A Life Reclaimed: Samuel’s Story

This is the story of a little boy named Kagesera Samuel.

When I first met Samuel in 2025, he was quiet, withdrawn… and hungry. But his story began long before that. Samuel was born in Kisoro, Uganda, with a cleft lip and a physical disability affecting his arm. He has no elbow, so cannot bend his arm, and the hand connected to it has no thumb. This means he has very limited use of it. From the very beginning, his life was marked by rejection. At birth, his mother attempted to end his life — unable to accept the burden of raising a child with a disability in an already difficult life. She didn’t succeed. His father stepped in and took him, but life didn’t become easier. In time, his new stepmother rejected him too, for the same reasons. Samuel grew up with very little food, inconsistent care, and a deep sense of not belonging. When I met Samuel, the impact of that life was written all over him. He was undernourished. Quiet. Withdrawn. There was a heaviness about him — the kind you don’t often see in a child. He didn’t ask for anything. But he didn’t need to. It was obvious.

A Sponsor Steps In

A very caring woman named Lynelle reached out to me after hearing about my work with Molly. She wanted to support a child like her. Samuel came to mind immediately.

We started with the most basic need: Food. Samuel began receiving consistent meals for the first time in his life. It was simple. But it was everything.

Because when a child no longer has to wonder where their next meal is coming from, something shifts.

Lynelle’s decision to help him changed everything. Because of her ongoing support, Samuel now receives:

Regular food
Proper clothing and shoes
School supplies
Ongoing care and monitoring

But what she has given him goes far beyond physical things. She has given him dignity. Consistency and something he had rarely experienced before — being valued.

A Day He’ll Never Forget

During my most recent trip to Uganda in 2026, I took Samuel to the markets. He chose clothes. Shoes. Small things most of us take for granted. And then, he ate chicken! He couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten meat. Watching him in that moment, quietly enjoying something so ordinary to us, was something I’ll never forget. There was no rush. No overwhelm. Just a little boy, finally experiencing something he had missed for so long.

Over time, we’ve seen changes.

More Than Just Survival

One day, while I was huddled in a shop with my colleague Edson, playing cards as we waited for the storm to pass, we suddenly heard a high-pitched shrill. Everyone looked up at once. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it was Samuel, playing happily with his friends under the same roof. He didn’t know he’d caught our attention, and I watched him silently as he played. I was in awe of his resilience, and so happy to see him happy. In that moment, he seemed like a normal little boy. Samuel is no longer the same withdrawn child I first met. With consistent food and support:

His physical health has improved
He is more engaged in daily life
He has access to school supplies and education
He is better cared for and presented
He is increasingly included within his community
There is a growing sense of stability around him

A Shift in How the World Sees Him

In his community, there’s a phrase they now use about Samuel. They say he’s “a Mzungu child.” It’s not about status — it’s about protection.
It means he is seen differently now. Treated differently. Because someone chose to stand beside him. And that has changed how the world responds to him.

Samuel’s life hasn’t been easy.

A Life Reclaimed

Samuel’s life hasn’t been easy and his journey is far from over. But today, he is no longer a child defined only by rejection and hunger.

He is a little boy who eats every day.
Who has clothes on his back.
Who is going to school.
Who is being seen.
Who is being cared for.

Samuel’s story is a powerful reminder

The Power of One Person

Samuel’s story is a powerful reminder of what one person can do. Because this transformation didn’t come from a large organisation or complex system. It came from one person choosing to care — and choosing to stay consistent. Lynelle, you have changed this boy’s life. You are part of his story now. And what a beautiful difference you’ve made.

Be Part of the Ripple Effect.
There are many children like Samuel. Children who don’t need everything — just something consistent. If Samuel’s story has moved you, and you would like to help another child like him, you can contact us below.

With gratitude, Carly Nzvimbo Founder & Executive Director of Ripples of Change Uganda