Street Child Activist Uganda

Street Child Activist Uganda works in Jinja, Uganda with fifty vulnerable children living in child headed households. Many of the children have been separated from their parents and forcibly displaced by cattle rustling, drought, and famine in Karamoja - they have sought refuge in Jinja, but the living is tough. Many survive on one meal a day. 

Hopeful for change, Street Child Activist Uganda partcipated in Peace One Day's annual campaign for global ceasefire and non-violent behaviour on the 21st September 2010. They organised ‘Life Saving Activities'  and football/netball matches as part of 'One Goal One Day'. Street Child Activist Uganda involved civil society, local media, and government officials in their celebrations with the children.

Peace Day provided an opportunity for the children to remember where they come from. It gave them a chance to eat a balanced meal (meat, rice, and potatoes), to sing, to dance, and to play... but most importantly, to be heard. As Rosemary Korobe, the programme officer for Street Child Activist Uganda explained, ‘Peace Day opened the doors for children to speak for Karamoja.'

The children lit a candle in Busoga Square before proudly marching five kilometres from Jinja town centre to Kikaramoja Village. They were accompanied by a brass marching band, local politicians, and project staff. Once they arrived in Kikaramoja village, they presented local leaders - village elders, the District Probation Officer, and the Local Council 5 chairman - with their recommendations for achieving peace in Karamoja. They sang songs, performed skits, competed in football/netball matches, and listened intently to the wise words offered by Street Child Activist Uganda's Director, Willy Ogwal, and the Local Council 5 Chairman.  

The event attracted a lot of attention. As Betty Kumagum, the project's finance officer reported, ‘villagers sang and danced with a lot of joy when the guest of honour lit three candles (red, green, and white) at the end of the ceremony to encourage people to go out and advocate for peace rather than violence.'

Following these successful Peace Day celebrations, Street Child Activist Uganda has been invited to attend a Parliamentary session in Kampala, this week.