Through the Chilli Children Project, Kitazigurukwa Special Needs Unit, Rukungiri, Uganda, has received funding of £2,700 for three teacher’s salaries for the 2024 academic year. The grant ensures that children with special needs receive the care and education they deserve.
Kitazigurukwa Special Needs Unit serves children with various developmental challenges, including hearing impairments. The grant provided by Hazel’s Footprints Trust has enabled the school to provide consistent teaching, allowing the students to thrive.
- Special Needs Class: Princess Atuheirwe and Sarah Koshaba co-teach 19 children with developmental disabilities, offering individualized attention and care.
- Deaf Class: David Busingye teaches 12 deaf children, adapting the mainstream Ugandan syllabus to their abilities from Primary 1 (Year 1) to Primary 4 (Year 4).
Key Highlights of 2024 and Looking Toward 2025
The children continue to grow, and the teaching staff is nurturing and dedicated. This year has seen key developments, with exciting plans for 2025.
Vocational Training: Preparing for the Future
In early 2024, a review by Project Manager Grace and Physiotherapist Flavia identified a need for vocational skills training. Alongside their academic education, practical skills will help the children lead more independent lives and contribute to Uganda’s economy.
A pilot project teaching the children to make doormats was a success. Plans are now underway to introduce a range of vocational activities in 2025, including gardening, bakery, basketry, and tailoring. Teacher Sarah, who led the doormat project, shared, “The children were very excited and motivated to learn a new skill, and they were so proud of the doormats they produced.”
Physiotherapy Support
Children with physical challenges have begun attending monthly physiotherapy sessions at the Rehab Centre, accompanied by their teachers. The teachers have incorporated these exercises into daily routines at school, helping improve the children’s mobility and health.
Food and Gardening Initiatives
This year, staff and children planted vegetables such as spinach, improving the students’ diets while teaching them gardening skills. Additionally, special social times featuring milk tea, eggs, bananas, and buns—rare treats in Uganda—bring extra joy to the children.
Repair and Renovation Work
Thanks to additional funding, essential repairs have been made at the school, including fixing leaking roofs, repairing windows, and constructing a new dining room floor. The kitchen has also been restored, improving safety and the overall environment for the children.
Looking Forward to 2025
As we approach 2025, Chilli Children’s Trust is excited to expand vocational training to all children at the Unit, providing valuable life skills that will prepare them for the future. Grant funding from Hazel’s Footprints Trust sustains these essential programs and helps children with special needs grow into valued members of society.