Empower Child Domestic Workers Through Education

At 14 years of age, Adengo was trafficked from Soroti to work as a domestic worker in Kampala on promises that she was to be educated by her uncle. ‘However when I reached Kampala they forced me to work as a domestic worker without pay’. I used to be over worked without rest and my daily schedule involved washing plates, cooking food, cleaning the house and taking care of children. It was through a task force member who introduced me to Platform for Labour Action(PLA) who were withdrawing children from domestic work and other exploitative labour. I was registered and later on enrolled at Nile Vocational institution in Jinja where I pursued a course in tailoring. I graduated in 2013.

Adengo is currently employed at cooper complex in Kampala city where she works as a tailor specialized in making bed sheets, design pillows and bed covers. I earn 30,000/= per week and she saves 10,000/= every week. I am able to pay 70,000/= for rent in Nsambya a Kampala suburb, send some money to my mother in Soroti for upkeep, pay for my basic needs such as food, clothing and I live a better life than before when I was a domestic worker. Participating in the financial management training which PLA did for all the former vocational training beneficiaries built my capacity with business and savings skills and I am planning to buy my own tailoring machine to start my personal business. I was also able to meet and interact with my former classmates and we have now become friends and we would like to create awareness in our communities on the dangers of child labour because it caused a lot of suffering for us. We thank PLA and all the donors for enabling us acquire education. 

• Adengo making a bed sheet at her work place at Cop (DOCX)

Masika

Masika is a 17 year old hair dresser currently living in Munyonyo a Kampala Suburb with her mother. She was withdrawn from domestic worker where she earned  she was occassionly paid for her work. She was facilated to attend school enabling her to earn an education which has made it possible to better her life and also that of her family.

“My mother lost her job while I was in my senior one and since she was a single mother life was a challenge with no basic needs such as enough food, poor housing conditions after shifting from the house where we used to reside and above all I dropped out of school since my mother could no longer afford to pay for my school fees.” “I was taken up by a neighbor  as a domestic worker where I could wash clothing’s and also house keeping with a daily pay of 5000/= which I could give to my mother to keep or sometimes use to buy food. However after a month my mother delivered a message from a Pastor that an NGO called PLA was registering children for vocational training. This was a blessing to me since I was interested in hair dressing and indeed I qualified for the course at Kyebando Vocational Institution in Kampala. I was trained for a period of 6 month and after my graduation I got a job as a hair dresser in a saloon in Munyonyo where I earn 120,000/= per month. I am now able to cater for my basic needs and also give my siblings some pocket money. I thank PLA for the opportunity and the pastor he is connecting some of us to different saloons and garages.”

Seku

An 18 year old former Domestic worker from Nsambya Barracks, who was being tortured, abused, denied her rights and not paid since she was working for a relative who brought her from the village in Soroti. Life was not good at all and I had lost hope of owning a business or being as successful as I am today. I am glad gained confidence through the vocational training and I can now present myself in society as a graduate. Even my Auntie who used to mistreat me is proud of me and she says am glad you graduated with a certificate in cosmetology. When you have a low level of education you become so vulnerable in society today and this fuels grief, stress and poverty but I am glad that is now history. After her graduation from Nile vocational institute she worked in a saloon for a year and she had to leave to start partner with her sister and started up a business at Cavendish University in Nsambya. She sells drinks in fridge, stationary, cakes, bananas and Airtime. She earns 100,000/= per month and able to save 20,000/=. She is able to cater for her basic needs such as rent, food and clothes. She plans to buy land in the village and invest in agriculture

• Picture of Masika (DOC)