For every child sponsored, financial literacy training is provided to the caretaker, which
then leads to the development of a business plan before start-up capital is provided to start
a business. This a sustainability strategy VSVCW embraces for the vulnerable households.
"You may never understand the pain of being stopped from sitting your end of year promotional
exams due to lack of school fees. Before being identified and considered for support, my life was
miserable. 10-year-old Mutesi Precious narrates with a sad tone in her voice. She is a
resident of Kiwani village in Namutumba district. Mutesi is the second of seven children
born to Mr and Mrs Wokhali. Her parents Eunice and Sam Whokali support the family
with a humble income earned from selling vegetables once a week during the market days
within the community.
" The money we made from selling vegetables could not feed and pay school fees among other
basic services for our children, we could hardly afford to support them as required and that was
worrying at all times," Mutesi’s parents explain. "Due to lack of school fees, I was denied
promotional exams to primary three, when the next academic year started, my parents took me to
a different school to study primary three but I lost count of the number of times I was sent home
due to lack of fees, in the middle of interesting topics, the bursar would walk in class and call my
name, thereafter I would be asked to go and collect the school fees or comeback with my parents.
After two months, I refused to go to school and told Mummy that I would only go if my fees were
fully paid. " Mutesi continued.
"At one point our daughter refused to go back to school and as a parent, that was so
heartbreaking. When we had of Vision Save’s initiative to support children in the community we
reached out to the local leadership and registered after answering a series of question. Today
our daughter is happier and studying without interruption of being sent home due to unpaid
school fees, they did not only sponsor our child but, UGX200,000 was provided to my wife as
startup income to start a small business to support the rest of the children." Sam shares this
with a smile on his face. This region has the second-highest poverty rate in Uganda with
38% of children in the Eastern part of Uganda living under the poverty line. Poverty
affects every facet of a family and child’s life, as Mutesi further explains: "We had only one
meal a day and school fees, clothing as well scholastic materials could hardly be accesses.
Vision Save for Vulnerable Children and Women provides me and ten of my other colleagues at
school with scholastic materials, clothes among other things.” Vision Save for Vulnerable
Children and Women is committed to fighting the causes of poverty.
“Among the issues affecting the community was a lack of practical skills and sensitization on
how to develop themselves.” Narrates Resty Vision Save for Vulnerable Children and
Women Education Officer in Busiki and Bukono Counties. “When Vision Save for
Vulnerable Children and Women identifies and screens a vulnerable child, this child is
sponsored up to the completion of their education. We partner with the community and
empower them to champion their own transformation. As we work with the government,
we implement programmes in Education, Resilience & Livelihoods, Health, and Child
Protection. In this way, we promote sustainable transformation.
The monitoring visit results showed a tremendous change in this household, they are able
to afford two meals per day and the children have access to clothing and scholastic
materials. The small business that Eunice operates brings a weekly profit of UGX 15,000 to
25,000.
Three-year-old Mutesi gained more interest in her studies. “I now love school and my best
subjects are science and mathematics,” she says, smiling. Regina now has the courage to dream
about her future. “I want to be a doctor in the future, so that I can treat my community,” she
reveals. “I am a leader at school,” she adds.