Empower Child Domestic Workers Through Education

NYANGOMA

Nyangoma is a 22 year old former domestic worker in Kifumbira slum Kamwokya. I come from a small village in Kyirandongo, my father passed away when I was five years old and my mother, a subsistence farmer paid for my education until P.7 when she could nolonger afford. I relocated to Kamwokya where I stay with my sister. She found me a job as a domestic worker where I worked for 4 months without pay. I decided to quit and since surviving in Kampala was hard, I moved back to the village. In 2016, the LC1 chairman informed me that an organization known as PLA was registering young people that wanted to acquire vocational skills. I registered and enrolled at KVTC where I studied tailoring for 6 months. My life has since then changed. I am currently a trainer at the sustainable Youth Development Foundation Mpelerwe where I am training four people in tailoring earning 100,000 shillings per month. I can now afford to feed myself, get descent clothing as well as save 20,000 shillings per month. In the future, I hope to acquire my own sewing machine and become self employed. My sincere thanks to donors and PLA for granting me this opportunity and I hope it does not stop with me because there are many young people out there that can use these skills to change their lives.

• Above is a picture of one of Nyangoma's students (DOCX)

Natasha is a 16 year old girl who grew up with both her grandparents in Mbale after the death of her father. Natasha came to Kampala to work as domestic worker after she dropped out of school because the grandfather who used to pay her school fees had passed on. On reaching Kampala Natasha first worked in Ntinda a Kampala surburn for 3 months at an amount of 70,000shs per month however her employer always mistreated her so one of the neighbors got her a job at her brother’s place in Kisasi.

Natasha worked in Kisasi for 1 year and 2 months without payment, whenever she reminded her employer about her salary he always asked for some time therefore Natasha was advised by one of her neighbors to report the matter at the Chairperson’s place who also tried to engage the employer but he still made the same empty promises. The Chairperson then referred the matter to the nearest police post (Kikulu), the police officer had been trained by PLA about rights of domestic workers he tried to engage the employer but failed to pay then later referred the matter to PLA.

PLA withdrew the girl from child labour, engaged the employer who promised to pay the money by 20^th /08/2018 however the employer has only paid 400,000shs, he promised to pay the rest of the money (600,000/=) after 2 months. It’s from the above note that thePLA  has decided to resettle Natasha back to her village in Mbale (Busiwu) town, PLA lawyers will continue to engage the employer until when he finishes paying the entire amount of money he owns Natasha.

Natasha will agreed to use the money for a hair dressing course and she since got  skills in hairdressing, upon resettlement the PLA attached  her to an apprentice who is teaching Natasha skills in hairdressing to enable her make a living.