The origin:

Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world with a population of approximately 47.5 million, whose average age is 16.7 years. This makes Uganda the country with the youngest population in the world. On average, every woman in Uganda gives birth to 4 to 5 children. According to statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics and UN aid organisations, almost a quarter of children born in 2018 were under the age of 18. The number of so-called ‘teenage births’ has risen sharply since 2019, particularly under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Factsheet on Teenage Pregnancy, 2021http.//uganda.unfpa.org)

Street prostitution and forced marriage of young underage daughters were and still are a last desperate resort for parents in Uganda to escape poverty and hardship. From birth, or often even earlier, young mothers, who are often children themselves, are left alone and do not know how to help themselves. Family ties in Uganda are often fragile due to poverty and large numbers of children. Far too many adolescent girls are still treated as sex objects rather than people who can make their own decisions about their lives.

Stephen Kabuye, Gorreth Namganda and Benita Lovisa Byakatonda know this fate only too well from their own experience.

Benita Lovisa (28) was born in eastern Uganda, in the Luuka District, one of the poorest regions in Uganda. She has a total of 19 siblings, most of whom are half-siblings.

After she was born as her mother's second child, her father left the family and had several other wives, with whom he had a total of 11 children. Her mother had four more children by another man, but also had two miscarriages. Benita's stepfather thought there were too many children in the house, so her mother had to give her away. With a lot of luck, she found someone who would take care of her instead of her parents.

Steven (35) grew up in Bombo, about 30 km north of the capital Kampala, as one of his father's 21 children from a total of five wives. During his childhood, he was passed from family to family. No one paid his school fees. The fact that he was able to become an excellent teacher is solely due to his outstanding achievements as a schoolchild.

Gorreth (23) grew up in the Anne Namuddu orphanage in Masaka. The orphanage is home to 60 to 70 children, most of whose parents have died of HIV or are so seriously ill that they cannot care for their children. The director of the orphanage often hears about neglected or sick children, often from very young single mothers who have to give their children away so that someone can take care of them. They find a new home in the orphanage in Masaka, where they receive financial support for school fees and are accommodated in boarding schools.

The idea:

With outside help, all three were able to go to school, graduate and complete successful training as teachers or childcare workers. During their training, the three got to know each other, shared their past experiences and decided together that, with their modest means, they would not only do something to give the many young mothers and their children, who like them had been without help or hope in their childhood, a chance and hope that would bring smiles to the faces of the children and mothers. This is how the idea of ‘Smiling Angels’ came about. They themselves describe the core idea of ‘Smiling Angels’ as follows:

Every child is a gift from God and every child is unique. In Uganda, we believe that children are angels and gifts from God. We restore the smiles that have been lost and forgotten by young teenage mothers, orphans and vulnerable children in order to create a sense of togetherness with those who have had and continue to have the privilege of growing up in better circumstances, bridging the otherwise immeasurable gap. That is why we chose the name SMILING ANGELS DAY CARE AND NURSERY, to put a smile on the faces of these angels and their mothers.

The beginning:

This is the name of a kindergarten and primary school founded in 2023 by three wonderful young people with big hearts in Katalemwa/Wakiso District on the northern outskirts of the capital Kampala. On a plot of land measuring approximately 500 square metres, they have built a school building (still only one storey high) measuring almost 150 square metres with three classrooms, a small office and a staff room. There are also standard toilet and washing facilities and a kitchen in separate buildings, as well as a larger outdoor play area with play equipment. The exterior design of the buildings is impressive and very child-friendly. Brightly painted exterior walls create a cheerful and friendly atmosphere for children, parents and visitors.

The school's motto is: ‘A Luta Continua – The struggle continues’.

The classrooms are also brightly coloured and cheerful, and the children are taught in small groups. The toilet and washing facilities are clean and, by Ugandan standards, very well equipped and modern.

The school concept is characterised by the coexistence of children in need from the circle of those growing up in the poverty and hardship described above and children from the surrounding area who are growing up in ‘normal’ circumstances and whose parents are able to help finance the running costs of the school by paying school fees. Additional income is generated through a babysitting service. Working parents can leave their little ones at the facility in the morning without any worries, knowing that they will be lovingly cared for by the Smiling Angels' teachers, and pick them up again after work. Steven, Gorreth and Benita maintain close contact with the community surrounding the facility and its residents. They provide information about their concept and the ideas behind it, taking the opportunity to educate people about the consequences and problems of teenage pregnancy.

The future:

In order to give the children, who are now smiling again, a future, investments are necessary:

• In order to complete and continue primary school operations, the existing school building must be extended by another floor. This will create at least three new classrooms. The building was planned and approved with two floors from the start of the project. The professionally calculated investment for this is just under €50,000.
• A school bus is needed to transport poor children who live further away to school and back home every day.
• Furthermore, another sub-project aims to set up an agricultural animal husbandry and farming project with chickens and goats to support school nutrition.

In June 2025, we received the following message from Stephen, Gorreth and Lovisa:

"Dear Thomas and all friends of Smiling Angels, we hope you are well.

Thank you very much for all the work you do for us. We cannot forget the wonderful time and the beaming faces you gave us during your last visit.

We apologise for the late notification. The second half of the school year has started well and, of course, we have welcomed some new students to our community. Currently, the youngest child with us is 1.5 years old. We have some children in the daycare centre who are picked up by their parents in the evenings. Unfortunately, we still have limited space and would now like to raise money for a sunshade so that these little children have a shady, safe place where they can play and, of course, learn without being exposed to the sun or rain. This group (daycare centre) always includes children aged 6 months to 2 or 3 years, depending on the child and, of course, the parents. These children later come to our kindergarten to learn.

In the daycare centre, they mainly learn how to interact with others and play.

Best regards from the entire Smiling Angels family.

Best regards and have fun

Stephen, Gorreth and Lovisa”

Just a few weeks later, we were able to implement this idea together. Since 29 July 2025, a sturdy tent has been standing on the grounds of the facility. Stephen, Gorreth and Lovisa, but above all the children, are delighted. The first lessons and the morning breakfast together have already been held in the spacious tent. A reason for renewed smiles from these children and their mothers, who had so little to smile about before they came to this wonderful Smiling Angels facility.