It is more blessed to give than to receive. If we work together we can save lives of these needy young children. Helping one child means building the nation for the disadvantaged ones and make them believe again that they can also have and live a beautiful life that they feel proud of. Friends of Humanity Uganda is the reason why we fight every day to make sure that all the children in Ugandan poor communities attain quality education, good learning environment and better healthcare to shape them become productive citizens of Uganda.
Children in Uganda suffer from various unbearable challenges that Friends of Humanity identify in Ugandan communities every day.
Right to Health
In Uganda, the mortality rate of children under the age of five is gravely high, and life-expectancy at birth particularly low.
Poverty, lack of infrastructure and ill-suited personnel are barriers to the health of children. Viral maladies are very virulent and are rapidly transmitted on account of lack of hygiene and unhealthy living conditions. Cholera, for example, is one of the problems that gravely affect the health of Ugandan youths. The use of dirty water in many households leads to many children becoming infected by this particular disease which can turn out to be fatal.
AIDS is equally prevalent throughout the country. In recent years, significant progress has been made regarding AIDS-prevention. Still, the virulence of this virus remains disconcerting. Too many children still become orphans as a result of AIDS, and their future remains very dark.
Right to food
Many Ugandan children suffer from malnutrition. The country’s north eastern region is very arid and the most affected. There, the land is too dry to produce an adequate amount of food; consequently, food shortages are a regular problem. In 2010, around 40% of children under the age of 5 suffered from dietary shortcomings.
Malnutrition among children has a serious impact on their health. Some die from it, while others exhibit deficiencies that can lead to any number of diseases. Lack of nourishment can have harmful effects that are sometimes felt for the entire duration of one’s life.
Child Marriage
The practice child marriage is widespread in Uganda. One estimates that the number of young girls who marry before the age of 18 exceeds 46%. The consequences are grave, especially for very young girls (12-13 years of age is the average in certain villages).
Right to Education
Nearly one out of every five children in Uganda is uneducated. The problem is particularly serious among young girls living in rural areas.
Many school children cannot finish their schooling as they must abandon this in order to help pay family expenses. While supplementary school costs dissuade many parents from sending their children to school to begin with.
Right to Education
The practice child marriage is widespread in Uganda. One estimates that the number of young girls who marry before the age of 18 exceeds 46%. The consequences are grave, especially for very young girls (12-13 years of age is the average in certain villages).Nearly one out of every five children in Uganda is uneducated. The problem is particularly serious among young girls living in rural areas.
Many school children cannot finish their schooling as they must abandon this in order to help pay family expenses. While supplementary school costs dissuade many parents from sending their children to school to begin with.
Street Children
Many young Ugandan children are forced to live on the streets. The find themselves forced to migrate either because their parents have died, or owing to the drought and misery of the region in which they live. At least 10, 000 children live on the streets in Uganda, particularly in the capital of Kampala. The conditions they face are very bleak and they must constantly fight to survive.
Survival is very difficult. Begging is often their only option, even if this practice is very dangerous and frequently leads to their being violently beaten when they ask passers-by for money.
Children who live on the streets are equally at the mercy of slave traffickers who, despite promising them a better life, quickly take advantage of them. Such children rapidly become the victims of many vile practices and despicable acts.
Child Abuse
Child Labour
In Uganda, violence committed against women and children is very prevalent. It frequently occurs within the heart of the family. Those who commit such violence are very rarely brought to justice. Numerous pieces of legislation have been proposed for the purpose of eradicating child abuse, but the situation remains far from satisfying. The protection of children must be incontestably reinforced because the physical and psychological consequences of child abuse are both serious and long-lasting.In Uganda, work is an everyday reality for about 36% of children between the ages of 5 and 14. They are compelled to find an activity that will improve their families’ financial resources, or, if they are orphans, that will enable them to survive.
Certain children leave the land of their birth and become servants or work in agricultural sectors in neighbouring countries. Child-trafficking is equally prevalent throughout the territory. Children are exploited in a variety of ways; some become the pawns of sex-merchants, while others end up in the drug-trade. Uganda is unfortunately one of the principal sources and destinations of child-trafficking.
Homeless street children who avoid falling into the clutches of traffickers have no choice but to beg. And the conditions of their existence are absolutely deplorable.
Right to an Identity
The situation is alarming in Uganda since only 1 birth in 5 is officially reported to the public authorities. This disconcertingly low percentage is primarily the result of the inaccessibility of registry services. Cost is also a factor, since the fees required for such a formality remain in practice quite high, despite Uganda’s efforts to improve the situation.
Many children possess neither an official identity nor a nationality. This in turn leads to greater difficulties for the individual in question: since they do not technically exist in the eyes of the law, they will not be able to enjoy their rights.
[alert class=”alert-info”]
ATTRIBUTION.Special thanks to Humanium and P.S I love you Foundation for some of the statistical data exposing the hell that innocent Ugandan children are going through. Please let us save and give the children the reason to live in a happy and successful world by DONATING to Friends of Humanity Uganda. We appreciate your contribution towards the well being of at risk children. [/alert]
OBJECTIVES
Our goal is to create positive and personal differences in the lives of at-risk children so they can achieve productive lives, live with healthy habits and maintain peaceful attitudes toward themselves and others.
We do this through teaching essential skills that influence the development of compassion, good choices, positive attitudes and confident minds.
We aim to:
The aims and objectives of the Organization shall be:
a) Congruent with the Uganda government policy framework in both social and economic areas.
b) To improve the welfare of children from disadvantaged families through creation of opportunities for formal education
c) To attain improved and sustainable livelihood through people centered development interventions
d) To carry out activities aiming at achieving organizational growth and development.
e) To create a positive and personal difference in the lives of at-risk children for a sustainable productive future and healthy life.
f) Focus its operations and services in Kisoro district, with special emphasis to the sub-counties neighboring; Mgahinga and Bwindi National parks.
g) To carter for the welfare of community members targeting the areas neighboring Mgahinga and Bwindi, through promotion of alternative livelihood empowerment.
h) Organizing selected communities to participate in planning and development for individual household increase in income generation.
i) To engage in activities that empower the communities to desist from illegal ventures that constrain endeavors to sustainable wild life conservation.
j) To monitor community engagements in alternative livelihood ventures.
k) To prompt and follow up on selection of the potential children for the opportunities of supported/sponsored formal education.
l) To connect the selected children to ideal schools and monitor their progress according to the agreed partner standards in the selected school.
We celebrate when children become successful because they choose to be happy, kind, respectful and competent adults!