Child Protection Uganda Project #2202

Rebuilding the lives of street children in Uganda

by Retrak

Rebuilding the lives of street children in Uganda

Project Report | Aug 26, 2011
Najja's Story

By Anna Richardson | Events Coordinator

Nazza trying to find a safe place to sleep

Najja lost both of his parents to HIV/AIDS when he was 12 years old. As his mum was weakened by the sickness, she thought it wise to take both Najja and his younger brother to stay with their aunty. Their auntie didn't have very much money as she also cared for her own children and their father was no longer around.

Their grandmother would send money for their school tuition fees but their aunty needed to use it to pay for the family food. Soon the boys were made to leave school. Najja decided that if he ran away to Kampala he would be able to get a job and earn money for himself and his brother.

He spent a year in the city, living and working on the streets. He was often hungry and could only make a tiny bit of money collecting plastic bottles. He was scared to go home though as he knew he had been wrong to run away. At night time he was very scared and lonely. He was often kicked and beaten by adults who didn't think he should be sleeping on the streets.

One of Najja's friends told him about the Retrak centre and how he could have food and shelter there. He decided to go along and see if they could help him get a job. He wanted to be able to look after himself and his little brother.

Najja is now at Retrak Uganda's half way home Tudabujja. He has been having catch up lessons and is doing well at school. He gets on well with the other children at Tuda and works hard. He now wants to return to a family again who can look after him how he has been looked after at Tudabujja.

“I learnt how to do farming, and how to play foot ball. When I go back home I will miss all the mothers in Tudabujja plus the papa and all the other friends of mine."

Najja went to visit his auntie's home but the family was in a needy situation. She was delighted to see him and had been very worried about him. Najja was also able to see his little brother and was amazed at how much he had grown! Retrak saw that the Aunty would not be able to look after Najja as well as her other children.

Retrak got in touch with Najja's Grandmother and they went to visit her. She was amazed at how much he had changed while he had been away from home. She shouted to her neighbours to come and see him. They were amazed and wanted to know how Retrak had found him. The Retrak staff explained how Retrak works with street children and how Najja has come to them for help.

Najja is now living with his Grandmother and his little brother. They are both at school and are very happy being back together as a family. Najja hopes that he will be able to help street children when he is older. He prays that no child will be lonely and alone like he was and is thankful that he will never have to return to the streets thanks to the continued support from Retrak.

Thank you for supporting the work that Retrak do and enabling us to find children like Najja a real alternative to life on the streets.

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Apr 27, 2011
Paulo's Story

By Anna Richardson | Events Coordinator

Paulo playing at the drop in center

Paulo lost both his mother and father to AIDS. When his mother had become sick she decided to take Paulo and his brother to live with their fathers sister. There auntie was very welcoming to the two boys even though she struggled financially with her own children.

Paulo’s maternal grandmother would send them money to pay for their school tuition but their aunty would keep the money to help buy food for the family. Paulo and his brother were eventually sent away from school. Paulo knew he had to look after his little brother and make sure he had a good education. He believed that he would be able to make some money if he ran away to Kampala and got a job.

Life in Kampala was very hard. Paulo was forced to sleep on the streets as he had nowhere to go. He tried to collect scrap metal and plastic bottles to earn money but he struggled to make enough money to feed himself. Paulo new there was no way that he would be able to send money home to his little brother. He lived on the streets in Kampala for a year as he was too afraid and ashamed to go back home.

The Retrak staff met Paulo during street outreach and invited him to visit the drop in centre. Paulo went to the drop in centre the next day and was able to have a hot meal and see a nurse. He started to visit the centre regularly to play with the other children and have catch up lessons.

The Retrak staff knew that Paulo desperately wanted to be with his brother again and started to look for a way for him to return home. They visited his aunty but saw that she was struggling to cope financially. They then went to see his Grandmother on his mother’s side and spoke to her about her grandchildren. She was desperate to see her grandchildren and more than happy to take them both in.

When the Retrak staff took Paulo to meet his Grandmother she didn’t recognize him. Other members of the family came along to see the boy that they believed they would never see again. Paulo was delighted to see that his family still wanted him.

The family thanked the Retrak staff and gave them drinks to celebrate the Paulo’s return. His grandmother was very pleased that her two grandchildren would be living with her soon.

Just a week after Paulo had been taken to see his grandmother he was on his way back home. He knew his grandmother and little brother were waiting for him and he couldn’t be happier. The pain of living on the streets was starting to disappear.

Paulo is now back in school and doing well with his catch up lessons. The Retrak staff have been to visit the family and are delighted to report back about how well he is doing.

Thank you for supporting Retrak and enabling children like Paulo to have a real alternative to life on the streets.

Local Support, Global Impact

www.retrak.org

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Jan 19, 2011
Saul's Story

By Anna Richardson | Fundraiser

Retrak Uganda has been working hard to find children a real alternative to life on the streets. With your support through Global Giving Retrak are able to work with children living on the streets and help them discover their potential and realise their worth. This story of Saul shows how your donations to Retrak Uganda are saving children’s lives.

Saul was raised in Wakiso which is approximately 19kms west of Kampala. His mother died when he and his brother were very young. His father remarried and had six more children with his new wife. Saul wasn’t doing very well with his school work and his father didn’t feel it was worthwhile paying for his tuition fees. He was taken out of school so that he could help at home more with the chores.

His stepmother took advantage of the fact that he was staying at home and made him do more work than he was able to. When Saul didn’t manage to complete his tasks his step mother refused to feed him.

One day it all got too much and he decided to run away. His older brother had left home a few years ago and had not returned. Saul ran away and lived on the streets of a nearby town with other street children. He stayed on the streets of the town for a year and a half.

One day Saul was walking with the other street children looking for food when he ran into his older brother. Saul’s older brother had been on the streets for three years. His brother suggested that they should move to Kampala as it was easier to make money in the big cities. His brother taught him how to beg and steal food each day to help them survive.

Saul stayed on the streets with his brother for another year. One day, one of his friends told him about a place that he had discovered where street children could go and play football and eat food. Saul had always loved football and wanted to be able to play again. He went along to the Retrak centre and had his first hot meal for three years. He then joined in with the other boys at the centre playing football and having fun.

Saul continued coming to the Retrak centre and began to learn how to read and write. Soon he could write his name and spell basic words. Saul says he loves Retrak because he can play and have fun. He is excited to start school again and with the help of Retrak he wants to train to be a mechanic so that he can earn his own money and provide for himself.

Through your support Retrak is able to help boys like Saul who have been living on the streets for years, have no education and no real alternative but to beg and steal. Your donations have allowed Saul to hope that there is a future for him and that there is a real alternative to life on the streets.

Links:

Retrak Website

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