A new chapter begins: celebrating School for Life’s first graduates

History in the making at School for Life

This year marks a powerful milestone for School for Life as our first-ever S6 class receives their Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) results. For the first time, our students have crossed the finish line of secondary education – and the results speak volumes.

Of the 48 graduates, 68.8% have qualified for admission to universities, surpassing the national average. This achievement reflects the hard work, resilience, and dedication of our students and of the School for Life community who have supported them every step of the way.

Ritah Nalubega: Leading the way

Among the graduates is Ritah Nalubega, who emerged as an equal top-performing graduate in the class, earning an impressive 17 points! This score allows her the opportunity to apply for one of the most competitive degree programs.

Ritah's journey with School for Life began back in 2019 when she started High School.

“Joining SFL was a turning point in my life. It wasn’t just about education, it was about being part of a family that encouraged me to dream bigger, work harder, and believe in myself. At SFL, I found more than just a school, I found a community of supportive teachers, friends, and mentors who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself”.

Now at 19 years old, she is not only a proud graduate but also a symbol of what can be achieved with the right support. Her academic success is a testament to years of focus, effort, and the strength of her family, particularly her mother, whose sacrifices made Ritah's education possible. Ritah is now looking ahead to a future in education, with the aim of inspiring and uplifting the next generation.

"Thank you, School for Life, for everything you've done. You didn't just give me an education – you gave me hope, a purpose, and the belief that I can achieve anything. This is just the beginning and I can't wait to see what's to come."

A promising future

This first graduating class marks the beginning of a new era for School for Life. Their success is more than academic - it signals the opening of doors, the breaking of barriers, and the promise of a better future.

As these graduates prepare for their next steps, many face a lengthy waiting period before they can start university. This is where the newly created Tertiary Pathways Program plays a critical role, keeping the graduates engaged and committed while they await the commencement of their tertiary studies.

The graduates are currently completing a 6-month volunteer Community Based Teaching Assistant Fellowship. In this program, the graduates have been trained to become teaching assistants, supporting teachers and helping younger students in local primary schools to improve their literacy and numeracy learning outcomes. This not only keeps them engaged but also strengthens their leadership, teamwork, communication and critical thinking  skills, essential for their future studies and careers.

For more insights into this vital initiative and to read more stories of transformation, visit our blog here. Together, we can keep building a brighter future for every student.

To all our supporters: thank you for believing in the potential of our students. Ritah's story, and the success of this groundbreaking class, proves what is possible when we come together to invest in education.

This is just the beginning. Let’s continue to build a better future…one student at a time.

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.