Campaigns

Background Mfutumukiza Clement is a 9-year-old boy whom our Country Director Justin Ngoga first met in March 2026. At the time, Clement was sleeping on the floor in front of a local pharmacy. According to the pharmacy staff, he had been spending his nights there for several months. When Justin  first approached Clement, he was very reserved and unwilling to share information about his family or where he lived. Over the following months, We intentionally built trust and a relationship with Clement by regularly buying him snacks and checking on his wellbeing.   On Thursday, May 7th, We found Clement soaked from the rain, wet and shivering from the cold. Deeply concerned for his safety and wellbeing, We asked if he would allow us to visit his home. We promised him that we would help provide shoes, clothing, and support for him to return to school. Thankfully, Clement agreed and led us to his home. There, we met his mother, Mariam, a 36-year-old woman. Mariam explained that she previously worked as a house helper and became pregnant at a young age. She is the mother of six children from four different fathers. Her oldest daughter, who is 16 years old, already has a one-year-old child of her own too.   Current Living Conditions The entire family currently lives together with Mariam’s current husband, who works as a security guard. Mariam and her husband have been living together for the past five years. At present, Mariam is unemployed and is also pregnant with her seventh child.The family is living in extremely vulnerable conditions, struggling with poverty, overcrowding, and limited resources. Clement’s situation reflects the difficult realities many children face when basic needs such as shelter, food, protection, education, and parental support are not adequately met.   Child Protection Concerns and Hope for Intervention Despite these hardships, Clement showed courage and trust by eventually allowing us into his life and home situation. His story highlights the urgent need for intervention, family support, child educational assistance, and long-term community-based care to help prevent children from ending up on the streets.   Proposed Immediate Support Budget For Clement and His Family The proposed six-month food support is intended to help stabilize the household and create basic food security within the family. This support is expected to reduce the pressure that contributes to Clement spending time on the streets and encourage him to remain safely at home while longer-term interventions are explored.     You can sponsor Clement on a monthly basis to ensure he is able to attend school, receive advocacy and support, and has access to all our support and youth programs. Sponsor here.  Clement’s case is a reminder that behind every child surviving on the streets is a deeper family struggle that requires compassion, patience, and holistic intervention.

Background and Rationale I Will Stand International is committed to empowering vulnerable children and youth through education, mentorship, and practical skills development. As part of our July Summer Camp, we propose a four-week Youth Photography Training for ten selected young people. The training will take place three days per week, four hours per day, providing a total of 48 structured training hours. This extended format allows participants to gain deeper technical competence, practical experience, and confidence while continuing to engage in other summer camp activities.   In today’s digital economy, photography is both a powerful storytelling tool and a viable income-generating skill. Access to creative and digital skills can open pathways to freelance work, entrepreneurship, and employment—particularly for youth from vulnerable backgrounds.    Training Approach The four-week program will be practical, hands-on, and project-based. Participants will receive in-depth instruction in photography fundamentals, including camera handling, lighting, framing, exposure, and composition. They will develop storytelling skills, learning how to capture authentic, dignified images while respecting ethical standards and consent in community settings. Because the training will be integrated into live Summer Camp activities, youth will gain real-world experience in event and documentary photography by covering workshops, interactive sessions, and community engagement moments. The program will also provide structured training in photo editing, digital file management, portfolio development, and foundational entrepreneurship concepts such as professionalism, client communication, service pricing, and identifying local market opportunities. At the end of the program, participants will organize a small photo gallery showcasing selected printed images from their portfolios and Summer Camp coverage. This exhibition will celebrate their achievements, build confidence, and demonstrate tangible results to supporters and community members. Objectives The primary objective of this initiative is to equip ten youth with foundational professional photography and visual storytelling skills that can support income generation and long-term self-reliance. Additionally, the training seeks to build youth-led capacity within the organization to document programs, events, and impact stories in a professional and ethical manner, ensuring sustainability beyond the training period.   Expected Outcomes, Indicators and Sustainability At the conclusion of the training, measurable outcomes will include: Ten youth completing 48 hours of structured photography training 100% of participants producing a minimum of 25 portfolio-quality images At least 80% of participants demonstrating measurable improvement in technical and storytelling skills through pre- and post-training assessment Creation of a minimum of 250 high-quality images documenting Summer Camp activities At least 4 youth expressing readiness to pursue freelance or income-generating photography opportunities within six months As part of fostering responsibility and gratitude, trained participants will periodically volunteer to cover organizational events and activities as a way of giving back for the support they receive from I Will Stand International. This strengthens ownership, reinforces community contribution, and ensures continued youth engagement in storytelling efforts. The organization will benefit from sustained access to youth-led visual documentation beyond the training period.   Conclusion An investment of USD 550 will provide 48 hours of professional photography training to ten young people, equip them with marketable digital skills, and culminate in a public gallery showcasing their work. This initiative represents a highly cost-effective and scalable approach to empowerment—supporting both economic opportunity for youth and sustainable, youth-led storytelling within I Will Stand International.