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CHOCU

⭐ 10. Back-to-School Support & Retention Program

Our Purpose: Help children from poor, orphaned, or crisis-affected families enroll in school, stay enrolled, and thrive  by removing basic barriers and offering personal support.
CHOCU

⭐ Barefoot-Free Uganda Initiative 

Our Purpose: Eliminate bare footedness among rural children through strategic shoe donations and school-based outreach.
 

Partner: Samaritan’s Feet International

⭐ Barefoot-Free Uganda Initiative 

Our Purpose: Eliminate bare footedness among rural children through strategic shoe donations and school-based outreach.
Partner: Samaritan’s Feet International

EXPANSION: Activities

  • Provide full back-to-school kits to children identified as at risk of missing school:

    ▪Shoes (from CHOCU's Barefoot-Free program)

    ▪School uniforms (tailored locally or distributed ready-made)

    ▪Exercise books, pens, pencils, rulers, bags

    ▪Hold termly “Back-to-School Day” events with community leaders

    ▪Encourage dignity: items are given with joy, not shame

    ▪Partner with schools to keep record of which students receive support

    👉 One full kit is the tipping point between attendance and dropout.

  • Support the very few children who are truly unable to access school due to minor fees

    ▪Exam fees

    ▪P7 registration

    ▪Report card balances

    ▪Parent-Teacher Association fees

    ▪Targeted, case-by-case funding (not general scholarship)

    ▪Include accountability with parent agreement and school confirmation

    ▪CHOCU doesn’t cover everything  just the blockage

    👉 This keeps CHOCU from being overwhelmed, while changing one child’s future at a time.

    ➡️ Especially vital for orphans or abandoned children living with elderly guardians.

  • Train CHOCU school monitors or volunteers to:

    ▪Track class registers weekly

    ▪Flag students who begin missing classes

    ▪Visit homes to ask why and offer help

    ▪Re-engage child or family before dropout becomes permanent

    ▪Celebrate returnees with small recognition events (e.g. “Comeback Star”)

    ▪Involve school staff in solutions, not just reporting

    👉 This proactive follow-up is rare in rural schools and makes CHOCU trusted by both teachers and parents.

  • Identify children living with grandparents, siblings, or guardians

    Prioritize them for:

    ▪School kits

    ▪Hygiene items

    ▪Quiet emotional support

    ▪Homework help groups

    ▪Connect to CHOCU’s Mental Health and Nutrition Programs as needed

    ▪Assign CHOCU staff as informal “auntie/uncle” figure for mentorship

    👉 Orphans often slip through the system because they have no one to follow up. This program gives them belonging.

🔷 EXPANSION: Impact

  • ▪Children return to school with pride and excitement

    ▪Parents feel respected, not judged

    ▪Teachers gain confidence that the community cares

  • ▪Simple problems get solved before they become permanent damage

    ▪Children build a habit of attendance

    ▪Families stay motivated when they feel seen

    ▪Schools gain reputation as safe, inclusive, CHOCU-supported places

✅ Summary:

This program removes the smallest barriers that create the biggest losses. It keeps children where they belong  in school, with hope, with support.

✔ Boosts attendance

✔ Fights dropout

✔ Lifts orphans

✔ Protects dignity

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