How the student’s new skills are inspiring communities

One of our goals at School for Life is for every child to leave school with an income-generating skill.

Over the past year, with the help of our partners Sawa World, we’ve trained 568 students in a range of skills from graphic design to modern farming. 

Last month, these students proudly showcased what they’ve learnt at our first-ever Exhibition Day. 

The event held at Mbazzi Riverside High School attracted support from across the community. Parents, teachers and School for Life staff welcomed a special guest, the Uganda Commissioner for Nursery and Primary Education. 

We were even featured on the news!

Students performed on stage, sold their products and showed others what is achievable with skills training. 

Skills training is a must-have 

After the success of our pilot with Sawa World, we saw the value of embedding skills training into the school curriculum. 

By providing hands-on training as well as book knowledge, every child can be empowered to lift themselves out of poverty.   

We identified a number of new skills to be taught across the three School for Life schools. Each skill would enable students to start generating their own income.

The program also focused on building critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. 

Students were eager to take part. Through a mix of weekly classes and holiday workshops, they began learning practical skills in bread baking, crafts, crocheting and more. 

The Exhibition Day was the perfect way to celebrate their dedication and hard work. 

“I used part of my holidays to make liquid soap, sell it to my village residents and acquire money of which I used to buy my books, pens and some for pocket money.”

The big day 

The students started the day full of energy, treating guests to colourful performances on stage.

And the enthusiasm continued as they showcased their entrepreneurial skills - with impressive results…

The students sold 98% of their products! 

Liquid soap and herbal jelly were particularly popular. And the passionate pupils selling shaggy mats made sure they were a huge success too. All the labels on the products were designed by the creative graphic design students. Shoppers commented on how high-quality the products were. 

The event proved to be a fantastic platform for students to present their talents. It took courage to put themselves in the spotlight. And they all shone.  

“Today we had a unique opportunity to witness first-hand the incredible skills and creativity of our students. Each exhibit displayed a story of hard work.” Janepher, Head of Programs

Inspiring others 

After such a successful day, the students are now confident that these skills will help them in the real world.

We’re so pleased to hear that many are sharing their training with their family. Some parents have started their own businesses to generate income for their households. 

By bringing people together for this event, the students showed the whole community what is achievable. 

Skills training is a stepping stone. It provides an opportunity for children and their families to develop new skills. A way to support themselves. And a chance to break the cycle of poverty.  

Our goal is to provide skills training to 1,300 children over the next three years. If you would like to support this vital initiative, please consider sponsoring a child. 

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.