Founding of Slum Network for Education

From Initial Sponsorships to the Vision of Our Own School: How Individual Steps Became a Collective Project...

Back in Germany, but mentally in Uganda

When I returned to Germany, the images of the children from Bwaise never left me. I could not, and still cannot, magine how children can grow up and develop in such an environment. When, for whatever reason, they are forced to live there entirely on their own, they stand no chance.

As promised, Salim and I remained in regular contact. I asked him countless questions to gain a deeper understanding of the children's lives there. It became clear to me that I could make the greatest impact by sending children to school. This allows them to spend many hours a day in a protected environment where they can play, but also learn for their future lives. Additionally, they are guaranteed at least one reliable meal a day.

The first children head to school

Initially, I was able to enable 8 of the 12 school-aged children to attend classes. My hope was that, over time, supporters would be found for the remaining four. The schoolchildren were overjoyed at the opportunity and began learning with great enthusiasm and a thirst for knowledge.

Shortly before the start of the next term, I was preoccupied with how the four children who were not allowed to go to school were doing. Salim wrote to me, explaining how difficult it was for them to watch their friends head off with such eagerness to learn:

"When they see their friends going to school, they often cry and want to go along. They even get up early, get dressed, and try to head to school, which shows how much they long to be there. We have to stop them and reassure them that we are working hard to find sponsors for them too."

These images were constantly in my mind's eye. I found them so unbearable that, one day before the start of the first term in 2025, I transferred the funds for the remaining children as well. It was a beautiful thought knowing they could all finally set off together.

Salim's dream of our own school

In the following months, Salim and I exchanged messages more and more intensively until, on February 14, 2025, he sent me a message that changed everything:

"Hi! I wanted to share my dreams with you. One of my biggest aspirations is to build a school in Bwaise district, where more children can access education. Additionally, I envision a big garden where we can grow food for the children, teaching them valuable skills. I would love to hear your thoughts"

This message was a game changer for me. Salim's dream spoke to my soul. So often while writing to him, I felt that I wasn't making enough of an impact, that my help was merely patching small holes without truly improving the situation sustainably.

Our children at school

Building a school for children who would otherwise have no chance in life is a massive project, and exactly the challenge I want to dedicate myself to in the future. To achieve this, we needed to found a registered non-profit organization and find sponsors. Initially, these sponsors would help run the orphanage in a way that provides the children and young people currently living there with a real foundation for a self-determined life.

With the help of this association, we would also be able to build a proper school center with living quarters for orphans and teachers, as well as a covered multi-purpose hall where the children can stay, play, and learn even during the long rains of the wet season. Additionally, we envision a fruit and vegetable garden that the children tend themselves, with the harvest providing a healthy contribution to their daily diet. In the afternoons and evenings, the classrooms could host literacy courses for older teenagers and young adults, offering them better opportunities for development. So much is possible, and it offers many people a genuine chance.

The first step: Founding partner associations in Uganda and Germany

I immediately promised Salim my support. Together, we founded an association in each of our respective countries with the same name to demonstrate our unity. With great support from my family, particularly my son, Jannis, as well as friends, the association Slum Network for Education e.V. was founded in Germany.

After a long bureaucratic marathon, "Slum Network for Education e.V." was entered into the association register of the Hamburg District Court on April 28, 2025. On May 12, 2025, the Hamburg North tax office confirmed our non-profit status, authorizing us to issue donation receipts. By June, we were finally able to begin inspiring potential sponsors for our project.

Simultaneously, Salim registered the NGO "Slum Network for Education Limited" in Kampala and opened the necessary accounts. This serves as the foundation for the development of our joint project.

Salim in front of the Office of Slum Network for Education Uganda