Our Boys' Boarding School is Here!

With the School for Life girls’ boarding school opening early last year, it was only fitting that with the help of our ever-so-generous donors, we set out to build a boarding school to support the young men of the communities School for Life operates within.

Providing the young men and women of rural Uganda with an equal opportunity at a bright future, free of any barriers to what they can achieve, is a dream shared by both School for Life and the families it empowers. 

Today, School for Life is pleased to announce that this dream is now a reality, with our boys’ boarding school officially in operation to provide a safe, supportive environment for learning to over 300 students. 

Read on to meet just a handful of SFL’s young men who have seized the chance to excel in their studies in our new boys’ boarding facility – a chance to create a bright future for themselves that is all thanks to you. 

MEET JOEL

“Joel Kiyimba is my name, I am 18 years old in Senior Four at Riverside High School Mbazzi and I live at Bulenga. 

School means the source of wisdom, skills and entertainment to me because since I started on my academic journey, every day I improve in life skills. 

When I grow up, I would like to be an engineer and that is the reason I put hard work into my science subjects. 

I feel very happy to be in a boarding school where I get much time for revision than what I had when I was still a day scholar. Here in boarding, I am always amazed that I can consult teachers who are available all the time. 

The fully stocked library is always open for research work and discussions with my fellows since we stay together. 

I hope to get the best education from School for Life here.”

MEET JAKANA

“My name is Innocent Jakana. I am a Senior Two student aged fourteen years old and I live in Nakuwadde. 

School has a professional team that are always in tandem and genuinely serve us. I am indebted to the high level of determination and whole heartedness exhibited by the team. 

We also get friends, leaders and helpers who give us a moral boost and acquaint us with new experiences. I believe if we utilise the opportunities we have in the school environment, we will become better. 

We do a number of subjects at school and my favourite out of all these is biology. I may not be perfect in it, but I am optimistic about the future since I am passionate about the subject. Practice makes perfect. 

When I finish my studies successfully, I want to be a skilled and qualified surgeon. 

The boarding section has helped us be given adequate time for revision as this is part and parcel of what we need to achieve.”

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for providing us with the funds needed to create School for Life’s wonderful boarding schools for our male and female students. 

Your assistance ensures 600 high school students from rural Uganda can access the quality education they want to help them achieve their dreams.

Keep an eye out for more stories from our incredible boarding school students as they enjoy their new environment and the endless opportunities now at their fingertips. 

Success Stories
Goretti

Sweet and shy Goretti lives with her aunt, uncle and cousins in a small house in the local village. When Goretti was younger, she moved in with her aunt and uncle because her parents could no longer look after her. She was one of our first students at Katuuso Primary, starting in 2011 when she was just 4 years old. Now, Goretti is in Senior One at Mbazzi High School, and is relishing the honour of being a high school student in her community - something that is taken for granted in Australia, but in Uganda, represents freedom and opportunity. Goretti also loves attending School for Life because she hopes to one day become a pilot in Uganda - a dream which she knows can only be reached with the help of a good education.

Violah

Violah has been at School for Life since since she was six years old. Sadly, Violah has experienced hardship no child should ever deal with. Her Dad passed away three years ago, leaving her Mum without the financial means to support her family - so she left Violah and her siblings with their elderly grandmother. Every day, Violah has to wake up at 5am to fetch water, cook meals and make sure that her younger sisters are properly looked after. Then she walks half an hour to get to school. Despite this adversity, Violah has flourished at school and has made many friends. She loves that School for Life is "helping me to build a future". After finishing school, Violah hopes to become a teacher to help other children.

Umar

Umar is one of our best performing students at Mbazzi Riverside High School - but life has not always been easy for Umar. His father abandoned the family in 2015, leaving his mother to struggle to support her five children on her own. School for Life has provided Umar with opportunities that may never else have eventuated for him. Umar begun his journey with School for Life at Katuuso Primary School, where his academic ability was quickly revealed. Now, he is a thriving member of our Senior 1 class and a formidable wing on the football team. With a love for mathematics, Umar is set on studying electronic engineering after finishing his senior studies - a goal which he is the first to admit is now within reach thanks to the skills and resources provided to him by School for Life.

Rose Nambooze

Rose is a 32‐year‐old single mother of one. She started working with SFL in 2013, after taking part in our tailoring training program. Prior to working with us, she was unemployed and living in her father's home helping to care for her father, who had cataracts, and his farm.
Thanks to her full time employment, Rose was able to save enough money to pay for an eye operation and restore her father's sight, allowing him to return to work as a mechanic. Now, Rose has moved into her own home and no longer relies on her father financially. 

Joseph

Joseph is one of our Special Needs teachers at Katuuso. After surviving a severe case of malaria at age four, he was left permanently deaf. He was raised by his single mother and attended a nursery school for the handicapped and later transferred to a school for the Deaf in Kampala. He eventually mastered sign language and pursued a university degree in education. Joseph decided to become a teacher so that he could give the gift of education to others who are hearing impaired.

Teddy Namatovu

Teddy is a participant in the Kumi Tailoring Program and four of her five children attend Katuuso Primary School. She and her husband farm two acres of land, which supplies fluctuating revenue. Participation in the Kumi Tailoring Project has secured income to reliably pay for school fees, nutritious meals and renovations to the family home. Teddy has gained a great deal of self-esteem from her ability to support her family and she takes pride in independently financing the education of all five children. Teddy has also been working on her numeracy and administration skills. She was appointed Treasurer of the tailoring group and will be responsible for keeping records of their savings.

Flaviah Nassaazi

Flaviah Nassaazi started working at Katuuso Primary and Vocational School in 2011. Prior to cooking at the school, she and her husband were subsistence farmers. They worked tirelessly for small yields and minimal income to support their family. Flaviah's cooking job not only enables her to pay school fees for her children, but she has also invested in a local barbershop business. She is now passing her cooking skills onto her eldest son Frank, who has also joined the school's cooking staff. Flaviah and her husband attend the adult literacy classes offered weekly at the school. Her English and reading have improved immensely, as well as her confidence.

Rachel

In 2010, Rachel began as a cleaner at Katuuso Primary and Vocational School. She was working to save money to study to be a teacher at University. Thanks to Barrie and Simone Goldsmith, her dream of studying came true and she is now fully qualified.