Rebuilding the lives of street children in Uganda

Four Retrak children recently had the honor of participating in a National Conference on Children's Rights in Uganda.

One hundred children from all four provinces were invited to help assess the progress made in the realization of the rights of children under the four pillars of Survival, Development, Protection and Participation. The children advocated for the state to prioritize child protection from sexual violence, child labor, and violence at home and at school.  

The children spoke for the estimated 10,000 children who live and work on the streets of the capital, Kampala, and the almost 400,000 children living as refugees in Uganda due to conflicts. The children also called for the state to strengthen community structures to support the rural children who experience very limited social protection services.

The four children from Retrak were excited to participate in the conference and to raise the issues faced by street children in particular. Maggie, 15, nominated herself for election as Speaker to deliver the children’s paper to the Minister. Although she was not elected, her courage speaks of how Retrak is rebuilding self-esteem and empowering children. Maggie did get the opportunity to speak to the press about the conference. Ann also contributed by asking the Minister “How much is the government doing to protect children living and working on the streets of Uganda?”

At the national celebrations, Retrak had the opportunity to run a stall and talk to people about what we do. Members of parliament and ministry officials were among the people that visited Retrak's stall.

Retrak strives to give street children a voice. This conference enabled street children to be heard on a national level and we were thrilled to be able to participate. Thank you for your support which allows us to do our work on behalf of these children.

Links:

• Retrak America's website

Nyombi is 15 years old and had been living on the streets for five years. After losing both of his parents to HIV/AIDS, Nyombi went to live with his grandmother, but life with her was hard. He often ate only one meal a day and was constantly hungry. He couldn’t concentrate in school and he would get in trouble in the village for taking fruit from the neighbors’ gardens.

Nyombi and a friend decided to leave their village and go to the Kampala suburb of Nateete, where they had heard they could find work. But a local official found them and took them to the police, where they were beaten and returned home.

At his home village, Nyombi says “I could not stay there because everyone was talking ill of me.” He returned to Nateete and got a job making chapatti (flatbread), but he narrowly escaped death when a mob tried to stone him after he stole the equivalent of $14 from his boss. The mob beat him and dragged him to his uncle’s home, hoping that the uncle would repay the boss and take responsibility for the boy, but the uncle told the mob that he wanted nothing to do with Nyombi and that they could do what they wished with him.

The mob then took Nyombi to the police, where Nyombi stayed in their custody for two weeks, until he escaped back to the streets of Kampala. He was able to survive by scavenging scrap metal and by begging and digging through garbage bins. On many occasions, bigger boys on the street would take the money that he had worked for throughout the day. Drugs helped Nyombi to forget his hard life.

One night, Retrak outreach workers approached Nyombi and his friends as they were getting ready to sleep on the streets. They told them about the Retrak drop-in center and told them how to find it. They next morning, Nyombi decided to just go to see the drop-in center, but he ended up going in and staying there. Soon after, he went to stay at Tudabujja, Retrak’s Halfway Home and Farm on the outskirts of Kampala. Social workers have contacted Nyombi’s uncle, and an aunt, but neither is interested in taking him in. Our staff continue to search for family that will welcome Nyombi to their home. In the meantime, Nyombi is thriving at Tudabujja and says, “Here at Retrak I have been helped a lot to change and leave all the bad things that I used to do. When I was brought here to Tudabujja, I loved the place and felt very secure.”

We can't do the work we do without donations like yours. Thank you for your past support. Please make another donation today to allow us to continue our vital work with some of the most vulnerable children on Earth.

Links:

• Retrak America's website