. I hope I can extend the same kindness someday.’ (*name changed)

Things have also been busy at our Encouraging Education centres. 34 children finished their early years education with us and 21 new children have been enrolled so far this year. We also supplied each of the three centres with new learning materials and study resources at the beginning of the year.

Protecting - Supporting Local Communities

Once again we reached many vulnerable children and teenagers this quarter. We have been busy in all of the communities that we operate in, doing the best we can to offer protection, guidance, support and joy to those we care for.

861 children attended our weekly Saturday Kids Clubs
64 girls counselling sessions took place
430 sanitary towels were distributed to girls and young women
64 boys regularly attended the football project across the Namuwongo and Naguru sites
We gave counselling and support to 2 different families to help them resolve issues and reunite

Skilling - Cause For Celebration!

Our 13th cohort of students recently graduated from the Tailoring and Knitting Project, with 40 students graduating in total. We held a graduation ceremony at our Hope Centre to celebrate the occasion which was attended by the students, their family members, local leaders and a local official. We also used this event to give the graduates sewing machines. All 40 of the students also received business training from three local successful tailors, to teach them how to generate income from their new skill and qualification.

With the 13th cohort graduating, it was time for some new students to enrol. As ever, demand for the Tailoring and Knitting Project was high, and 52 students enrolled to make up the 14th cohort.

Once again, it is easy to get lost in the numbers and forget the life changing impact behind each one of these statistics. We recently heard from Juliet* - a past student - about how she has got on since graduating: ‘My business started in September 2023 after graduating in tailoring at Kids Club Kampala. It started small where I was making little products which were mostly bought by my close friends and relatives. It was from the friends and relatives that my customer base increased. As of now, I am known and supported by at least a good number of people. From my business I can make around 200,000ugshs a month. I am glad that from this business I have made friends, I am able to pay my rent and I can take care of my children and their basic needs single handedly.’ (*name changed)

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Jan 29, 2024
Projects Update: 2023 Highlights

By Andy Brown | Individual Giving Manager

I hope that the following update, reflecting on our key highlights from 2023, is able to inspire you and provide further encouragement that your kind support continues to make such a life changing difference.

Feeding - Promoting Independence

As many of you will know, during COVID-19 we introduced food banks to help people survive at what was a very difficult time. These were only ever intended as a temporary measure; however, the cost of living crisis soon followed which meant our food banks remained an essential service. Last year the economy finally began to stabilise in Uganda, which allowed us to safely scale back our food bank support. We began the year providing support only to those in greatest need and have continued to gradually scale this back to promote independence - a key recommendation from our 2022 Independent Evaluation.

In 2023, we provided a total of 20,400 meals to 204 families!

Educating - Hopeful Futures

It has been another great year for our Educating Programme. As part of our School Sponsorship Project 170 children have been able to access an education. We have seen 14 new children enrol, who had either never been to school before or were on the verge of dropping out. We also had 12 students successfully graduate, leaving with new skills, qualifications, and hope for the future.

When Dorothy* enrolled on the School Sponsorship Project in 2013, she was on the verge of having to drop out of school as her parents were struggling to pay for her school fees. Thankfully, we found sponsors for Dorothy* and enrolled her onto the project. She has since gained a full set of O Levels and graduated from technical college with a Certificate in Hairdressing. She has found work at a salon and is able to live independently and take care of her needs. Her life has been completely transformed! (*Name changed) .

The Encouraging Education Project has also had another brilliant year. We've been running classes Monday - Friday for out of school children aged between 3-6 years old, providing them with the chance to learn in a safe environment with other young children. Last year we had 96 children regularly attending our classes, which also include a hot, nutritious meal to ensure there are no barriers to attendance.

Protecting - Serving Our Communities

We reached many vulnerable children and young adults across various communities in Kampala over the last year. Our Football Project was a particular success with 64 attendees coming twice a week to training and enjoying great results in their respective league and cup competitions, with the under 12 Naguru team winning the league! The football project not only keeps vulnerable boys and teenagers off the streets, but gives them a safe space to make like-minded friends.

Here are some of the other highlights from our Protecting Projects in 2023:

805 children regularly attended Saturday Kids Clubs
40 volunteer Safeguarding Officers were recruited
726 girls attended support group sessions
8,310 period products were provided for teenage girls

Skilling - Hope Restored and Dreams Come True

2023 was a very exciting year for our Skilling Programme. We had 20 students graduate from our Carpentry Project with 7 students already enrolled on the next intake. We have also seen 152 students training on our Tailoring and Knitting Project, with 64 having graduated so far. On top of this our new skilling centre opened last Autumn which will enable us to provide free tailoring courses to twice as many women. We're very excited to run the Hope Centre for it's first full year in 2024!

‘I am so grateful for the opportunity of being part of this wonderful project. I joined the project in October. I have always desired to be a tailor but wherever I went, I could be asked for a lot of money which I could not afford. When I relocated to Naguru, someone was walking through the community advertising the KCK skilling project and inviting those who wanted to join. I registered myself and I am grateful that my dream has come true. I can make a perfect shirt, skirt and baby dress and I am still learning more. I thank KCK for the opportunity.’

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