Donate

Art for Educators Training – Empowering Teachers to Use Arts Education to Support Students’ Social, Emotional, and Learning Needs

On the 29 March 2025, we convened teachers from 21 primary schools in Kampala. The full-day training aims to equip teachers from low-income schools to acquire skills, knowledge and resources to integrate arts education into their classroom, to help conduct sessions that enable students to express themselves, build resilience and ultimately succeed academically.

The background

Many students fail in class not because they are not academically sound, but because many of them are battling mountains they can’t speak about and entering class, they are already disempowered, disillusioned and not ready to learn. This affects how they show up in class, how they relate with peers and also their ability to comprehend. Uganda has the second youngest population in the world, with nearly half of its 46 million people under the age of 15. Yet, behind this youthful vibrancy lies a silent crisis—psychosocial distress. Uganda has one of the highest rates of depressive disorders in Africa (4.6%), with 2.9% of the population experiencing anxiety disorders. Alarmingly, 1 in 4 children under 15—over 5.7 million—face some form of psychosocial distress.

Many of these children and young people, whether in or out of school, grow up without holistic support, often in broken families and underserved communities where they face significant risks. These challenges include exposure to substance abuse, disillusionment, and a lack of essential psychosocial support. As a result, many struggle to stay in school, contributing to Uganda’s high dropout rates—45% in primary school and 30% in secondary school—ultimately leading to low educational attainment and limited life opportunities. Without the right support, they are left without the tools to break the cycle of adversity and build a brighter future for themselves.

At Faces Up Uganda, we refuse to let adversity define the future of our youth. We’re changing the narrative by creating safe, empowering, and healing spaces through art—one school, one community at a time. With the right support, every child can learn, heal, and thrive.

Thanks to the partnership with Someone Else’s Child Inc., and partnership with Saturday Art Class we hosted our first Art for Educators training. It was a powerful and eye-opening experience, where teachers discovered how art and creative expression can be tools to support, empower, and connect more deeply with their students—while also creating space for joy and fun in the classroom. They’ll also receive curated art resources and lesson plans to help them seamlessly integrate. To bridge this gap, Faces Up Uganda is launching the Art for Educators’ Training—a one-day capacity-building workshop equipping teachers with practical skills to use arts education in fostering students’ social, emotional, and academic growth.

Beyond the training, Faces Up Uganda will provide ongoing support, including tailored guidance and essential resources, enabling teachers to implement 10 structured arts sessions with their students over a year.

Objectives of the training included,

  • Provide teachers with practical skills to seamlessly integrate arts education into their classrooms, enhancing both learning and personal development.
  • Advocate for and reinforce child protection and safeguarding principles within schools.
  • Establish a foundation for addressing mental health and psychosocial support needs for both students and educators.
  • Develop educators’ leadership skills to cultivate a nurturing, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.

Point of conversations, 1) Leadership in Education – Teachers as Servant Leaders, 2) Child Protection and Safeguarding  – Creating Safe and Inclusive Learning Spaces for Every Child, 3) Mental Health and Psychosocial Support – The Right Time to Talk About Mental Health Is Now.

We hope to ensure that every child has the resources, opportunities, and support they need to truly thrive. If this mission resonates with you, we invite you to partner with us and help us reach 1,000 more children with this life-changing program. Send us an email today. [email protected]