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Full descriptions of the six conditions we support (plus a differentiated HIV/AIDS focus) and the five programme pillars behind our care model — evidence sourced from WHO Uganda, the Lancet, and national studies.
Uganda registers approximately 3,000 new child and adolescent cancer cases every year. Only 30% of diagnosed children reach a treatment centre, and five-year survival remains below 30% yet there is almost no community-level psychosocial or livelihood support for families during or after treatment.
Uganda has the fifth-highest sickle cell burden in Africa, with 15,000–20,000 children born with SCD each year and an estimated 80% not reaching their fifth birthday. Over 80 clinics exist nationally, but community-level psychosocial support is largely absent, and stigma remains widespread.
Epilepsy is the leading neurological disorder among Ugandan children, with the highest burden in children under five. Nearly 70% of cases go unrecognised, only 21.2% receive antiepileptic medication, and stigma including attribution to sorcery drives school exclusion and severe caregiver burden.
Over 54% of diabetes cases across Africa go undiagnosed, and children often present only once critically ill. Fewer than 30% of children in sub-Saharan Africa have reliable insulin access, and daily monitoring is a catastrophic financial burden for low-income families with no community support system.
Paediatric chronic kidney disease is rising but remains largely invisible - diagnosis is typically late, dialysis capacity in Uganda is minimal, and out-of-pocket costs are catastrophic. Virtually no community-level support currently exists for affected families.
Children with congenital heart disease in Uganda face a lifetime of repeated referrals with minimal surgical access, and many live with unrepaired defects that limit daily life. Rural families in particular face enormous transport costs and caregiver burden, with no specialist community guidance available.
Our five strategic pillars
Reaching more children and families with deeper, integrated support: structured psychosocial support pathways, family needs assessments for every new intake, condition-specific caregiver support groups, play therapy for children in active treatment, and a school reintegration pathway for children post-treatment.
Rebuilding the economic foundation that illness destroys: Village Savings & Loan Associations (VSLAs) for caregiver groups, low-capital income-generating activity models, financial literacy training, and a small emergency relief fund for families in acute financial crisis.
Expanding reach and changing the systems that fail families: a formal partnership with the Uganda Cancer Institute, referral agreements with the Mulago Sickle Cell Clinic and national condition associations, trained community health worker referral networks, and engagement with the Ministry of Health on national chronic-disease guidelines.
Building the institutional capacity to deliver at scale with accountability: a fully constituted Board of Directors, five institutional manuals implemented to operational standard, a functional monitoring & evaluation system, and progress toward Keeping Children Safe safeguarding certification.
Building a diverse, sustainable funding base: corporate and CSR grants, embassy and international foundation funding, individual and community giving, and over time earned income, so that no single donor ever exceeds 40% of total income.
