When the EDUKID team first met Ivan in July 2019, he was living in chronic poverty. Ivan and his siblings were orphans being cared for by their 80-year-old grandmother.

The family were starving, with their malnourishment impacting greatly on their health- Ivan, in particular, was suffering. His stomach and eyes were swollen and he was struggling to take in breath, wheezing as he took Chris’ hand and explained “my mother is dead, my father is dead, and I miss them”.

The family of 6 were isolated, living deep in the Uganda bush in a hot, cramped Banda. They had no shoes or clothing apart from the rags they were wearing and none of the children had access to education.

The EDUKID team decided to take immediate action, providing emergency aid to the family. With support from those at home we were able to raise funds in order to gift the family with clothing, shoes, food, chickens, mattresses, cooking utensils, medical care. Ivan even received his very own teddy bear.

By sharing Ivan’s story, we were able to find sponsors for all of the children in the family. Ivan, his brothers and his sisters now attend school.

In early February 2020 we met Ivan again, only this time inside the school gates of his local Primary school!

Women and girls in rural Uganda often experience injustice and inequality. EDUKID strives to provide equal rights and opportunity for every child, regardless of gender, background and ability. Jennifer’s story is one that continues to inspire us and demonstrates the strength of young women in rural Uganda who are passionately fighting for their right to education.

Jennifer’s mother and father had passed away, leaving her in the care of her uncle’s family. The barrier to education Jennifer faced was her uncle’s attitude. His belief saw educating females as pointless. On more than one occasion, he had informed her that she was to be married because nobody was willing to pay for her school fees.

Desperate to go to school and terrified of being married off, Jennifer started digging farmland for her neighbours for a small wage, enough to pay for her education. A typical day started at 4 a.m. when she would walk 8km to school. After walking 8km home again, she then had to do her chores, homework and work.

Our team in Uganda identified Jennifer as being at high risk of abuse, violence and child marriage and immediately intervened. EDUKID now support her; she boards at school, which means that she is safe and has more time to focus on her studies.

At the moment, Jennifer is sleeping on the floor of a classroom that is being used as a makeshift dormitory, but with the support of Kingsley School, we are currently building a dormitory for 40 girls, each of whom are at high risk of violence or abuse at home.

Sadly, Jennifer’s story is not unique. 33% of girls in rural Uganda are married by the age of 15 and 46% by the age of 18. We aim to protect the females we support and prevent them from being a part of these figures.

It is impossible to describe the incredible humility, strength and warmth that comes from Jennifer who has endured, fought and survived. Jennifer is now studying at school, studying hard and working to ensure she can achieve all of her dreams.

Sinoeurn, who from a young age was supported through education by Edukid, has just finished university with a degree in civil engineering.

Each day, Sinoeurn now gives his time back to the village he grew up in, volunteering to teach the next generation of children coming through the Edukid project.

The children that Sinoeurn teach are from very poor backgrounds. COVID19 has prevented the class from being able to meet and the virus is therefore jeopardising the opportunity for the children to study, take exams and gain qualifications.

Sinoeurn has gone above and beyond to ensure that the students are still able to learn.

Alongside the other village teachers, he has been setting up extra support for those students who are on the verge of exams by preparing lessons and setting homework through videos and distanced visits. The classrooms are now meeting again and Sinoeurn is now able to support students in person.

We are so grateful to Sinoeurn and the other village teachers for all they do in ensuring a good quality education for the children we support.

A passion for the planet

One class in Sen Sok Village has been learning about the impact that waste has on the environment. Incredibly, the students decided to respond to their lessons and take action. Rubbish is scattered across the roadsides and heavily pollutes Sen Sok Village, this makes it an unsafe and unhygienic place for the communities to live. Every Friday after school, the class have decided to go out into the village and rubbish pick.

Members of Queens College who were passionate environmentalist, also noticed the issue of plastic waste build up in SenSok Village whilst on an EDUKID trip in Cambodia. In response to the students initial concerns, Queens College in Taunton and Ashville College in Harrogate (both members of the MIST group) decided to fund a Plastic Project for Sen Sok Village, Cambodia.

The new plastic project aims to alleviate poverty and improve education. We plan to do this by first of all cleaning up the village littered with plastic waste and then recycle that plastic to create educational resources for the children we support.

So far, the two schools have raised money to build machines that will shred, melt and then mould the plastic waste into educational tools such as letters and number shapes for use within the classrooms.

This project will undoubtedly create a huge impact on the entire community at Sen Sok Village in reducing its environmental damage. It will also improve the children’s education, whether this be through physical resources, or raising awareness on how to maintain a healthier and greener society free of plastic pollution!

I chose Edukid for my volunteering because while I was looking at the different volunteering projects available to me, I found Edukid. I was inspired by the aims and goals of EduKid and I knew immediately that I wanted to raise awareness and raise money through volunteering.

During the time I volunteered for EduKid, I chose the Emergency-Clean Water and sanitation project. I picked this, because it’s extremely important for water to be clean and this is a basic human right that I think everyone should have access too. I know that approximately 1 million people die a year because they do not have access to clean water and sanitation, this can also increase the likelihood of infections and other diseases which impact thousands worldwide.

