Belonging through Contribution

Through collaborative drawing, storytelling and conversation, parents explored what community, contribution and belonging mean to them. While there were different interpretations, there were also many connections. One group drew a hut and fire, sparking conversation about their significance in Ugandan culture as places of gathering and community. Parents also reflected on the importance of opportunities to connect with one another and strengthen their own sense of belonging at ISU.

Our visiting consultant, Shei Ascencio, also shared some of the work she has been doing with our Senior School students this week, inviting them to become curious about the people and places around them—to “fall in love” with their community by getting to know it more deeply.

Students interviewed members of our ISU community, explored spaces across campus and connected with local changemakers. After spending time with members of our Administration and IT teams, one student group returned with a large, heart-shaped leaf as an artifact representing what they had discovered. The heart shape represented the commitment and love these teams bring to their community, while the veins reflected the many interconnected roles and contributions that help the community thrive. The holes in the leaf also acknowledged that challenges exist within every community.

Students have also explored the MOGO principle: most good, least harm for people, animals and the environment, considering how this can guide the choices we make when we decide to take action.

Perhaps most powerful were the reflections emerging from students themselves:

“I can do something about the issues we are facing.”

“I learned it’s not always easy, but with community we can do hard things.”

The goal is not for every young person to feel responsible for “solving the world’s problems.” Instead, we want students to recognise their own agency: to notice, ask questions, get to know their communities, learn from others and understand that meaningful contribution can begin with a small first action.

Our parents experienced this themselves through activities that encouraged creativity, curiosity and connection. We were left with a powerful message: belonging and contribution strengthen one another. When we know that our presence, ideas and actions matter, our sense of belonging grows. And when we feel that we belong, we are more likely to participate, connect and contribute.

This is at the heart of what we hope for our young people at ISU: not simply to belong to a community, but to recognise that they have a meaningful role in shaping it.

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