The Hope In Life Children’s Organisation (HILCO) Foundation has been providing quality education, vocational training, and holistic care to children and vulnerable communities in Uganda for four years. By fostering self-reliance and dignity in young people, they are on a mission to achieve sustainable development through education.
Among their many initiatives, the HILCO Foundation provides school scholarships and educational materials to children who are unable to afford them, offers emotional and moral support through mentorship and spiritual guidance, gives vocational and life skills training (such as tailoring, shoemaking, digital skills, arts and crafts), and hosts community sensitisation events on child rights, health, and education.
Their work also includes collaborating with local leaders and NGOs in Uganda to amplify impact and policy support, as well as running a Junior School.
Our Partnership
The HILCO Foundation decided to join the network in 2023 because Aflatoun’s approach to Social and Financial Education aligns with their mission to empower children in vulnerable circumstances. They utilise Aflatoun’s holistic method, which combines practical life skills such as saving, budgeting, and entrepreneurship, with fostering self-confidence, responsibility, and community awareness to equip children with the tools to thrive independently. Part of this mission includes working towards breaking the cycle of poverty and dependency to support children in contributing meaningfully to society.
Currently, they are implementing the AflaToun curriculum with and are considering adding the AflaTeen curriculum eventually.
The HILCO Foundation highlights the importance of Social and Financial Education as crucial in their community. They aim to support young people in making informed decisions about their lives and finances to reduce exploitation, unemployment and financial dependencies. The foundation has integrated the Aflatoun curriculum at Wisdom Junior School, where children engage in income-generating and interactive lessons to build financial literacy and life skills. Through this initiative, young people are supported in becoming leaders and in helping shape a confident and self-reliant generation.
Success Stories from Wisdom Junior School
At Wisdom Junior School, managed by HILCO Foundation, the Aflatoun programme is supporting students in pursuing new initiates!
Read about two success stories shared by HILCO Foundation!
Julius
Take Julius, a learner who faces challenges in traditional subjects like English, Science, Social Studies, and Mathematics. But during a life skills lesson on planting vegetable seedbeds, something sparked. Inspired by what he learned, Julius went home and, using a simple container, began growing passion fruit seedlings.
At a recent parents’ meeting, his guardian proudly shared how Julius had taken the initiative to start a mini nursery at home. Encouraged by his effort, the school invited him to bring the seedlings. He arrived with 48 healthy passion fruit plants and, when asked for the price, confidently said Shs 1,500 each. Without hesitation or bargaining, we bought them all—to celebrate his initiative and nurture his entrepreneurial spirit.
We’ve now planted those seedlings in our school garden—led by the very student who grew them.
Julius may not lead in academics, but he’s already demonstrating the mindset of a self-reliant, confident, and innovative young entrepreneur. His story shows the power of combining academic education with practical life skills.
At HILCO Foundation, we’re committed to awakening the giant within every child—and Aflatoun is helping us do exactly that.
Daizy
At Wisdom Junior School—managed by HILCO Foundation—we believe that every child carries untapped potential. Through our life skills and financial literacy sessions under the Aflatoun programme, we are seeing that potential come alive in powerful ways.
One shining example is Daizy, a determined and creative Primary Five pupil. During a lesson on entrepreneurship and resource management, Daizy was captivated by the idea of starting small businesses using available resources. That lesson planted a seed.
Inspired, Daizy went home and shared her idea of rabbit rearing with her parents. With their support and some saved money, she began with just two rabbits. She quickly took full ownership—feeding, cleaning, and caring for them daily. To keep costs low, she often feeds them local grass, which she collects herself from around the village.
Her dedication paid off. Over time, the number of rabbits grew to 11. With a smart financial mindset, Daizy decided to sell some of them and used part of the money to buy herself a new school bag—her first self-funded purchase. She is now left with 7 healthy rabbits and continues to care for them responsibly, planning to grow her project even further.
Daizy is now well known among her classmates for her rabbit project. She keeps simple records, dreams of becoming a large-scale farmer, and shares her experience during class discussions, inspiring others to take initiative too.
Her journey shows what can happen when practical education meets opportunity. At Wisdom Junior School, and through the support of HILCO Foundation, we’re not just teaching children to pass exams—we’re equipping them to thrive in life. Daizy is living proof of that mission in action.