I decided to complete a sponsored 10K run/walk, I set a target of £130 to raise for EduKid. I started training for my event by going on regular walks and runs on my own and with my family. I spoke to my friends and family about my project and the importance of the work that is completed by EduKid. I set up a “go fund me” page which allowed me to send a link to my friends and family requesting that they sponsor me. I also advertised my event through my local rotary club and using social media, I requested that people sponsor me through donations. I completed my event on and have raised £185 so far, however I have some friends and family that have said that they will still sponsor me so this amount may increase. This amount of money will support 5 families to have access to safe drinking water.

I was initially worried that I may not reach my target of £130 so I worked hard speaking to lots of different people including my friends and family, raising awareness and explaining the importance of the work that EduKid complete. As a result of this, not only was I able to reach my goal amount but I raised more money than I initially thought I would, which means more money for EduKid which I am really happy about.

My highlights were completing my project and knowing that I have made a difference to other families lives. I have learnt a lot from this experience as I now understand the challenges and difficulties that are faced by other children, that are my age, across the world and it makes me very grateful and appreciative of the things I have. When I was completing my 10K, I found that it was helpful to think of the difficulties that these people experience as it helped me to persevere and to keep going. Completing the project and knowing I have made a difference is a great feeling.

I would recommend that others volunteer for EduKid, it is very interesting and a supportive team of people that can help you if you need it. It is easy to set up an event and complete this in your own time. I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience and am grateful for the opportunity to have supported EduKid.

On returning from our Edukid trip to Cambodia in October 2024 we were inspired to
raise money to help the families we met during our Homestay. Through fundraising
from family and friends and a whole school non-uniform day -with the ever-popular
chance to ‘pie the teacher’ – we have managed to raise a total of £1550 ($2000).
This money will cover the costs of home repairs and supplies for both families,
enabling them to build a business which will provide an income all year round. We
hope this will allow their children to attend school and enable Huan’s daughter to
achieve her aspiration to become a teacher, giving the gift of education to their whole
community. We feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to visit Cambodia
and to play a small part in helping those families Edukid supports.

Ed Hall Y13, Ashville College

I chose to volunteer with Edukid because of its focus on education and empowerment in communities affected by poverty. Education is a powerful tool for change, and I wanted to be part of an organization that makes a real, tangible difference in the lives of children and families who need it most. The opportunity to contribute to such a meaningful cause inspired me to get involved, and I’m so glad I did.

During my time with Edukid, I raised money to support educational projects that provide children with the opportunity to learn and break the cycle of poverty. I chose to fundraise for Edukid’s school projects, which provide resources like school supplies, access to teachers, and the construction of safe learning environments. Additionally I chose to raise money to support SDG 15. Education is fundamental, and by helping provide these resources, I knew I was directly contributing to creating a brighter future for many children.

How I Raised Money

I decided to challenge myself by taking part in a fundraising run to raise money. I set a target of £100, and with the help of family, friends, and supporters, I found sponsors for my 15km run along a local trail. I set up a JustGiving page to make it easy for people to donate online as well as in cash, and I kept everyone updated on my training progress and the impact their donations would have. The excitement and encouragement I received throughout the process were truly motivating!

Highlights

One of the biggest highlights for me was seeing the support and enthusiasm from my friends and family as I shared my progress. Knowing that my efforts were not only helping me grow personally but were also contributing to a meaningful cause was incredibly fulfilling. Another highlight was learning more about Edukid’s impact and seeing how the money raised translates into real opportunities for children in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

Volunteering with Edukid has taught me so much. I’ve learned about the challenges that children in extreme poverty face when it comes to accessing education, and how small contributions can have a significant impact. I’ve also learned valuable skills in fundraising, time management, and perseverance.

Thank you, Edukid, for this incredible opportunity. I’m proud to have been part of this journey and excited to see how future volunteers will continue to make an impact.

Recently I took part in a mini triathlon to raise money for Edukid. I walked 2.3miles, ran 2.3 miles and cycled 2.3 miles. I did this on the Tasmin trail at Richmond Park.

I chose to fundraise for clean water and sanitation because I believe it should accessible for everyone around the world. During this fundraiser, I was able to raise £310 although my target was £120. This was through Justgiving donations made by friends and family.

I am so happy I was able to organise a whole event and do something better in the world. I am grateful for the help and resources given by Edukid to make this fundraiser possible.

Volunteering with Edukid has been a powerful and eye-opening journey. It gave me a deeper understanding of the barriers many children face in accessing education and showed me how meaningful our support can be.

Raising money to help fund their education was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done. It gave real purpose to my actions, knowing that the money I raised could change someone’s future.

The volunteering course has with excellent resources and clear guidance that help you understand global issues and take real and I think everybody should start their fundraising journey with Edukid!

A huge well done to the team at Gleeds Oxford who recently took on a sponsored 37km walk along the Ridgeway, from Uffington to Goring.

17 staff members and 3 dogs took part, walking for around 8 hours to raise money and awareness for Edukid’s work. The distance they walked is roughly how far many girls in Uganda travel just to get to school in a week!

The challenge was a great way to bring the team together, and it means a lot that they chose to do it in support of our projects in Uganda and Peru, helping girls overcome barriers to education.

Earlier this year, Edukid was invited to attend Gleeds Oxford’s annual charity gala, where we had the chance to speak about our work and meet some of the team and their guests. It was a fantastic evening and a great opportunity to share how donations like theirs directly support children around the world.