ChildFund Uganda has launched a five year strategy plan aimed at supporting 4million vulnerable children in Uganda.
Speaking during the commemoration of the Day of the African Child at Soroti Hotel, Moses Otai, the Country Director of ChildFund Uganda said the organisation is planning raise USD 40milion (Shs 140b) to facilitate all the activities throughout the five year strategic plan.
The strategies include; ensuring that children aged zero to five years access nurturing care at home and access quality early learning outside the home, health, and nutrition in households that are economically resilient,
“We aim at seeing that children and young adolescents have increased access to equitable, inclusive and quality basic education and studying in improved school environments that promote life skills.”
It also aims at ensuring that youths have improved access to opportunities for employment, engagement and living a healthy life. The organisation will continue skilling youth and adolescents with all skills set based on their interests for them to earn income in a non exploitative way and be active contributors to their communities.
“We will focus on strengthening the prevention, response, resilience of communities to disasters and impact, ensuring that boys and girls and persons with living disabilities are actively engaged in programs and social affairs to equitably improve their lives.” he said
Mr. Otai said ChildFund Uganda will work with different stakeholders to see that Community Based Child Protection Mechanisms (CBCPM) is being strengthened to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children in the country.
In tandem, ChildFund commemorated the day of African Child under the theme; under theme; fighting all harmful practices against children. Mr. Otai said; “Most of us have been African Children and we are parents of African Children. It is essential that we recognize value and elevate the dignity of Children.”
“It is my call that we become the ambassadors that will fight all harmful practices against any child starting from our households.” he said.
In her speech, delivered by Peter Pex Paak, the Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Soroti City, the Vice President Jessica Alupo applauded the ChildFund Uganda and the local implementing partners for complementing on government programs, reaching out to hundreds of deprived children and youth in the country.
“ChildFund Uganda is a donor funded organisation. Due to the peaceful environment and country’s position in respect to children’s rights enshrined in the Children’s Act among others, the donors decided to invest in our children and we really appreciate it,” She said.
She decried the increasing numbers of street children in the country begging on streets especially in cities of Kampala, Soroti and others. She alluded the shooting numbers of street children to parental negligence, poverty and lack of basic needs at their homes.
She warned parents against Female genital mutilation which is practiced in Amudat and other parts of Karamoja Sub-Region, child marriage in areas where poverty is prevalent. She said Parents are mortgaging their children because they have nothing to feed on.
She in tandem said there social economic interventions put in place to support parents which include; Emyooga supporting 18 enterprises in tailoring, salon, welding metal fabrication and others. The Myooga funds are meant to boost businesses. The Parish Development Model (PDM) is set to be rolled out in the next financial year where each sub-county will get Shs100M. She urged Ugandans to take part in the PDM program to improve their household income.
“The government has put up training centers in 18 sub regions where hundreds of the youth have been trained in various skills and given working tools to start up their businesses. The equipment include tailoring machines, salon equipment and others,” She said
