Uganda
has been called the Pearl of Africa, and it's not hard to see why. It is a tapestry of vibrant colours, music and laughter.
Uganda does hospitality by the minibus load, the people offering you warm smiles and welcomes wherever you go.
In 2008 S.A.L.V.E.'s
founders Helen & Nicola fell in love with this African nation while working in the south-east near Jinja. The country's
second largest city, Jinja benefits from its proximity to the Kampala (the capital) and its location at the source of the
Nile which has made it one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. It is here that S.A.L.V.E.'s
work is currently focused: on the one hand a seemingly prosperous, economic hub; on the other, you only have to scratch beneath
the surface to see the abject poverty that Jinja's street children live in.
 The reasons children end up on
the street are complex and varied. Uganda shares the problems of many other Sub-Saharan African nations: economies relying
largely on agriculture hang in the balance due to the effects of climate change; HIV/AIDs rates continue to rise with good
healthcare provisions hard to come by; and education is not always readily accessible, with resources often severely limited.
Museveni, the Ugandan President, has been keen to promote primary education for all and to some extent this has
been a successful policy. However many schools have to charge fees to cover their costs, thus making them out of reach
for Uganda's poorest.
S.A.L.V.E.'s work in Jinja goes beyond working with individual street children.
It works with the community and local schools under the philosophy that by making education accessible to all, Uganda's
children will be able to build a better future for themselves and their country.
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