HOPE AND RESILIENCE SHINE AT GLOBAL DOCUMENTARY LAUNCH ‘SEEDS’

It was a full house at the global premiere of SEEDS, Planting Hope Through Education on November 14 as the documentary took viewers on the inspirational journey of three remarkable women determined to bring about change in Uganda.

The ground-breaking documentary, directed by Cameron D'Arcy follows School for Life Founder Annabelle Chauncy OAM, and Janepher Nansubuga and Brenda Namulinda on their mission to provide the most vulnerable children in Uganda with a quality education. 

Through their stories, the film captures their commitment in the face of immense adversity to demonstrate that real change is possible through the transformative power of education.  The documentary also features many of the students who share their own dreams and ambitions for the future.

The moving story of hope and resilience meant there was not a dry eye in the house. 

"After personally witnessing the exceptional work of School for Life Foundation in Uganda, I felt a deep compulsion to share this vital narrative,” Cameron said. 

“My aim was to offer viewers an unfiltered glimpse into the daily realities, challenges, and unwavering spirit of the Ugandans. The story stands as a testament to the profound belief that one individual's passion and dedication can truly reshape the world.”

The event, generously hosted by TV Presenter and Journalist Edwina Barthomolew was attended by School for Life Board members, supporters, partners, ambassadors, staff and volunteers.

Josh Miller from the Ted Dunn Foundation said, “I truly recommend watching this documentary, it has something in it for everyone. It takes us on a journey, and I personally learnt a lot about the challenges, especially over recent years faced by Uganda and School for Life.” 

At the conclusion of the screening, there was an open Q&A session with fantastic questions from audience members young and old keen to learn more about day-to-day school life in Uagnda and the range of initiatives to support every student to reach their potential.

Annabelle said she’d always been happier on the other side of the camera and was humbled by the response to the documentary.

“Cameron has done an incredible job capturing the heart and heroes of this story - the students, staff and team on the ground in Uganda,” she said.

“We believe in the transformative impact of education and through this documentary, the audience gets to see this first-hand. I can’t thank everyone enough who has been involved in this project helping to share our vision to bring about lasting change through education.”

Greg Newling from Ku-ring-gai Rotary who have supported School for Life for over 10 years encourages others to see this “amazing story.”   

“It talks about the progress that’s been made and the comparison between what happens to the children Uganda who don’t have School for Life and the amazing work that’s done by the organisation.”

If you weren’t able to attend the launch event, SEEDS is now available for private screenings. 

Find out more about hosting your own screening here.

School for Life Board Member Micheal Muelheim said: “I’d encourage everyone to see this documentary, to share it and be grateful that you can be part of something that’s such a big movement and something that’s bigger than yourself.”

Success Stories
Goretti

Sweet and shy Goretti lives with her aunt, uncle and cousins in a small house in the local village. When Goretti was younger, she moved in with her aunt and uncle because her parents could no longer look after her. She was one of our first students at Katuuso Primary, starting in 2011 when she was just 4 years old. Now, Goretti is in Senior One at Mbazzi High School, and is relishing the honour of being a high school student in her community - something that is taken for granted in Australia, but in Uganda, represents freedom and opportunity. Goretti also loves attending School for Life because she hopes to one day become a pilot in Uganda - a dream which she knows can only be reached with the help of a good education.

Violah

Violah has been at School for Life since since she was six years old. Sadly, Violah has experienced hardship no child should ever deal with. Her Dad passed away three years ago, leaving her Mum without the financial means to support her family - so she left Violah and her siblings with their elderly grandmother. Every day, Violah has to wake up at 5am to fetch water, cook meals and make sure that her younger sisters are properly looked after. Then she walks half an hour to get to school. Despite this adversity, Violah has flourished at school and has made many friends. She loves that School for Life is "helping me to build a future". After finishing school, Violah hopes to become a teacher to help other children.

Umar

Umar is one of our best performing students at Mbazzi Riverside High School - but life has not always been easy for Umar. His father abandoned the family in 2015, leaving his mother to struggle to support her five children on her own. School for Life has provided Umar with opportunities that may never else have eventuated for him. Umar begun his journey with School for Life at Katuuso Primary School, where his academic ability was quickly revealed. Now, he is a thriving member of our Senior 1 class and a formidable wing on the football team. With a love for mathematics, Umar is set on studying electronic engineering after finishing his senior studies - a goal which he is the first to admit is now within reach thanks to the skills and resources provided to him by School for Life.

Rose Nambooze

Rose is a 32‐year‐old single mother of one. She started working with SFL in 2013, after taking part in our tailoring training program. Prior to working with us, she was unemployed and living in her father's home helping to care for her father, who had cataracts, and his farm.
Thanks to her full time employment, Rose was able to save enough money to pay for an eye operation and restore her father's sight, allowing him to return to work as a mechanic. Now, Rose has moved into her own home and no longer relies on her father financially. 

Joseph

Joseph is one of our Special Needs teachers at Katuuso. After surviving a severe case of malaria at age four, he was left permanently deaf. He was raised by his single mother and attended a nursery school for the handicapped and later transferred to a school for the Deaf in Kampala. He eventually mastered sign language and pursued a university degree in education. Joseph decided to become a teacher so that he could give the gift of education to others who are hearing impaired.

Teddy Namatovu

Teddy is a participant in the Kumi Tailoring Program and four of her five children attend Katuuso Primary School. She and her husband farm two acres of land, which supplies fluctuating revenue. Participation in the Kumi Tailoring Project has secured income to reliably pay for school fees, nutritious meals and renovations to the family home. Teddy has gained a great deal of self-esteem from her ability to support her family and she takes pride in independently financing the education of all five children. Teddy has also been working on her numeracy and administration skills. She was appointed Treasurer of the tailoring group and will be responsible for keeping records of their savings.

Flaviah Nassaazi

Flaviah Nassaazi started working at Katuuso Primary and Vocational School in 2011. Prior to cooking at the school, she and her husband were subsistence farmers. They worked tirelessly for small yields and minimal income to support their family. Flaviah's cooking job not only enables her to pay school fees for her children, but she has also invested in a local barbershop business. She is now passing her cooking skills onto her eldest son Frank, who has also joined the school's cooking staff. Flaviah and her husband attend the adult literacy classes offered weekly at the school. Her English and reading have improved immensely, as well as her confidence.

Rachel

In 2010, Rachel began as a cleaner at Katuuso Primary and Vocational School. She was working to save money to study to be a teacher at University. Thanks to Barrie and Simone Goldsmith, her dream of studying came true and she is now fully qualified.