Wakiso – It was a moment of joy and celebration as children at Uganda Women’s Effort to save Orphans (UWESO) home, Masulita received gifts ahead of Christmas.
The gifts which were donated by the Diocese of Kampala on Friday included foodstuffs, cake and flat screen TV among others.
These were handed over by Rev. John Awodi, Diocesan Secretary, Diocese of Kampala on Friday afternoon.
In his remarks, Rev Awodi thanked caretakers of the center for looking after the vulnerable children who are got off the streets.
He added, “When we see Karamajong children on the streets it pains us alot. These children are the future of Karamoja and Uganda as a whole. We would like to connect to everyone who is responsible so that we see this trend changing,” said Rev Awodi
He condemned some individuals who he said ferry these children to the streets to make them money through begging calling for concerted efforts to address this problem.
“According to the research I did, I found that these street kids are being used to make money. Whoever is behind ferrying these children from wherever they are coming from please have a human heart, don’t use these children,” said Rev Awodi
He added, “We want to meet Members of Parliament, religious leaders from Karamoja sub-region among other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to this problem.
Established by the office of the First Lady working with UWESO, Masulita home is a reception centre for the children to be rehabilitated.
According to Silvanus Bob Turyamwijuka, Head of Programs at UWESO, these children are got from the street by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development with support from Uganda Police.
After they are received, Turyamwijuka says, the children are given literacy and vocational skills while the younger ones are started on early childhood development before they are resettled back to their homes.
He says currently, the center houses over 300 vulnerable children of which 62 are males and the rest females.
In June this year, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) launched a new law that prohibits the exploitation of children.
Known as the Kampala Capital City Child Protection Ordinance 2022, the law criminalizes children loitering in public places, begging or soliciting, vending or hawking and bans the sale of alcohol and drugs to children.
Anybody who contravenes the law will be imprisoned for six months or pay a fine of two currency points.
