What We Achieved in 2025

How the lives of the children have changed since the founding of Slum Network for Education e.V. and what your support has already made possible.

Your Support Makes a Difference

Since the association Slum Network for Education e.V. was founded, we have been able to inspire many people with our project and the idea behind it. We received support in the form of one-time donations as well as regular contributions, which help us cover part of the children’s living and education costs of the orphanage.

Ibra and Babirye

In addition, we provided catering at events and donated all proceeds to the project. Some families also donated children’s clothing, which we sent in packages to Kampala.

Thanks to all this support, we were already able to significantly improve the children’s lives in the very first year.

Education

One of our first and most important goals was to ensure that all children in the orphanage could attend school or begin vocational training. Education is the key to a self-determined future. It lays the foundation for building a career and an independent life.

Rediscovering the Joy of Learning

Today, all 13 school-aged children have been attending school regularly for at least one year. Many of them had previously dropped out or had never attended school consistently. This makes it even more moving to see how much they value this opportunity today.

They look forward to going to school every day and feel sad when they are unable to attend. They enjoy being with their friends and are eager to learn. Even on weekends, they take every opportunity to continue learning, i.g. attending voluntary computer classes or extra tutoring sessions. They are especially proud of their school uniforms, a visible sign of belonging.

Our children at school

The children’s development has been remarkable. The school principal told us:

“At the beginning, the children were unstructured, often didn’t have clean clothes, and didn’t know how to behave in a school environment. Today, they come to school neat and tidy, they have friends, they laugh, and they are eager to learn. You can no longer distinguish them from the other students.”

Daphine’s Dream

One particularly inspiring example is Daphine (15). She dreamed of returning to school and one day going to university. However, she had to leave school in the second grade to work at the market. Due to her age, she was initially advised to pursue vocational training instead.

After learning about her dream, we discussed the situation and decided together to give her the opportunity to return to primary school. During the holidays, she received additional tutoring and was enrolled in 5th grade in the second term of 2025.

Daphine (center) in her school uniform

As she has a lot of material to catch up on, she receives all the support she needs to successfully transition to secondary school after 7th grade. That would be a huge achievement.

Vocational Training for the Teenagers

As none of the 12 teenagers from the orphanage have a formal school qualification, it was initially very difficult – almost impossible – to find apprenticeship opportunities.

Thanks to Salim’s great commitment, a solution was eventually found: all of them can now learn practical professions with private trainers, according to their individual interests.

During their training: Babirye in catering, Shakira as a baker, Ibra in electrical engineering, and Musa as an auto mechanic

In October 2025, they all began their training. After completing their practical training, they have the opportunity to take an external exam and obtain a state-recognized qualification.

According to the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, 50.9% of young people aged 15–24 in Uganda are not in employment, education, or training. In the slums of Kampala, this percentage is even higher.

Learning practical skills therefore gives our teenagers a real chance for a secure future.

Daily Life

Before we started supporting the orphanage, every day was a struggle for survival. The staff tried to find money somehow to provide for the children, but there was a lack of everything.

Often, the goal was simply to earn a few shillings to cook at least one small meal.

Sometimes there was only a handful of rice and on some days, there wasn’t even enough for that. The 25 children had to share a few old mattresses, and the available blankets were worn out and torn.

Our children and teenagers in daily life

Concrete Improvements in Daily Life

Since our support began, many things have changed:

• Food is now purchased regularly with a fixed budget, allowing two meals per day. Initially, only basic food was available, but now the diet includes fruits, vegetables, and occasionally meat or fish.

• Word has spread in the neighborhood that food is available at the orphanage, so sometimes additional hungry children are fed as well.

• We sent clothing in different sizes; any missing items were purchased locally.

• School uniforms and materials were provided.

• Gradually, mattresses and new blankets were purchased for all children.

• In December 2025, all children and staff received mosquito nets to reduce the risk of malaria.

• In January 2026, the trainees received safety shoes and durable work clothing.

• Rent for the orphanage rooms is now paid regularly through donations, eliminating the constant fear of eviction.
  

Medical Care

The situation has also improved significantly in terms of health:

• Illnesses such as malaria, typhoid, and dysentery can now be treated, whereas before, medical care was often not possible.

• A girl with a congenital eye condition received professional treatment for the first time and is now on medication that has already improved her condition.

• A girl living with HIV now receives continuous treatment, which greatly improves her daily life.

• The orphanage is regularly supplied with hygiene products.

Medical treatment

The Beginning of a Shared Journey

With the limited resources available to us in 2025, we have already been able to achieve a great deal.

Salim wrote to us:

“Since your visit to Bwaise, a new chapter has begun for the children. The struggles of yesterday are being replaced by hope, joy, and a sense of belonging. Seeing the children enjoy a meal and smile shows how far-reaching your support is. We no longer have to worry about basic needs every day and can focus on developing the children’s potential. You have shown them that they matter, that they are loved, and that their lives have value.”

Our shared journey has only just begun, and there is still much to be done. But already, we can see the impact our support is having on the lives of the children and their caregivers.

At the same time, we are learning so much ourselves through the exchange with the people on the ground. These encounters are changing our perspective on life and on what truly matters.