Plan International donates saving kits to keep Kamuli children in school

Kamuli, Uganda: Efforts to keep children in school have received a major boost after Plan International Uganda handed over saving kits worth Shs20 million to Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLAs) formed under its Rising Project.

The kits, delivered today at Pine Hurst Hotel in Kamuli Municipality, are intended to strengthen community savings groups that are helping parents, especially fathers, raise school fees and keep learners in school.

According to Mr Kipanda Michael, Head of Capacity Building at Plan International Kamuli, the initiative grew out of BABA clubs, male-only school-based groups created to support boys who had dropped out to return to school and to encourage both boys and girls to stay in school.

“These clubs are encouraging young children to stay at school. They are also pushing parents, especially fathers, to provide basic needs and school fees. That is why they formed VSLAs as a source of school fees, and we have supported them with saving materials,” Kipanda said.

The saving kits include saving boxes, books, calculators, passbooks and official stamps to help the groups keep accurate records and grow their savings culture.

Mr Maganda Ahmed, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for the Rising Project, said the intervention is part of a broader effort to ensure vulnerable children remain in school as the project enters its final phase.

“We have managed to bring back more than 18,000 children to school. Our focus now is to keep them there, and that is why we are giving out these saving materials,” Maganda said.

He urged BABA club leaders to use the items responsibly and sustain the gains even after the project officially ends on 31st December 2025. “We need continuity. The project is ending this year, but you must ensure these materials are used responsibly so that our efforts are not lost,” he added.