Children in Uganda


Childrens Lives in Uganda


Since 1986 Uganda has made progress from the shackles of harsh dictatorial rule that marred the country for the previous decades and brought Uganda to economic ruin, however those decades of conflict have left Uganda as one of the world's poorest country hampering its ability to catch up on the social progress and infrastructure that is required to provide a reasonable standard of living for all its people. The situation in the north of the country was particularly dire where over 1.8 million people were displaced and 60,000 children abducted, many then forced to become child soldiers and were psychologically traumatised by the Lord's Resistance Army that ran rampant across the north destroying families and communities. Whilst the situation has now improved with the LRA in abeyance, the fear of the recent past remains.



In the more secure south of the country, children in Uganda still face many difficulties. Just under 50% of the population is aged 14yrs or younger and life expectancy is 63.37 years (2019). Uganda continues to be one of the poorest countries in the world with sub-standard health care, high rates of malnutrition and diseases such as malaria rampant, assisted by less than half of those living in Uganda having access to safe drinking water. Around 41% of population live in poverty. There are an estimated 800,000 children orphaned through AIDS/HIV, out of an overall orphan population of some 1.2 million. Literacy rates are relatively high for males at 77% however this falls to just 57% for females. 18% of children never enrol at school and a further 66%, who have enrolled, drop out during their primary and secondary school years. Attendance at school is also affected by the high rates of malaria with 40% of all students being affected at any given time.


Childrens Lives in Uganda


Children in Uganda are expected to attend seven years of primary school which is supposedly free, but in reality, the government provides the teachers' salaries and the building, but children's families are expected to pay for their own books, pencils, food and even for the teacher's food and accommodation when provided. This often means in larger families only one child can attend at any given time. Children progress each year if they pass their end of year exams or remain behind. As such, a child starting primary education at the age of thirteen, will leave when they are twenty or older if they have failed any of the final year exams. Even so-called children in their twenties when still at school can be brutalised as punishment by teaching staff in a country where corporal punishment is supposed to be illegal.


Children in Uganda


Health issues are a major concern for children in Uganda; 26,000 children under the age of five die every year die from diarrhoeal diseases and about a quarter of all children in Uganda do not have adequate food supplies for all or part of the year. As with other countries across Africa, and indeed the world, Uganda has a rising number of street children and its estimated that around 5000 children beg, scavenge, wash cars, steal or sell their bodies for daily survival. Unlike their counterparts in neighbouring Kenya, these children do not tend to sniff glue, rather bhang which is brought in from Somalia, via Moroto. It is this drug taking that the authorities account for the increase in violence in cities like Kampala where aiding street children is now illegal. Many children who escape end up as child labourers, effectively little more than modern day slaves.



Although Uganda prides itself on being a very Christian society and a conservative one, in reality it is somewhat brutal with authority figures intimidating the population, not least because part of their income is expected to be met by fining wrongdoers whether they have done wrong or not. The general population have little faith in the police, who have to be paid by the victim to investigate crimes then pay again should they expect any stolen goods to be returned. If the perpetrator can pay more, the police simply won't bother carrying out their duties. As such, thieves often end up stabbed or speared and the local Christian community will consider that proper justice.


Child Labour in Uganda


There are few prospects for children in Uganda outside larger urban communities. Even those who pay to attend college for a vocational qualification such as teaching, rarely recoup their outlay, often ending up back as subsistence farmers like their parents before them or join the already over-filled ranks of the boda boda (motorcycle) drivers desperate for fares for food to eat later that day and pay for tomorrow's petrol as well as the fee for using the bike. Widespread use of the internet is now opening young people's eyes to how others live as many of their communities have only enjoyed electricity in recent years and world news (and lifestyles) were simply an unknown phenomena until now. The video (below) provides further glimpses into daily life for children in Uganda togrether with details of projects and programs to support children in Uganda.




Children in Uganda: The Lighthouse Project

Volunteer Work Uganda


In a shameless bit of self-promotion, read this novel by the African Volunteer Network team about children in Uganda. "Well worth the read especially for those working with non-profits abroad. In fact, it should be required reading."

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Children in Uganda: Children of Uganda

Children in Uganda: Children of Uganda


Children of Uganda provides sponsors for the education of orphans and deprived children through their schooling and beyond so that in the future they can earn a living to support their own families.

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Children in Uganda: Kids Club Kampala

Children in Uganda: Kids Club Kampala


Kids Club Kampala supports vulnerable children in Uganda by providing for both their immediate needs and strengthening their futures through educating, feeding, protecting, and skilling to see children's lives transformed throughout Kampala's slums.

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Children in Uganda: Kiddies Support Scheme

Children in Uganda: Kiddies Support Scheme


Kiddies Support Scheme works with families and their children in Uganda to access education and empower them to transform their communities.

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Children in Uganda: Mikwano Children's Trust

Children in Uganda: Mikwano Children's Trust


The Mikwano Children's Trust is dedicated to providing support to the poor, needy and destitute children of Uganda so they can live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives, free from poverty.

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Children in Uganda: Shines Children's Foundation

Children in Uganda: Shines Children's Foundation


The Shines Children's Foundation was formed to help vulnerable children and young people such as orphans, street children, young mothers, and teenagers in the Masindi District of Uganda.

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Children in Uganda: Street Children in Uganda

Street Children in Uganda


Facts, figures, images and video about street children in Uganda together with details of a Kampala project.

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Children in Uganda: Sponsor Children in Uganda

Sponsor Children in Uganda


Details of how to sponsor children in Uganda with Ugandan child sponsor programs.

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Children in Uganda: Volunteer in Uganda

Volunteer in Uganda


As well as sponsoring a child why not explore volunteering opportunities in Uganda?

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Children in Uganda: Uganda Country Profile

African Country Profiles: Uganda


In another of our African country profiles, find out all about Uganda in a series of information articles, latest daily news, videos, and images together with volunteering and child sponsorship opportunities.

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