Welcome to the website for Daniel’s Promise

Daniels promise - Uganda children


Daniel’s Promise is a UK based charity which supports a home for 32 orphaned or abandoned boys* aged between seven and seventeen, and helps many more children in the slum areas of Kampala, Uganda by donating clothes and food.



The charity was founded in 2008 by Denise Gwatkin after a trip to Kampala where she met Daniel and saw the plight of the children he was trying to help; and was so impressed by his commitment and hard work she promised to do what she could to support them by fundraising in the UK. Denise spent a month out there teaching children to play tennis on a very dusty old court which came about from a persistent dream that she would one day teach some African children in the dust a little about tennis. She never believed that her dream would be fulfilled and it was only when the Pastor at her Church said that if you have a dream do something now rather than waiting until you are too old to do anything. So she went on the website the following day and typed in "Sport in Kampala". From here she came across Daniel and the rest is history. Jill Gradon is now actively involved with the charity and has made 4 visits out to Kampala. Whilst there she introduced the boys to lots of new team games. 


The Ugandan charity KSEM, and the children’s home, was established by a local Ugandan man, Daniel Ntale, who gave up his career as an International football player to dedicate himself to this work. The British charity was founded in 2008 by Denise Gwatkin after a trip to Kampala where she met Daniel and saw the plight of the children he was trying to help; and was so impressed by his commitment and hard work she promised to do what she could to support them by fundraising in the UK.


Uganda has had a turbulent history. Wars and unstable politics have led to thousands of families suffering from economic hardship. Family breakdown and diseases including HIV Aids have also led to many hundreds of children being orphaned and abandoned.


All the children in the home have very sad histories of neglect and sometimes physical abuse. Many of them lived on the streets of Kampala, abandoned and alone, somehow having to fend for themselves by begging and stealing food. Some have parents who have died of AIDS and often the remaining extended family shun the children because of the stigma. Some have been left at the home by parents or relatives to poor to look after them. None of the children have AIDS themselves.


Kampla School of Excellence Ministries (KSEM)



Eight years ago Daniel Ntale, a former international footballer, started a free football club, KSEM, and ran training sessions for local children with the ideal of helping the community through sport and education. It was at these sessions that he met so many children in desperate need of a home that he started to take in some of the children to live at his house. He used his income from his career as an international professional footballer to help them and to found KSEM, retiring prematurely to give himself to this work. Through his enthusiasm and hard work KSEM is now a registered charity. Although retired from football Daniel does have another career but uses much of his spare time to help with the boys.


In Uganda the KSEM charity is run by a team of local volunteers headed by Daniel, who is a committed and practising Christian. There are two permanent members of staff in the home, Moses the administrator and Geoffrey, the cook. Many of this team had the benefit of help when they were growing up from the Rugabe Christian Miracle Centre. They now want to help disadvantaged and rescued street children to have a better start in life by providing housing, emotional and physical support, education, and recreation.


Daniel’s Promise Charity


In the UK, the Daniel’s Promise Charity is seeking to raise funds through sponsorship of the children in the home, donations and fundraising events. The money we raise pays for the running costs of the house (rent, bills etc), food, clothes, medical treatment and education which is not free in Uganda.We are still actively seeking more sponsors for some of the children as they love to correspond by email with their sponsors and it is wonderful for them to feel that there is someone special out there for them. Sponsoring a child can be anything from £12 per month but the cost of keeping one child housed, fed and schooled is at least £50 per month.


*We would like to make it clear that Daniel and the team would love to be able to take girls into the home, but at the moment it is not possible, there are only 4 bedrooms each with 3 triple bunk beds so they could not provide suitable separate accommodation. Our long term aim is to buy land and build a purpose built home to accommodate more children, both boys and girls, and to give as many children as possible a safe home, education and decent start in life.


Please explore this site to find more information about the home, the charity and see ways that you can help.


Thank you for visiting the site and please pass these details on to anyone who you think may be interested in helping.