By Priyanka Zacharias | International Strategic Partnerships Manager
Rita* is a 14-year old girl and was referred to Retrak’s Bulamu Lighthouse by the Ugandan police’s Child and Family Protection Unit (CFPU) in November 2016.
Rita had suffered gross physical and emotional abuse at the hands of a maternal friend (a drug-dependent bar tender) whom the child's mother had entrusted with Rita’s care before leaving town. However, when the mother was unable to continue sending financial assistance for the child, the bartender hit back and ordered the child to sleep in the bar. Soon the patrons of the bar came to know about this, and one of them broke in to sexually abuse her. When she came to us at the Retrak Lighthouse, Rita was initially withdrawn and uninterested in participating in any of the centre’s activities, including eating. She would frequently be found weeping and went into a deep depression.
However, with support from the Lighthouse staff, Rita gradually opened up and began to participate in activities. She demonstrated a keen interest in catch-up lessons and group counselling. During one-to-one counselling, she shared her painful past, asking, “Will I ever see my mother again?"
The CFPU referred Rita to Retrak, later linking our social workers to the Immigration Office at the Uganda-Sudan border. Police on both sides helped trace Rita’s mother in South Sudan, and a month later, she visited the Lighthouse. Social workers engaged her to understand why she had handed over Rita to the care of her friend rather than relatives; we were also interested in finding out the whereabouts of Rita’s father. Rita’s mother revealed that he had abandoned his family when they both tested HIV positive and has never been seen again.
After thorough family assessments, Rita was reunified with her mother. It took a case conference for Rita, her mother and her foster carer be reconciled, and for Rita to overcome her sense of extreme bitterness towards them both – but now, Rita lives with her mother and is a happy and enthusiastic school student.
Retrak supported Rita’s mother to place Rita back in school and provided follow-up support, including information about counselling, one month’s school fees, and identifying a teacher to provide her with mentorship support. Through intense follow-up visits from Retrak, and support from her mother and a school mentor, Rita has challenged all the social limitations facing her and is committed to completing her studies. She intends to become a midwife. Her mother is earning enough income to provide their basic needs by trading in used clothes, and as part of Retrak’s follow-up work we are looking into ways to support her to boost her business. This is all part of Retrak’s strategy to support the children rescued from the street, to ensure greater stability for the whole family and create a secure, loving and happy environment in which Rita can thrive.
*(not her real name)
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