Children queue for food at the shelter. Photos by Okanokodi EMar p’Tekamoi
By Okanokodi EMar p’Tekamoi
Kotido: At least 25 former street-connected children in Kotido district have found solace and hope under the care of the Favor of God Ministries.
Aged between 7 and 15 years, the children, commonly referred to as street children, have been welcomed into a new home provided by the Christian organization under the God’s Institute for Transformation (GIFT) program.
GIFT is a family and holistic solution for youth in total need. Programs under GIFT include mentoring, food, shelter, medical, education, vocational skills, and clothing. Others are salvation and discipleship, among others.
Favor of God Ministries opened the center in Kotido recently, to coordinate activities in Karamoja sub-region, particularly focusing on the welfare and education of these vulnerable children.
Nixon Okello, the team leader of the Favor of God Ministries Rural Evangelism and Empowerment Program (REEP), said the GIFT program aims to reach out to street children in the greater Karamoja sub-region.
“The program aims to rescue these children from the risks of street life by offering them a safer environment where they can receive necessary assistance and support,” Okello said.
Okello underscores the organization’s dedication to peace, community empowerment, and the provision of essential services such as trauma counseling and community health initiatives.
He said the Ministry would expand its efforts by gradually rescuing more children.
Currently, the rescued children are undergoing a discipleship program at the Ministry’s House of Prayer, receiving comprehensive care and daily meals.
Additionally, the organization has procured land for the construction of a shelter to accommodate the children and construction is underway.
Okello added that the organization aims to adopt a holistic approach to the children’s development by establishing a Bible school within the facility which will also offer spiritual teachings, literacy programs, community health initiatives, trauma counseling, and vocational skills training, equipping the children with valuable skills for a brighter future.
Kotido welcomes the support
Brian Etuko, the senior Probation and Welfare officer for Kotido district, acknowledged the critical need for such interventions, particularly in light of the increase in the number of street children in the sub-region, sparked by operations in Kampala aimed at clearing them off the streets.
Etuko revealed that despite efforts by the government and other NGOs to empower out-of-school children through skills development, the issue persists, with many children being trafficked by adults to urban centers such as Mbale, Jinja, and Kampala, where they are subjected to exploitative employment.
In June 2015, the First Lady, Janet Museveni launched and commissioned the Kabulin Youth Skills Training Center which was established to offer temporary shelter to migrant children returning from the streets of Kampala and other towns in Karamoja sub-region.
However, according to Etuko, “it [shelter] does not fully address the root causes of the street children’s problem.”
Etuko, said Kotido also faces challenges in providing adequate facilities for these children, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.
He expressed willingness to collaborate with organizations like Favor of God Ministries to address this pressing issue.
Etuko commended Favor of God for the initiative, saying the district welcomes them with open arms because they don’t have the facilities and resources to manage them.
“…anyone who lends a hand is much appreciated,” Etuko stated.
According to Dwelling Places, an organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, reconciling, reintegrating, educating, and advocating for street-connected children and abandoned babies, effective solutions to the issue of street children require the enactment and enforcement of laws.
Dwelling Places, in collaboration with the local government of Napak, has sponsored and passed the Napak anti-child trafficking ordinances to tackle the problem.
A study conducted by Retrack Uganda in partnership with the Ministry of Gender and Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has revealed that Uganda’s urban centers harbor more than 8000 street children, with Kampala, Jinja, and Mbale hosting the highest numbers, a significant portion originating from Karamoja.
