International Day of Families 2025
- Sarah Wilson
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
On Thursday 15th May, we will be celebrating International Day of Families.
The International Day of Families was established by the UN General Assembly in 1993, to raise awareness of the economic, social and demographic processes affecting families. This day provides an opportunity to celebrate all types of families and acknowledge the importance of families in society and our lives.
The theme for International Day of Families 2025 is ‘Family-Oriented Policies for Sustainable Development’, which aims to highlight the important role that families and family-focused policies play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2025).
At Kids Club Kampala, we like to take this opportunity each year to celebrate all of the families we work with, and reflect on how we can best support children to survive and thrive. As an organisation that has been working closely with families for the past 16 years, we recognise that families come in all shapes and sizes.
Family-based care
We believe in family-based care. This means that across our programme areas, we identify ways to support and empower children within their biological families. A child’s care status impacts their health and wellbeing, both during childhood and later in life (UNICEF, 2022). Family-based care provides a stable and nurturing environment for children, which is vital for their development. In comparison to alternative forms of care, such as institutional care or orphanages, family-based care offers children a greater sense of belonging and an invaluable support system.
At our Ewafe project, our model of Rescue, Rehabilitate and Reintegrate has an underlying ethos of finding family-based care for abandoned and at-risk children. As soon as a child is referred to the project, our team of social workers begin to search for their immediate and extended relatives. So far in 2025, we have successfully supported 12 children to reintegrate with loving families!
In circumstances where it is not possible for a child to reintegrate with their own family, we seek to place them in the care of a trained foster family with love to share. We do not advocate for institutional care or orphanages. Before placing a child in the care of a foster family, we conduct extensive checks and assessments. We also carry out regular follow-ups, to ensure foster placements are working well for both the child and the foster carer.
Lola’s story
Lola* experienced the loss of her parents at an early age and was raised by her grandmother in Kyela, Tanzania. Our partner organisation, The Mango Tree, recognised Lola’s potential on a community visit. The Mango Tree became a vital pillar of support for Lola’s family, providing school uniforms, exercise books and sportswear.
Life took another challenging turn when Lola entered her teens and also lost her grandmother. Lola moved in with her uncle, who continued to take care of her and support her. Despite personal hardships, Lola continued to be resilient and passionate about her education.
Today, Lola's dreams are taking shape at Mzumbe University, where she is pursuing a degree in Accounting and Finance. She is grateful to The Mango Tree for believing in her potential. Lola’s journey demonstrates that with determination and a strong family support network, young people can achieve their dreams.
"I believe in my future" - Lola
*Name has been changed
International Day of Families provides a great opportunity to celebrate families of all shapes and sizes. By keeping vulnerable children at the heart of everything we do and prioritising the needs of the poorest, we have an ambitious vision to impact over 5 million lives by 2035. We depend on the generosity of our supporters and regular givers to make this vision a reality.
Can you help us support families in East Africa by making a donation today?
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