EMPOWER AND EDUCATE VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN UGANDA

GABA HOPE FOR KIDS
Empowering Vulnerable Children and Mothers in Wakiso District, Uganda

IMPACT REPORT
Theme: The Choice Between Food and School

1. INTRODUCTION
GABA HOPE FOR KIDS is located in Kisigula Village, Wakiso District. Our mission is to ensure vulnerable children stay in school and to empower their mothers and guardians with sustainable livelihoods.

In our community, many families face a painful daily decision, the choice between food and school. This report shares that reality and how we are helping families so they never have to choose.

2. THE PAINFUL CHOICE

A. Food Comes First, School Comes Last
Many mothers and grandmothers earn less than enough for one meal a day. When money is little, food is bought first and school needs like books, pens, bags, uniform and fees are left out. Children are kept home to work in gardens or to look for food.

B. Hunger in Class
Even when children go to school, many go without breakfast and without lunch. Hungry children cannot concentrate, they fall asleep in class, lose learning time and eventually drop out.

C. Girls Affected Most
When families must choose, girls are often the first to stay home. They miss school to cook, fetch water, care for siblings and work in gardens. Girls also miss more days due to lack of sanitary pads, making the choice even harder.

D. The Long Term Cost
When a family chooses food over school today, a child's future is sacrificed tomorrow. Without education, poverty continues from one generation to the next.

3. HOW WE ARE BREAKING THIS CHOICE

A. Keeping Children in School
- Providing scholastic materials including books, pens, bags and uniforms so parents do not have to choose.
- Supporting vulnerable children to return to school and stay in class every day.
- Conducting school visits to protect learning time.

B. Putting Food on the Table
- Training mothers in climate smart farming and kitchen gardening for more food at home.
- Providing seeds for vegetables and nutritious crops to improve family meals.
- Training in liquid soap making and tailoring with start-up kits for income to buy food and school needs.

C. Protecting Girls Learning
- Providing menstrual health education and reusable sanitary pads so girls stay in school without interruption.
- Replacing shame with knowledge and dignity.

4. IMPACT STORY - MEET FAITH
Faith is a young girl in primary school who lives with her grandmother. Her grandmother had to choose daily between buying food and buying books for Faith. Many days Faith missed school.

Through our supporters, Faith received books and reusable pads, and her grandmother received farming training and vegetable seeds. Now the family has food from the garden and Faith is in school every day.

Faith says: Now I eat before school and I have books. I want to become a teacher.

Her family no longer has to choose between food and school.

5. CHALLENGES
- Many more families still face the painful choice between food and school.
- Rising costs of food, school materials and farm inputs.
- Small land and unpredictable weather affecting garden yields.
- Need for more training and support for mothers and grandmothers.

6. PLAN FOR NEXT
- Provide more scholastic materials so no child is sent home for lack of books.
- Expand farming and kitchen garden training to more families.
- Provide more seeds and start-up kits for mothers.
- Continue menstrual health education to keep girls in class.

7. APPRECIATION
We sincerely thank all our donors on GlobalGiving, friends, volunteers and local leaders in Kisigula who help families so they never have to choose between food and school. Your support brings both food and learning to the same home.

8. CONCLUSION
No family should have to choose between food and school. A child needs both to grow and to learn. With your continued support, we can ensure every child has food at home and books in school.

The Choice Between Food and School

GABA HOPE FOR KIDS
Kisigula, Wakiso District, Uganda