How school development and community support are creating lasting impact
Across the projects SNI supports, progress often comes step by step — not through big announcements, but through practical improvements that make daily life more stable for children and communities.
In many parts of Uganda and Zambia, access to stable education and basic infrastructure remains a challenge. Through ongoing support, we are helping schools and communities strengthen their daily environment — creating better conditions for children to learn, grow, and stay in school.
This progress is clearly visible in the continued development of the Upendo School on Ssese Island, Uganda.
Upendo School, Ssese Island: Expanding Education Where It’s Needed
The Upendo School on Ssese Island has grown steadily over the past years. What began as a response to urgent needs — including rebuilding after multiple fires, a hurricane. Continually improving sanitation, and creating access to education — is now a school that children actively want to attend.
Originally, the school offered classes up to Primary 3, with plans for older students to transition into government schools. However, many children desired to be allowed to stay.
As one local partner shared:
“We asked their parents to take them to a government school, but they wouldn’t leave… they kept asking us to take them back.”
In response, a new classroom was built, allowing the school to expand to Primary 4 — ensuring that children can continue their education in a familiar and supportive environment.
Improving School Infrastructure and Daily Conditions
To support the growing number of students, several important improvements were made:
- Installation of a stone cooking stove, enabling the preparation of daily meals for hundreds of children
- Upgrading the schoolyard with stone covering, reducing mud during the rainy season
- Construction of new benches and tables, improving classroom conditions
- Installation of a rainwater harvesting system, providing water for sanitation facilities
These improvements strengthen not only the learning environment, but also the health, safety, and daily stability of the children.
Zambia: Enabling Education Through Mobility
In Lusaka, Zambia, SNI supported the purchase of a new vehicle for the Brilliant Kids School — a practical but essential step in strengthening the school’s ability to operate effectively.
For the school, this vehicle is not a luxury — it is a tool that enables the work to continue.
It allows the team to manage school operations more efficiently.
In environments where infrastructure can be limited, mobility plays a key role in ensuring that children can access education consistently.
Supporting Education Through Practical Solutions
Across both Uganda and Zambia, the focus remains the same: supporting education through practical, real-world improvements.
Whether it is a classroom, a meal, or a means of transport, these are the elements that allow children to attend school consistently and build a future.
What connects these efforts is a shared approach:
listening, adapting, and responding to what is actually needed.
These are practical changes — but they carry real meaning for the children and communities involved.