Why Children in Uganda Can't Go to School (And How $35 Changes Everything)
Every morning at 7 AM, 12-year-old Grace watches her classmates walk past her home in rural Uganda. Their bare feet kick up dust as they head to school, backpacks bouncing on their shoulders.
Grace stays inside.
Not because she doesn't want to learn. Not because her family can't afford school fees. Grace can't go to school because she can't walk.
Tiny parasites called jiggers have burrowed into her feet. Each step sends shooting pain through her body. The wounds on her toes have become infected. Other children stare and whisper.
Grace is one of thousands of children in Uganda whose education has been stolen by a disease most of the world has never heard of.
The Hidden Barrier Nobody Talks About
When people think about education barriers in Africa, they imagine missing classrooms or expensive school fees. But in Uganda, there's a silent thief robbing children of their futures.
Jiggers.
These sand fleas are smaller than the head of a pin. They burrow into bare feet and lay eggs under the skin. What starts as a tiny itch becomes excruciating pain. Walking becomes impossible. School becomes a dream.
Over 1.5 million people in Uganda suffer from jigger infestations. Many of them are children who should be sitting in classrooms, not hiding at home in shame.
The tragedy is that this is completely preventable.
More Than Missing School Days
When children like Grace can't attend school because of jiggers, the impact goes far beyond missed lessons.
They lose their childhood. Instead of playing with friends, they sit alone, isolated by pain and stigma.
They lose their confidence. Other children avoid them. They begin to believe they're cursed or dirty.
They lose their future. Without education, they can't break free from poverty. The cycle continues to the next generation.
Their families lose hope. Parents watch helplessly as their children suffer. Medical care feels impossible. The problem seems permanent.
But Grace's story doesn't end with missing school.
A Simple Solution Changes Everything
When Sole Hope's mobile clinic arrived in Grace's village, everything changed.
Our medical team carefully removed every jigger from her feet. We treated her wounds and taught her family how to prevent reinfection. We provided her with sturdy, locally-made shoes to protect her feet.
Three weeks later, Grace walked to school for the first time in months.
Her teacher said she had never seen a child so eager to learn. Grace raised her hand for every question. She helped younger students with their reading. She talked about becoming a nurse so she could help other children like herself.
Today, Grace is at the top of her class. She walks to school every morning with confidence and joy. Her feet are healthy. Her future is bright.
The total cost of Grace's transformation? $35.
What $35 Provides
Your $35 gift doesn't just remove jiggers. It provides:
Gentle medical treatment - Our trained professionals carefully extract jiggers without causing additional trauma
Wound care and healing - Proper treatment for infections and follow-up care during recovery
Protective footwear - Durable, locally-made shoes that prevent reinfection
Health education - Teaching families how to recognize, treat, and prevent jiggers
Restored dignity - Children can return to school, play with friends, and dream about their futures
This isn't just medical care. It's hope that lasts.
The Ripple Effect of One Child's Healing
When Grace returned to school, something beautiful happened in her community.
Other parents started bringing their children to our clinics. Teachers learned about jiggers and how to identify symptoms. The local health center began stocking wound care supplies.
Grace became an advocate. She taught her classmates about foot hygiene. She helped identify other children who needed treatment.
One child's healing created waves of change throughout her entire village.
Breaking the Cycle for Good
At Sole Hope, we don't just treat jiggers; we also provide comprehensive care. We break the cycle that keeps children out of school and families trapped in poverty.
We train local community health workers to identify and treat jiggers in remote villages.
We partner with schools to educate teachers and students about prevention.
We employ local artisans to make shoes, creating jobs and economic stability.
We work with families to improve living conditions and reduce risk factors.
This is more than medical care. It's community transformation.
Your Part in the Story
Right now, thousands of children in Uganda are missing school because of jiggers. They're sitting at home, watching their friends walk to class, believing their situation is hopeless.
But you can change that.
For $35, you can get one child back in school.
You can turn pain into hope. Isolation in the community. Lost dreams into bright futures.
You can be the reason a child like Grace raises her hand in class instead of hiding at home in shame.
Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, dream, and build a better future.
Your gift of $35 makes that possible.
More Ways to Help
$70 - Help two children return to school $175 - Transform a classroom of five students
$350 - Impact an entire family of children $1,750 - Sponsor a mobile clinic serving 50 children
No matter the amount, your gift brings healing and hope to children who need it most.
The Future We're Building Together
Imagine villages across Uganda where no child misses school because of jiggers. Where every student has healthy feet and protective shoes. Where parents don't have to choose between medical care and education for their children.
This isn't just a dream. It's happening right now, one child at a time.
Grace is back in school because someone believed her education mattered. Someone gave $35 and changed her entire future.
Another child is waiting for their Grace moment.
Will you be the one to provide it?
Sole Hope provides healing and hope to children in Uganda by treating and preventing jiggers through foot washing, medical care, education, and locally made shoes. Since 2010, we've treated thousands of children and families, helping them return to school, work, and their normal childhood activities.
