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 | Sep 11, 2014
From the Streets of Kampala to a Five-Star Hotel

By Joan Townsend | Executive Director, Retrak America

David at Retrak's Drop-In Center

Meet David. David entered a life of hardship at an early age when his parents separated and later died. He went to live with an uncle who tried to force him to be a witchcraft shrine attendant rather than go to school. Instead, David went onto the streets of Kampala, Uganda.

In desperation , David turned to a church for help and from there he was referred to Retrak. David entered Retrak's foster care program and while he found it difficult at the start, he eventually settled into a loving home where he felt safe and happy. This allowed him to rejoin the community where he became an influential leader of those around him, especially other children.

Later, Retrak made sure that David was able to take his ‘O’ level qualifications, which opened his eyes to the world of academics that he previously had no means of accessing. He developed a great passion for learning and gained a place at a vocational institute where he could continue his studies. His determination helped him to obtain an internship at a 5-star hotel in Kampala as an electrician. By May of 2014, at the end of his internship, David's excellent work was recognzed and he was hired by the hotel - a miraculous opportunity given his difficut background.

For twenty years, Retrak has been changing the lives of street children like David, something that we would not be able to do without the support of our donors. Thank you for helping us in our work.

David's employer, the Sheraton in Kampala

Links:

Retrak's Website

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