Street children overwhelm Masaka City as schools remain closed
Ms Adah Nkorenta (in yellow T shirt) , the programmes manager for Child Restoration Outreach with some of street chidren in Masaka City on August 15, 2021. PHOTO | WILSON KUTAMBA
What you need to know:
- Most of the children flocking the streets, according to Ms Nkorenta are from slums of Masaka City like Nyendo, Ssenyange, Ssaza and Katwe while others hail from neighbouring districts.
Civil society organisations are overwhelmed by the number of children on the streets of Masaka City, which they blame on the continued closure of schools due to coronavirus-induced lockdown.
According to Ms Adah Nkorenta, the programmes manager at Child Restoration Outreach (CRO), which recruits and rehabilitate street children before reuniting them with their families, the presidential directive which led to the closure of schools on June 7 caught them unaware and they didn’t have any other alternative, but rather to send away all children who were still undergoing rehabilitation and unfortunately, the majority ended up on the streets.
“Many young people are running away from their homes to go to the streets due to various push factors triggered by the lockdown like domestic violence, corporal punishments, and negligence,” she said during an interview with this reporter on Sunday.
Most of the children flocking the streets, according to Ms Nkorenta are from slums of Masaka City like Nyendo, Ssenyange, Ssaza and Katwe while others hail from neighbouring districts.
Ms Florence Nakintu, 15, who is currently pursuing a hairdressing training course at CRO said she fled her home after being tortured by her stepmother.
“My stepmother wanted me to get married which prompted me to run to the street before being rescued by CRO, a month later,” she said.
Ms Ritah Nabulime, the Masaka City probation officer, warned parents against neglecting their children, saying it exposes them to unwanted pregnancies and child labour.
Ms Rosemary Namwanje, the head of a family protection unit at Masaka Central Police Station said they record about nine cases of domestic violence, family negligence, and violation of children daily.
She warned village leaders against handling cases like defilement and rape which are out of their jurisdiction.
"Local leaders should always refer criminal cases to police. Many cases have been mishandled because they don’t follow the right procedures,” Ms Namwanje added.
Records at Child Restoration Outreach (CRO) indicate that the organisation has over 300 children rescued from streets in the slums of Nyendo, Kijjabwemi, Kimaanya and Kyabakuza.
However, Ms Nkorenta says that more than 200 children are still on the streets due to limited capacity to accommodate them.
