(This article was first published on the New Vision Website on March 4, 2023)
By Agnes Nantambi
Leaders in slum areas have asked government to consider increasing the number of schools in slums to reduce the number of children loitering on the streets of Kampala.
Jengo Twaha, the vice chairperson in charge of children in Katanga village attribute the increasing number of crimes and teenage pregnancies to the lack of enough government schools.
“For instance, in Katanga, we only have Wandegeya primary school which is a government school and sometimes it is overwhelmed with the number of children, thus keeping themselves away from the school. At times we take these children and we find no teacher at school and you wonder where such children can access education,” he said.
While receiving food items on behalf of the Katanga children on Saturday, Jengo explained that majority of the children are handpicked from the streets and brought to Katanga for rehabilitation, because taking them to private schools is expensive.
He added that government has not done a lot to support leaders in slums, saying as much as they are not supported, they try their level best to unite the children and engage them in different clubs to get a sense of belonging.
“We want to groom these children to avoid acts of drug abuse, prostitution, and housebreaking among crimes, ” he said.
Jengo also called upon well-wishers to come to the rescue of these children, especially in terms of feeding, education and clothing.
He applauded Ki Hee Yoon, a South Korean National for her generosity towards the feeding of children in slum areas.
“We need people of her character because most of these children sleep on an empty stomach,” he said.
Government estimates that as many as 15,000 children live on the streets of Uganda’s capital city Kampala aged between 7 – 17.
Many of them are refugees who have fled their homes from the instabilities both in DRC and South Sudan.
Speaking after feeding the children, Kim Hee, a South Korean National applauded the leaders of Katanga for the work they are doing to take care of the children, but decried men who impregnate women and abandon them with the children.
She said that being a Christian, Jesus loved the children so she pledged to love and continue supporting them in several ways.
“It is high time that people get to know that when God gives, you also give back to the needy and the community. I feel very bad seeing such children suffering with what to eat and what to put on. With the little I have, I will give and I know it will cause an impact,” she said.
