Uganda mom faces tough choice between sick husband and child's education
A shoe vendor in Kampala struggles to keep her daughter in school while caring for her ill husband. The story shows how unregulated school-fees affect low-income families in Uganda
In Kampalaʼs busy streets a shoe-vendor and mother-of-four Sarah Mirembe faces daily hurdles with her childrens education. Last fall‚ her daughter Shalom got sent home due to missing tuition payments while her dad was in critical condition at local hospital
The school-system in Uganda (where fees arent controlled by government) puts extra weight on families shoulders. School officials kept calling Mrs Mirembe about payments; even as she spent time next to her husbands hospital bed. “We need flexibility with payments“ she says while organizing her small shoe-stand at the market
Being the sole bread-winner for four kids Sarah tries to work with school administrators: some show understanding but others dont accept delayed payments. The mix of medical bills and education costs makes it hard for this hard-working mom to keep up with day-to-day expenses
