KATANGA KIDS
Sending 100 kids to school in Kampala, Uganda by 2025
In partnership with Light Africa (Uganda) & GCF (Canada)
About Katanga Kids – Intro Video
About Katanga & Hellen Baleke
Over the past six years, Sam and his mother Sue McLoughlin have been helping kids from the slum of Katanga in Kampala, Uganda to go to school at nearby private schools. In 2018, Sam met Hellen Baleke, a community leader in Katanga, one of the worst slums in Kampala which is home to thousands of refugees, single mothers and vulnerable children. Hellen was taking care of around 25 street kids and teen girls in her one bedroom house. They made an award winning documentary together about her story, and ever since, Sam has been committed to helping her kids and those of her neighbours find sponsors for their school fees. With lots of help from friends and family back in his hometown of Kelowna BC, at 30 children have been going to school for the past 5 years that were not previously.
Meet Our Team
- Sam McLoughlin (pictured right, first on left) is the founder of Katanga Kids. He’s a filmmaker from Kelowna, BC and has been going to Uganda every year since 2018.
- Next to Sam is Maiku M., the liaison between Light Africa & the families in Katanga. Light Africa is our community partner in Uganda that makes sure funds sent from Canada go to the right places.
- In the middle is Maureen B., sister to Hellen and pastor of a local church in Katanga.
- The girl in the white shirt is Milicent, who has been sponsored for 5 years and is not in grade 11 (equivalent) near the top of her class.
- Sue McLoughlin (next to Millicent) has been supporting this family and others for 5 years.
- Next to her is Hellen Baleke, community leader, boxing champion, hero and advocate to the many women of Katanga.
The Plight of Children in Uganda
- Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa with a population of nearly 50 million.
- Due to decades of violence and war, Uganda is stricken with many hardships. It’s main hope is in the education if its children to lead future generations out of poverty.
- Case studies show that education greatly impacts a child’s overall well being, mental health, sense of identity and confidence.
- The cost of sending a child to school is between $150-$200 CAD per semester depending on age, or around $1.50/day.
About our Partner, Light Africa:
Recent Update Video in Katanga
Featuring a team from Glad Tidings Church (California) that has been supporting since 2019