The Gift of Safe Education

The stories of Macklean and Patience exemplify the challenges faced by many girls in Uganda, particularly those dealing with the fallout of family abandonment and abuse.

Macklean’s Story

We visited Kiconco Agnes, the mother of Musiimenta Macklean, on December 9, 2023. Macklean’s father had abandoned the family and fled to South Sudan, leaving the mother unable to pay school fees. To prevent Macklean from entering a teenage marriage, her mother sent her to learn tailoring instead of going back to school. Kiconco Agnes was also supporting her own elderly mother, who was chased away after her sons sold off all the family land.

Macklean’s Story

After an initial hostile encounter with her father, we were able to meet Patience at her grandmother’s home in September 2023. Patience revealed she had fled her home because she was being sexually harassed by her own father

TSOHUG’s Intervention

TSOHU enrolled both Macklean and Patience back into school at Trinity High School for the third term. By September 2024, the organization successfully secured sponsors to provide them with a safe shelter, education, and other basic necessities. They are currently progressing steadily in Senior Three (S.3) at Kabuga Hope Secondary School.