Launched in 2009 the Special Needs Education Centre (SNEC) in Kitanga provides a home and an education to children with special needs and learning difficulties. Often marginalised and neglected in their home communities these children are less able to express themselves and are at greater risk of malnutrition and injury.
Our Mission
We currently care for over forty children and young people with varying disabilities.
We ensure they have a roof over their heads, food on their plates and are given an education. Freed from the stigma of disability often placed on children in their home communities, our special needs centre provides a place where they can feel happy, safe and valued.
At SNEC we teach vocational skills, alongside the curriculum, to enable our pupils to be independent and self-sufficient when they feel able to leave the centre. Skills such as carpentry, tailoring, knitting and beading will give them earning capabilities in adult life. We are grateful to Haussmann Treuhand AG for our carpentry workshop built in 2016. In 2023 we renovated all of the teachers' houses and built them a new latrine. In 2024 we have added a purpose built space providing SNEC with a large, fully equipped computer room, a sewing, knitting and craft room and a large, multi-purpose meeting room for general meetings, workshops, media screenings and a small library. Thank you to Give a Hand Foundation in Canada who have supported us with the funds for this development.
In 2013 we started a pig project with two main aims: to provide a sustainable source of meat for our students to improve their diet; and for the sale of piglets to generate income and cover the food costs of the centre. We now have goats included in the project. Our successful kitchen garden provides food and teaches basic gardening.
Carpentry
The carpentry workshop is always a hive of activity.
Learning carpentry offers numerous benefits for children with disabilities, providing both practical skills and personal development opportunities. These benefits span various areas, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being. Carpentry tasks such as measuring, cutting, hammering, and sanding help improve fine and gross motor skills
Tailoring
A dedicated sewing room brings significant benefits over the previous set-up, which required the movement of machines in and out of the classroom. The new sewing room will house 6 sewing machines, 3 knitting machines and 5 looms, allowing more pupils to work simultaneously. Projects already involve making baby blankets for Bwama Health Centre and producing school uniforms.
Computing
The addition of a new computer and study room will broaden access to computer education for students of SNEC and P7 in the primary school. Teachers will be able to instruct larger groups, ensuring that all students can acquire essential computer literacy skills. Moreover, teachers will gain regular access to professional development opportunities and online teaching resources, empowering them to improve their teaching methods and the overall quality of education.
Meeting Room
This multi purpose room will give us the opportunity to show documentaries and films to staff and pupils. It will be a place for relaxation as well as for training workshops. Our intention is to install a small library to encourage a reading culture. All the rooms in this resource centre will have electricity and internet access.
Creativity
Creative arts, including dance, painting, and music, offer profound benefits for children with special needs. These activities stimulate sensory development, enhance motor skills, and provide an outlet for self-expression. Research highlights how engaging in creative workshops can boost confidence, improve emotional regulation, and foster social connections among children. For staff and caregivers, these activities provide valuable tools to understand the children's unique ways of communicating, promoting empathy and effective support strategies.
At SNEC we have been working with Mark Kawesi and his team at Imagination Circle, a Kampala based organisation. Thry also provide training for teachers. When funds allow they spend a week at SNEC providing workshops which include games, dancing, painting and lots of fun. These weeks really enrich the lives of the children at SNEC and also include those at the primary school cultivating a positive, inclusive environment.
If you would like to donate towards these creative workshops we would be very grateful - you can do so here:
At SNEC we are always eager to hear from anyone with special needs training who would like to volunteer at this unique centre and help make a difference to the lives of our students. You an contact us here:
SNEC is a very special establishment catering for a wide range of children and some adults with very individual needs.
We cannot praise Edirisa UK, other supporting charities and the Education Department enough for developing it. SNEC is a very warm and caring environment and we saw some very good examples to demonstrate this, all staff appeared concerned for the welfare of their pupils .
SNEC feels like a community; this is also seen between pupils who care for each other. More challenging behaviour is addressed appropriately.
Stewart Shuttleworth (Clinical Psychologist)
