Urgent Appeal: Help Us Provide Safe Sanitation for 120 Girls at Dokolo Girls Secondary School

Can you help us find funding for an urgent sanitation project at Dokolo Girls Secondary School in northern Uganda. Currently, 120 girls aged between 11 and 18 are sharing just two toilet cubicles. These toilets are now full, unsanitary, and no longer adequate for the student who live and learn at the school. What should be a basic necessity has become a daily challenge affecting the girls' dignity, safety, and ability to learn.

The Dokolo girls’ school is situated in the central region of Uganda; a district where women’s rights are not commonly upheld. It is an area with a troubled legacy; where, 30 years ago, the Lord’s Resistance Army were at large. They kidnapped and abused classes of girls. The school’s headmistress was one such survivor.  In this area only 1:10 girls attend secondary school and many drop out because of financial and social barriers.

Educated girls and women change society. Providing a safe place to learn has been a major development objective of organisations like UNESCO, UNICEF and the World Bank for decades. See Unicef website https://www.unicef.org/education/girls-education

Dokolo Girls Secondary School was established to challenge that legacy and create opportunities for young women to continue their education. Under the leadership of its dedicated headteacher, Grace Acio, the school has become a place where girls can build confidence, develop skills, and aspire to a brighter future. A great example of how they are ‘bucking the trend’ is the performance of their girls football team, who win competitions at regional level. 

See this video https://youtu.be/yRBE1Tl7qo8?si=qZ-tV8UG8sVU9jFb

The school plans to build a new latrine block containing five toilet cubicles and a septic tank that can be emptied when required. The project will provide a safe, hygienic, and sustainable solution for years to come.  The total cost is £5,500. Thanks to generous supporters, £1,500 has already been raised, leaving £4,000 still needed.  Do you know anyone who may be interested in supporting us? 

Every donation, fundraising event, sponsorship opportunity, or introduction to a potential donor can help us reach this goal. Together, we can ensure that 120 young women have access to safe sanitation facilities and the opportunity to continue their education with dignity and pride.

Please email hugs.chair@gmail.com or donate below.

A place for children with disabilities

A Place Where Children with Disabilities Belong

We have an exciting new project for 2026. We are going to build a new school, for children with disabilities.  We are partnering with Father John Kyazze, who may of you will know as one of the founder members of HUGS. 

The new residential special needs school, named St Giles and St Gonzaga School, will open its doors in January 2028. This school will provide a safe, loving home and education for up to 120 primary-aged children with disabilities—children who would otherwise have little or no access to schooling. 

For these children, education is not simply about reading and writing. It is about dignity and independence. Many of the children we will welcome have lost their hearing due to birth injuries, infections such as measles, or treatments for serious illnesses like malaria. Others are blind from birth or have lost their sight due to cataracts. Some live with learning disabilities that have excluded them from traditional schools. Without specialised support, these children would be left behind, forever marginalised—not because they lack potential, but because they lack opportunity.

This new school will change that.

Children will receive tailored teaching, compassionate care, and the encouragement they need to grow in confidence and ability. They will form friendships, discover their talents, and begin to build meaningful futures.

Importantly, this project builds on proven success. HUGS has already established two special needs schools in Uganda, St Francis de Sales and Good Shepherd School. With years of experience, dedicated staff, and a deep understanding of what works, we are confident that this new school will become another centre of excellence.

The name itself carries special meaning. St Giles, long associated with care for people with disabilities, and St Gonzaga, a beloved Ugandan saint, represent compassion, protection, and the belief that every person has value. Together, they symbolise our mission: to ensure that no child is forgotten.

We are in the final stage of fundraising and need to raise £30,000 more to complete the project. Every contribution—large or small—is welcome.  If any of our HUGS supporters would like to help us raise money or can identify where we should ask, please contact us.  If you are able to contribute, please visit www.helpingugandaschools.org to donate, or contact our chairman Richard at hugs.chair@gmail.com.