Ugandan Work

By Trica De Boer

The image of her is ingrained in my mind.  She must have been around 9 years old.  She was on her knees in front of me as I walked along the streets of Kampala.  Her legs were so thin I was surprised they could hold her body weight.  As I came closer she lifted her torso higher and stretched out her right hand towards the sky.  Her eyes were closed.  Her lips were chapped from the sun.  Her face looked gaunt… hungry.  Her hand was cupped ready to receive money, food, anything.   People walked past without a glance in her direction.  Finally, a coin was dropped in her hand.  Immediately, I saw (what I assume to be her mother) snatch the coin from her hand.  I realized that this young girl was not begging on the street with her own free will.  She was being forced.  She was a source of income for her family.  This was her way of life.   It broke me to think of how she was missing her childhood.  No school, no friends to play with.  She had to work.  I thought of myself at her age… at school, running outside with my friends, dreaming of my future.  Then I thought of her mother.   How could a mother do this to her child?  How could she force her daughter to beg?  Why didn’t she just get a job herself?  I don’t think any mother would want this life for their child.  This was the only way for their survival.

“Children are at risk of pedaling on the streets.  Young girls are at risk of being manipulated by men if they do not have hygiene products.”  Zion, the school administrator at New Creation School in Kampala told me this past February.  “Being manipulated” means that young girls are at risk of prostitution.   I can’t imagine selling my body for a bar of soap.   If a child looks “dirty” or “unkept” they become a target for predators.

31% of Ugandans live on less than $1 per day.  Children often become a source of income for the family.  Pan-handling or selling goods on the streets are a way of survival for families in Kampala.  I witnessed many children “laboring” for their families.

Last October donors of RoHI raised funds for hygiene products for children from New Creation School.  Many of the children from the school are Sudanese refugees or from the northern region of Uganda, specifically Gulu.  Kampala has become a place of refuge for those affected by war.  From 1986 to 2005, the Lord’s Resistance Army terrorized Northern Uganda. Many Ugandans fled the northern region to Kampala in desperation for safety.

Unfortunately, for many children Kampala can be a challenging place to survive. Children can become targets for sexual exploitation and labor. I was greatly encouraged by Zion’s deep concern for the students and their well-being. It was her idea to provide supplies for the students in order to protect them from predators and temptations. By providing various hygiene products, blankets and a daily feeding program, students are “equipped” and will not need to look elsewhere for money to purchase these products or for food. Families have some ease in knowing their children are being cared for.  I was also pleased to hear that the students are encouraged to become strong in their self worth and identity in Christ through the school curriculum and counseling programs.

Thanks to the donors of RoHI we were able to distribute the following to the children at New Creation School:

• 85 Blankets
• 360 Tubes of Toothpaste
• 156 Bars of Bathing Soap
• 171 Containers of Vaseline
• 24 Packages of Hygiene Pads
• 100 Toothbrushes
• 150 Pairs of Girls Underwear
• 100 Pairs of Boys Underwear
• 15 Half Slips for older girls

While for many of us here in Canada these items seem meager.  To many children and families in Uganda these items are indispensable.  By providing these items we are keeping children in school and not on the streets.

Thank you for you generous support!

*ROHI has also built a water catchment for children at a school in Uganda.  The students had to walk up to 4km to collect water.  Can you imagine having to walk that far for a glass of water?

Tags: Uganda