Children’s homes closed over alleged sexual abuse

JINJA. Jinja District authorities have closed nine children’s homes over alleged sexual abuse of children.
The homes include Jinja Community Church Children’s Home, Siita Nest, Mother’s Love Home, Father’s Divine Children’s Home, Peg Ministries Namulesa, Whisper in Mutai, Care for Kids, Wanyange and Street Kid Project on Kiira Road in Jinja municipality.

The Jinja Senior District Probation Officer, Mr Opio Ouma, on Tuesday said: “Most were registered as CBOs and not babies’ homes while in some homes, the caretakers were sexually abusing the children.”

Asked to clarify the nature of sexual abuse, Mr Ouma said some male caretakers fondle the girls while others hurl obscenities at one another within earshot the children.
“I receive at least five cases of sexual abuse of children from some remand homes on a monthly basis. The abuse is not penetrative but involves fondling them,’’ he explained.

Mr Ouma added that only five out of 20 children homes have been approved including Welcome Home Ministries-Africa, Ekisa Ministries, Village of Hope-Wairaka, Home of Hope and Amani Baby Cottage.

Accordingly, children from the closed homes, Mr Ouma said, will be taken to the approved homes or reunited with their family members.

Ms Agnes Nabawanga, also known as Mama Jane, a manager of Mama Jane Children Care Centre, said the closure of homes will increase the number of street children.

She said: “Most vulnerable children have been running to these homes. So, the number of street children is likely to increase and they will terrorise the community.’’

The Manager of Welcome Home Ministries-Africa, Mr William Edema, is against the Gender Ministry’s’ guideline of only recruiting qualified caretakers.

“Working with babies does not require a qualification but a heart and love for children. You can have the academic credentials when you can’t manage the children. We recruit the unqualified and train them into early childhood education,’’ he said.