"Oh, The Places You'll Go" - School for Life annual Gala Ball raises $2 million!

On Saturday 4th of May 2024, over 650 guests gathered at the White Bay Cruise Terminal in Rozelle for our annual Black Tie Gala Ball. This year’s Gala Ball was surely one to remember as School for Life marked a meaningful milestone, celebrating our first ever graduating cohort. 

Guests had a jovial, heartwarming night ahead of them as we reflected on the progress of the last 15 years, culminating in the graduation of our first ever cohort.

The event was opened by a performance from returning performer, Australia Idol star, Tarisai Vishe. Her powerful and uplifting performance of the ‘Pure Imagination’ from the classic film ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ captivated the audience and set the tone for the evening. A tone of hope, appreciation and reflection.

The goal: To raise $2 million to support the education of more vulnerable children across East Africa.

We are completely blown away by the amazing generosity of our guests who have shown incredible support. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

These funds will help us continue to provide quality education to over 3000 children in Uganda, as well as ensuring we can reach more vulnerable children in Last Mile Communities.

We promised a night to remember and we delivered!

Here are some of our favourite moments. Be sure to post your own and tag @SchoolforLifeFoundation so we can check out the amazing memories you had!

THE POWER OF EDUCATION

We were thrilled to welcome back Australia’s favourite comedy powerhouse, Hamish Blake, to retake the helm as MC for the night. His effortless charm and heartwarming humour won over the audience from the moment he took the stage.

“With the right knowledge, each child at School for Life embarks on their own journey of discovery. From the impoverished streets of Uganda, to the farthest corners of possibility, School for Life’s mission is to equip children with the tools they need to navigate life’s winding paths.” - Hamish Blake, Comedian and TV Host

This year we celebrated the graduation of our first ever cohort who have been with us since the beginning, honoured within our theme ‘Oh The Places They’ll Go’, inspired by the Dr. Seuss book by the similar name. 

We wanted to share this incredible milestone with all of the wonderful individuals who have helped us get here. This was also an amazing opportunity to reflect on all the progress of the last 15 years as we commemorate such a milestone. School for Life is proud to share this moment with all of our wonderful guests who attended on the night and helped us celebrate.

A moment like this is evidence of the power of education and the remarkable success of students, which is made possible by the access of education. 

The theme was brought to life by stunning decorations designed by The Bespoke Boys, who turned the space into a gorgeous wonderland of pastels and dreamy iconography.

Inspiring Stories

School for Life were pleased to share this celebration with our Head of Programs in Uganda Janepher Nansubuga, who brought her warmth and wisdom to the evening. Janepher highlighted the crucial importance of education, which she understands acutely due to her own story of struggle, perseverance, and a love for education. 

Her incredible passion for education no doubt inspired all the guests, mobilising them behind this critical cause. 

It was then time for School for Life’s CEO and co-founder, Annabelle Chauncy OAM, to take the stage.

In her powerful and emotional speech, she reflected on the past 15 years, highlighting the milestones as well as the struggles, whilst reiterating the importance of access to education for all children.

It is this critical importance that has inspired Annabelle to look to the future as School for Life enters its next phase and endeavours to reach even more under-privileged children in need of education. 

Supporting education

As the night moved to the live pledge, the room began to buzz with energy! Hamish took charge raising $250,000 in just 20 minutes!

Next up was this highly anticipated Live Auction! We welcomed back James Chauncy and Nick Johnson as our Auctioneers and bidding began on the first prize of the night - A Luxury Stay a Saffire Freycinet in Tasmania for two.

Other items up for grabs included a 5 night stay at Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, a 4-night all-inclusive stay at Mt Mulligan for two, and a corporate advertising package donated by JDCecaux, Southern Cross Austereo, ARN, QMS, Channel 7, oOh!Media, and Channel 9 valued at over $200,000!
Guests were also encouraged to sponsor a scholarship to help a student access education. For just $56/month for a primary aged student, or $108/month for a senior student, guests could support a student’s dream of receiving a quality education!

But who could forget our two exciting raffles of the night!

Matthew Ely, donor of the exquisite 18ct White Gold and Emerald-cut Morganite Ring valued at $19,800, announced the winner of our chic Ring Raffle!

Stephen Burcher then assumed the stage to present the raffle winner for the illustrious Quantum Superyacht experience, valued at $25,000.

Ringing out the night

Of course, no night would be complete without a jaunt on the dance floor! 

Furnace and the Fundamentals once again took to the stage to ring out the night, inviting guests to leave their seats and take their spot on the dance floor!

Special thanks to our sponsors

The night would not have been possible without the support of our partners and  sponsors. Thank you in particular to our platinum partners Pacific Road and JCDecaux, our diamond partner Hayes Knight, our gold partners URM, The Boleyn Foundation, Alseasons Hospitality, Couloir Capital, Pickles Auctions and Bloomfield Financial as well as our VIP partner ProForce.

A huge thank you also to Archie Rose, Brightworks Media, Matthew Ely, Soneva, Star Dj Hire, Pommery Champagne, Laissez-Faire, Brick Lane, Vault House Group, Jeffries Printing, Leogate Estate, Coca-Cola and The Bespoke Boys.

We’re also deeply grateful for our incredible team of volunteers, as well as our wonderful Event Committee who worked tirelessly to make this event a success. Without your dedication and support, the Ball would not have been possible.

And lastly, we would like to thank our wonderful guests. Thank you for being part of the School for Life community and for donating so generously to support our missions.

You have helped ensure that the places our students will go will be bright and promising.

To view the photos from the evening click here.

We can’t wait to make more memories with you at next year’s Gala Ball. Fill in the form below to be the first one to hear about our Gala Ball in 2025.

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.