Peace for Children in Africa

BACKGROUND: Rubaga is one of the five Administrative Divisions of Kampala District, Uganda. It has 13 parishes, a total population of 209,026 (102,814 males and 106,212 females) and a population density of 1,053.7 people per square kilometer. The population is dominated by children under 18 years of age (44.9%), with few individuals above 60 years of age (1.7%).

More than 60% of Rubaga's population lives in informal settlements scattered around the division, and nearly half of these individuals are not able to meet the basics of life due to poverty (KCC 2003). Economic deprivation puts individuals and families under pressure. Males are generally tempted towards drugs, drinking, theft and gambling, while females take to prostitution and begging to get by, the children becoming street kids.

Further, an increasing number of Karamajong tribe women and children roam the streets of Rubaga as beggars due to the poverty in the north east of Ugnada, some sleep in video halls, bars, lodges and markets by nightfall.

The major effects of poverty in Rubaga include the inability to obtain basic necessities such as food, housing, shelter and medical care; poor nutrition (especially for the women and children); and exploitation of child labour and street children.

The challenge is how to address these problems through pro-active policy and concerted effort by the city and division authorities, government, civil society and public.

PCA INTRODUCTION:

Established in 2003 as a street/slum outreach program to help children understand the problems and reasons why youths end up on the streets/slums, Peace for Children Africa (PCA) is a nonprofit organization that aims at serving vulnerable children, in particular, street children.

PCA Mission statement

To provide sustainable support to orphans and vulnerable children as well as their families in a manner that is financially, politically and socially responsible, through the provision of basic care, advocacy outreach, counseling, opportunities for self-actualization and, when possible, resettlement.

PCA today

Currently, PCA is running a home for 24 children between the ages of 5 to 19 who are either orphans or street children. The aim is to run this home as a sustainable family home where the older children help the younger. More specifically, the goal of PCA is to help these children through school while teaching them skills that they can use throughout their lives, such as woodcarving and farming. Utilizing these skills provides a small income to the house, as the carvings and necklaces that the children make are sold, while the products from maintaining a vegetable garden, a small cornfield and goats and chicken gives the children fresh and nutritious food.

Uncles and Aunties are people who, in one way or another, can help the children forward. The children of the house are counseled and guided by Uncles Paul, Martin, George and Silver, and Aunties Deborah and Joan, in areas of education, as well as with social and emotional issues.

Part of PCA, the Slum Outreach Program is carried out twice a week. Here, children receive first aid treatment, lunch, and a bath, and clothing is distributed. Additionally, the Uncles and Aunties provide counseling and guidance as well as literacy lessons to the children. Children who attend the PCA Slum Outreach Program have positive attitudes towards their future after counseling sessions, and are very happy being at PCA.

On March 25, 2011, visitors from the Kampirigisa Rehabilitation Centre (ran by the Government of Uganda, under operation of the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development) visited the PCA premises to see some of the activities at the centre. From this visit, the Ministry requested if they could partner PCA or commence a network strategy for the street children.

Monthly activities at PCA

• Fundraising and Art/Craft


• Education


• Resettlement


• Accommodation


• Feeding & Clothing


• Medical care


• Administration


• Drop in school for the kids still living on the streets


• Counseling and guidance


• Slum outreach


• Music, Dance and Drama


• Acrobatics


• Farming and Livestock


• Recreation activities

Resettlement program, tracing and follow up

During a period of three months, PCA has helped two children resettle with their families: Michael was taken home by uncle Martin, and Karim is now doing well with his family while attending school with the support of his relatives. Other children involved in PCA went to visit their relatives. For example, Moses, Gladys, Ssozi as well as Ruth and Dan visited their families, who were very grateful to see their children happy and healthy.

Slum Outreach Program

In March 2011, the slum house was changed into a transitional centre for street children to be rehabilitated to encourage positive behavioral changes (for example, cessation of drug abuse and gambling), and to support their acquisition of a bright future through education. The number of individuals involved in the Slum Outreach Program is not stable as individuals are coming and going. Literacy lessons, basic first-aid, food, as well as counseling and guidance are provided to the kids on Wednesdays and Fridays, which are the two Slum Outreach days in the Kisenyi slums. The Slum Outreach Program has been extremely helpful in facilitating positive change to the lives of the young kids involved.