"The best thing we can do for the girl child, is raise boys to grow-up to become good men who  cantake care of themseleves and their families." ~ Jacqueline Wolfson, Founder, Shule Foundation

Why Boys?

For the last 25 years, governments, international development organizations, and non-profits have focused on the girl child. These organizations have empowered the girl child, kept her in school, and emancipated women. All at the expense of the boy child. The world has forgotten our boys, and they have been paying the price.

Boys must be included so all children can be put on the same level.

• 98% of the children living on the streets in Uganda are boys
• 132 Million boys do not attend school (132 million girls)
• 1 out of 6 boys are sexually assaulted (1 out of 4 girls)
• 88 million boys are forced into child labor (64 million girls)
• 7 out of 10 boys are recruited to become child soldiers (3 out of 10 girls)
• boys are more likely to be victims of corporal punishment than girls

Why education?

132 million boys do not attend school, half of the out-of-school children worldwide.

Teachers tend to disengage boys in schools, making them feel like they don’t belong.

Boys often find themselves at the receiving end of violence and discrimination, resulting in a massive skills gap, particularly in reading.

Research has shown that boys are likely to drop out of school for the following reasons:

• Poverty within the family forces them to find work at an early age
• Socio-cultural perceptions among teachers and parents result in low expectations and disengagement from school
• A higher rate of corporal punishment among boys

Studies also show that men without secondary education were more likely to:

• Express discriminatory views on gender
• Be physically and sexually violent against women and children

If we do not educate and change the mindset of boys, we will not win the fight against climate change, gender equality, poverty, and global stability.

The GEM report shows that ensuring girls and boys complete at least secondary education is key to achieving gender equality across society.

Why Africa?

By 2030, Africa will be home to 41% of the world’s youth population, and right now, Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of exclusion within the education sector.

• More than half of Africa’s children do not go to school
• 19% of primary-aged children are denied their right to education
• Over 1/5 of children between the ages of 6-11 are sitting at home
• A third of the youth between the ages of 12-14 do not attend classes
• 60% of youth between the ages of 15-17 are not studying
• 18% of all boys (that is 132 million before COVID) are out of school

Why Uganda?

Out of the 46 million people in Uganda, 48% are under 15.

Only 8% of age-appropriate students are enrolled in school, and the unemployment rate is a staggering 80%.

Would you like to volunteer to become part of the lives of some of Uganda’s most impoverished - street children and help young boys achieve their full potential?

We have some fantastic volunteer opportunities; find out more here.