Resettlement of Street Children in Uganda

Between 2013 and 2017, I took on a street children’s program in Kampala, Uganda.Through the program, I was able to support over 200 street children.

Street children in Uganda remain a huge challenge — one that even the Ministry in charge has struggled to address. A 2018 study by the Ministry of Gender and Retrak estimated there were approximately 15,000 street children in major towns, with about 4,071 in Kampala alone. By 2022, research indicated around 16,000 children were living on the streets nationwide, with Jinja contributing about 400 (2.5%). Additionally, a 2011/2012 National Labour Force and Child Activities Survey found that 16% of Ugandan children aged 5 to 14 were engaged in child labour.

After adopting two children, I wanted to do more to serve my nation, Uganda. I knew this program could support and strengthen the initiatives already being undertaken by the government. Even though I met resistance from the Ministry staff, I managed to register the NGO. Together with my church friends and support system, I recruited Ugandan volunteers who were willing to serve the street children.

Through my church's connections, we built a house that served as a shelter for the boys who successfully went through the set rehabilitation process.

The program was organized into three stages:

1. Sunday Program:

   
   

   Every Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, the children were welcome to come to church and later participate in what we called the “Sunday program.” During the main church service, they participated alongside everyone else under close supervision.Starting at 1 pm, the Sunday program was time dedicated strictly to the street children. They had lunch, played games, celebrated birthdays, washed their clothes, and had their wounds cleaned.Sometimes, we had up to 200 street children attending. The activities were outdoors, vibrant, and full of life. In my own words: "I saw them become children again. They did not have to hustle for anything. They received love, food, and acceptance, which is really what children need."

   
   

2. Street School:

   
   

   From the Sunday program, our social workers conducted one-on-one sessions to identify children who were ready for the next part of the program. Moving into street school required the child’s willingness to participate.Sometimes, due to the deep trauma they had experienced at home, some children preferred to stay on the streets for a while. Until they expressed readiness to move forward, we continued offering counseling and support as much as we could. At street school, they received education in different classes, including English, math, science, and social studies. This helped prepare them for the next stage: transitioning back home or moving into our transition home. Even though some children returned to the streets after street school, we saw a return of hope and noticeable improvements in behavior — and the promise that they would eventually leave street life behind.

   
   

3. Transition Off the Streets:

   
   

   This stage required careful balance by the social workers and my final approval.Transitioning a child back to their home involved home visits, where we often found extreme poverty and unstable environments. Our social workers had to provide counseling both to the child and the family.Sometimes, we had to keep the children in the program longer because the home was not yet ready. When returning home was not an option — due to abuse or poor living conditions — we placed them in the project house, though space was limited.The house became a safe space for children who needed time and a stable environment to heal and grow.

   
   

As I often said during those years: "It was emotionally draining, heart-wrenching, and made me angry every day that there was no proper government structure to help support our children."

Despite all the challenges, out of the huge number we catered for over three and a half years, 34 boys were successfully resettled, educated, and are now functioning well in society.

Later, when my husband was relocated for work, we moved to Zambia. I handed the project over to my church friends who had been working with me. Unfortunately, without strong ownership, the project eventually closed.

However, the change in those 34 boys remains deeply rooted in my heart and my service to Uganda.

Now that my youngest child is old enough, I am ready to rejoin efforts within the government and contribute meaningfully to what is being done today to serve the families of Uganda.