Africa's Aussie angel: 'These kids are my life'

Annabelle Chauncy gave up a career in law to start a school for the children of impoverished Uganda.

Sydney law graduate Annabelle Chauncy always hoped to make a difference on her first humanitarian trip to Africa five years ago. But she had no idea just how much the plight of the children there would change her life.

Together with South African-born friend David Everett, who she met on that fateful trip, Annabelle bought four hectares of land at Katuuso in Uganda, and launched the School For Life Foundation to provide education for kids from the country’s poorest communities.

From humble beginnings, and with plenty of blood, sweat and tears, Annabelle and David, both 26, have built four classrooms, two health rooms, an outdoor shade shelter and a makeshift kitchen on their land. But it has certainly been worthwhile. “Words can hardly describe the magical feeling of walking into Katuuso and seeing it alive with children for the very first time,” beams Annabelle. “To see the dream we had been working towards for three years become a reality was truly something special.”

Only half of Uganda’s children make it to Grade Five and more than 25 per cent of the country’s adults are illiterate, so the school has already made an impact. The heart-wrenching story of brave local boy Asuman is a prime example. “He turned up at the school gates one day with his grandmother wanting a place,” says Annabelle.