Supporting vulnerable children in Uganda's slums

She took a moment to think and then smiled at me shyly and said “girl”.

I was sat in the small Kids Club Kampala office in Katanga slum with Rebecca*. Rebecca is 10 years old and has been attending Kids Club Kampala activities since she was 7. She is one of over 100 children who attend various Kids Club Kampala activities in Katanga daily.

She first heard about Kids Club Kampala through a friend. She started coming and then she told her sister about it as well. Both Rebecca and her older sister, Beth, said the education project at Kids Club Kampala has helped them to learn maths, science and English, possibly even more powerful though is Ruth’s comment that “Kids Club Kampala taught me to learn”. While both girls officially attend school, at the moment they do not have school fees and so they are really benefiting from the support and teaching provided by Kids Club Kampala.

These girls live at home with a brother and their parents. Their parents are both working hard trying to earn a living so that they can pay for their children's education, but in Kampala that is difficult. Life can be a struggle for their family, but the food and education provided by Kids Club Kampala has really helped them along the way.

The Staff at Kids Club Kampala Katanga say that they have really noticed a change in Ruth over the last 3 years. They said “When she first started with us, she was not respectful, she would use bad words, but now she speaks well and looks out for the younger children”.

This is just one story of how we are making an impact and changing the lives of the children and young people growing up in Katanga slum. Each child we meet here has their own story to tell.

*Names have been changed.