By Hope Tayebwa | Program Officer
Surviving cancer is a very big chapter for many of the children SHiNE Child Program supports. In Uganda, an estimated 1,500–3,000 new childhood cancer cases are recorded every year, yet only about 30% of children ever reach a treatment centre, and survival rates remain just 20–30%, compared to over 80% in wealthier countries. A cancer diagnosis in childhood often means years of missed schooling, mounting family debt, and, for some, a visible disability that makes returning to ordinary life feel impossible.
Recognizing this challange, PCAU through SHiNE Child Program partnered with the Paediatric Cancer Unit at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital to identify survivors who had completed treatment but faced financial barriers to further education or a livelihood, and to support them into vocational training aligned with their own interests and ambitions. Each survivor has with a very different story but the same determination to build an independent future.
Isaaya's Journey of Hope
Isaaya is an 17yearold from Ntungamo District, is a survivor of Ewing sarcoma and an amputee. More than three years after completing cancer treatment, Isaaya continues to thrive with an excellent longterm prognosis. His dream was to pursue a career in shoemaking, but financial barriers stood in the way.
In February, through SHiNE Child’s support, Isaaya enrolled at Ruti Rehabilitation Centre School in Nyamitanga, Mbarara. While the training was governmentsponsored, it required essential tools, materials, and startup capital. SHiNE stepped in to provide these resources, ensuring Isaaya could fully participate.
After five months of training, Isaaya successfully graduated and received his official Certificate of Training from Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. He has now been equipped with everything he needs to establish his own shoemaking workshop, a powerful step toward independence, dignity, and a brighter future.
“Going back to school has given me hope again. I want to work hard and encourage other children not to give up.” Isaaya says
Why This Matters
Isaaya’s story reflects SHiNE Child’s holistic approach: survival is not the end, but the beginning of a new journey. By investing in vocational training, SHiNE ensures that young survivors can overcome the setbacks of illness and disability, reclaim their education, and build sustainable livelihoods.
This initiative demonstrates how donor support transforms lives from treatment access to longterm empowerment. Isaaya’s shoemaking workshop will not only sustain him but also inspire other children facing cancer to believe in brighter futures.
Looking Ahead
With continued donor support, SHiNE Child plans to expand vocational opportunities for more survivors, strengthen rehabilitation services, and scale its reach beyond the current five districts. Each success story, like Isaaya’s, is proof that modest, steady support can turn cancer survival for children into opportunity.
Our gratitude go to our friends, partners, and stakeholders for all the support rendered to the SHiNE Child Program. Your contributions have helped children to access quality of life and their families the resilience to bravery face their treatment and survival journeys . Thank you!
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