To further care quality for their respective families, the teens and youths from Karamoja sub-regions took to urban streets in search of all forms of income generation. A few are in housekeeping, due to language barriers only a few with basic knowledge of English can afford this job. Many are in the produce sectors, sorting foods for shops, roasting and weighing foods in shops, others simply washing clothes in homes where they barely have control over negotiation of their pay. A bigger portion remained begging alms on the streets, under harsh weather, policy enforcement authorities and other street users. Many have in the process lost their identities and become victims of abuses of all kinds.
With a team of Comboni Missionaries, advocacies have been key; something only possible with sufficient information. The support however, has reached a stand still position where, in fear of being told to return to districts of birth, many have opted to hold information from the advocates and suffer in silence. During our team interaction, they were encouraged to speak in a bid to open up helpline for themselves and the others group members.
The counselor, Mr. Mugisha enlightens them about self-awareness and the need to take charge of their lives before helping their loved ones. He told them to look at what they can be good at, what strength or work they can do, to know what threaten them, and the opportunities available, around them. He asked open questions to enable them participate, and later they open up. Many of them were brought by relatives, or follow others. Some even said they can go back home. Others said they are able to learn skills: in baking, Hair dressing, knitting, or tailoring.
Given available resources, EAU together with other partners, will ensure completion of this program targeted to creation of a positive peer group, self-reliant and informants within the Karamoja children; a team that living and is part of the affected community. The program will empower them with proper information and skills to allow them report timely the evil within the community and where they can, step in to defend their own members. They will, after the training, be given tools to track information and provide information for EAU action. A total of 43 (18 male and 25 female) were introduced to the program and expressed willingness to complete the training. They were later given food to empower their respective households.
One girl gave a painful story how her child was taken away from her, and now she is here in Kampala begging on the street. She told the counselor that she can learn hair dressing to earn a living when given opportunity. They were then invited to join in the celebration of St. Daniel Comboni- 8th October, 2023 at Our Lady of Africa Mbuya, which they were happy to actively participate.
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