4040 holds a meeting with 21 media stakeholders and content creators

15th May 2025, Kibuli — The 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation (4040) hosted a breakfast meeting with media stakeholders at the Angaza Resource Centre in Kibuli, bringing together 25 representatives from mainstream media (Daily Monitor, New Vision, NTV, XFM, Capital FM, KFM) bloggers, and content creators. 

The gathering aimed to foster collaboration and strengthen partnerships, with a shared goal of increasing public awareness about the Foundation’s transformative work in bridging educational gaps for vulnerable children in underserved communities. Additionally, the event was an avenue to encourage them to engage in dialogue on challenges facing the education system along with sustainable solutions.

Kisa Kasifa, Head of Communications at 4040, emphasized the critical role the media plays in shaping public discourse and influencing policy. 

“We invited you here today because you hold important platforms that are key to our work. We would like to ally with the media to increase reporting on educational gaps that continue to challenge our country,” she remarked.

The session included a presentation by the 4040 team highlighting the Foundation’s impactful programmes, key challenges encountered, valuable lessons learned, and upcoming initiatives designed to scale their efforts. The event also provided a platform for dialogue and networking, with an emphasis on identifying collaborative opportunities to improve access to learning resources.

Esther Kalenzi, Founder and Team Lead at 4040, underscored the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to promoting equitable access to quality education through community-driven efforts. 

“For 13 years, we have sustained this work with the support of Ugandans like yourselves. Your voices as media stakeholders are invaluable in shining light on the challenges Ugandan children face at school, and we hope you will join us in strengthening these efforts,” she noted.

Tony Mushoborozi from the Daily Monitor affirmed his media house’s ongoing support for 4040’s mission, while Richard Ategeka from New Vision acknowledged the importance of initiatives like 4040 in driving community change and pledged to explore ways of profiling the Foundation’s work in future stories.

Participants engaged in productive brainstorming sessions on how to support the Foundation’s initiatives moving forward, signaling promising prospects for continued media collaboration.

Fiona Kemigisha, a content creator, committed to continuing to highlight the work of 4040 and identify more areas of collaboration.

Since its establishment in 2012, 40 Days Over 40 Smiles has worked tirelessly to improve literacy and learning opportunities for underprivileged children. Supported primarily by Ugandan volunteers and donors, the Foundation has reached over 3,500 children and built a network of more than 600 volunteers. Its contributions include donating thousands of children’s books and developing critical infrastructure such as a library, two dormitories, and the recently completed Angaza Resource Centre.

As 4040 looks to the future, its strengthened partnerships with media stakeholders are poised to amplify its mission, ensuring more children in Uganda gain access to quality education and the resources they need to succeed.