Kyaninga Inclusive Model School

The sounds of children's laughter now fill the Kutumba region as Kyaninga Inclusive Model School (KIMs) officially opens with three of its planned six classrooms operational. What was once empty land is now a bustling learning space where children with and without disabilities learn, play and eat together.

The new facility currently serves 87 students across two inclusive nursery classes, two special support classes for children with mild to profound disabilities, and three inclusive Key Stage 1 and 2 classes. For many of these children, this marks their first time in a classroom – previously hidden at home, they're now part of a thriving school community.

"Many of these children have faced stigma and discrimination, as have their parents," explains the team. "Now parents are beginning to feel proud that their child is part of this new opportunity."

From Training to Bricks and Mortar

The school opening represents the next phase of KCDC's five-year journey. Since launching the 'Excellence and Inclusion' teacher training programme, the organization has worked with government schools across the region, gradually shifting attitudes and practices. Small but significant changes have emerged: teachers who once overlooked children with SEND are now actively enrolling them.

The new purpose-built facility takes this work still further. When the on-site training centre becomes operational, visiting headteachers and teachers will work directly alongside Ugandan staff and students, embedding their learning before returning to their own schools with confidence and practical skills.

Getting Children to School

A new school bus now helps solve one of Uganda's persistent challenges: transport. KCDC is removing barriers that once kept children with disabilities at home.

Early Signs of Success

Though it's early days, the impact is already visible. Spacious classrooms display thoughtful learning materials on every wall. Outside, the 'Magic Tree' area offers hands-on learning through mud kitchens, water play and building activities. Most telling are the 'buddy reading' sessions, where children with SEND read alongside their peers – a practice carried forward from previous settings and now flourishing in this expanded space.

Three Children, Three Transformations

Eight-year-old Samson has cerebral palsy. His parents couldn't find a school that would take him, so he sat at home. On his first day at KIMs, overwhelmed by this strange new world, he cried and tried to physically hurt himself. But by day two, he left school smiling, engaged in play alongside other children. 

Ahmed, age 6, had been turned away from his previous school - his autism and energy were "too difficult to manage." At KIMs, he sat and concentrated for 15 minutes, a milestone his parents thought impossible. 

Five-year-old Shaun, also autistic, couldn't sit still for more than moments. His mother warned teachers he climbs everything, never settles. Yet within days, he's spending 20 focused minutes building puzzles, his little hands working intently, completely absorbed. 

For Samson, Ahmed, and Shaun's families, hope has replaced resignation. For the teachers, these early victories fuel their commitment to reach every child who walks through the door. These 3 aren't isolated cases – they're proof that with the right environment and well trained teachers, every child can surprise us with what they're capable of - this is what inclusion looks like in action.

What's Next

The immediate focus is practical: teachers are developing a curriculum linked to the new environment – mapping skills, understanding change, developing social skills and making new friends. Special needs students will learn essential skills such as walking to a local kiosk to buy pineapples, returning to school to make juice in the cooking area, and developing both fine motor skills and life skills in the process. The extra space finally allows for group work alongside individual targeted support.

Looking Ahead

The long-term vision remains clear: KCDC as a recognized hub for inclusive teacher training, with KIMs demonstrating best practice that can be replicated across the whole of Uganda.

Your Impact

This milestone wouldn't exist without your support. The new school stands as proof that inclusion is not charity – it's justice. More children now have a space where they belong, where they can learn and grow alongside their peers. And more teachers have the opportunity to make the changes they know are right for their students.

Thank you for being part of this future.