SEL in Uganda

Building confidence, resilience and wellbeing in adolescent girls and boys in western Uganda

Uganda (Buliisa), 2023-2024, various funders

Link in Uganda worked with the Gender Desk at the Ministry of Education and Sports to develop, deliver and embed Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) approaches across Ugandan schools. This SEL intervention arrived at a crucial time – in Buliisa District alone 1,679 children dropped out of our ten target schools in 2023.

This pilot programme trained senior women and senior men teachers in how to run and manage Teen Clubs for adolescent girls and boys to build their confidence and increase their resilience so they are happy in school and can learn to the best of their abilities.

Key Facts

779
adolescent girls and boys participated
30
teachers trained in SEL approaches
10
primary schools
£15,000
invested in one pilot year
Annet decided to return to school after four years away, but faced rejection and stigma from the school community and was struggling and at risk of dropping out again. Through this project, we trained all eleven teachers at Annet’s school in the eight core SEL modules, which meant they could better support her at school. Annet joined the teen club, which helped her build her resilience and become more aware of her strengths. A mother of two, Annet is still in school and is motivated to encourage other girls in similar situations to return.
Annet’s story

Key activities

  • With government, adapted Link’s 8-session social and emotional learning materials to align with the Ugandan context
  • With government, planned how to most effectively deliver the content via extra-curricular Teen Clubs in primary schools
  • Trained senior women, senior men and school leaders in how to deliver the social and emotional learning curriculum in the Teen Clubs
  • Monitored the impact of the Teen Clubs on students’ wellbeing in school
  • Embedded social and emotional learning across teachers’ and leaders’ classroom practices
  • Amplified voices of disadvantaged girls and boys through school talking compound messages generated directly from children
  • Increased safe reporting and protection of vulnerable boys and girls through confidential safeguarding reporting suggestion boxes

As a country we have neglected the boys. This time we will include boys in all our SEL activities. Our well-prepared girls end up with unprepared boys and the cycle of violence continues even in marriage

Ms Harriet Senkaali, MoES Gender Desk