Keep her in school

Children need more than school materials to succeed. They also need parents and caregivers who listen to them, understand their experiences, and provide guidance when challenges arise. For girls especially, open communication with parents can be important when addressing menstruation, stigma, school attendance, relationships, safety, health, and other issues that may affect their education.

F SSIBU Mission Foundation seeks to expand parent–child engagement activities across communities in Eastern Uganda. These activities can create safe opportunities for parents, children, teachers, and community leaders to discuss barriers affecting children's wellbeing and education.

Donor support can help facilitate community dialogues, parent meetings, guided conversations, awareness sessions, and follow-up engagement with families. The aim is to strengthen communication within households so children feel able to share concerns before challenges become crises.

When parents better understand what their children are experiencing, they can respond with greater support and help identify practical solutions. For girls facing menstrual poverty, stigma, pressure to leave school, or other difficulties, supportive communication can be particularly important.

This initiative also encourages parents to become active partners in keeping children in school rather than responding only after a child has already dropped out.

By investing in parent–child engagement, donors can help strengthen the protective environment surrounding vulnerable children. Every meaningful conversation can create greater understanding, trust, and encouragement.

Together, we can help families become stronger partners in ensuring that children—especially girls—are heard, supported, protected, and given the opportunity to continue their education.

Health challenges can interfere with a child's ability to attend school, concentrate in class, and participate fully in everyday learning. In vulnerable communities across Eastern Uganda, children may experience conditions such as jigger infestations and other untreated health problems that can cause pain, discomfort, stigma, absenteeism, and prolonged interruption of education.

F SSIBU Mission Foundation seeks to expand community health camps that bring basic health awareness, screening, referrals, and appropriate support closer to children and families who may face barriers accessing health services. Children identified with conditions requiring professional medical attention can be referred to appropriate health facilities and services.

Donor support can help us organize more outreach activities, mobilize communities, provide health education, support basic supplies where appropriate, and strengthen referral pathways for children requiring further care.

Our goal is to identify health challenges earlier and help families respond before preventable conditions become additional barriers to a child's education. Health camps can also provide opportunities to educate parents and caregivers about hygiene, prevention, timely treatment, nutrition, and child wellbeing.

Expanding this work can help us reach children in communities where poverty and limited access to services intersect with educational challenges.

For an 11-year-old child experiencing a painful health condition, timely attention can mean more than improved wellbeing—it can create a pathway back to regular school participation.

Donors can help us bring health support closer to children and protect their opportunity to learn, grow, and remain connected to education.