Five youth organisations have started a movement to assist troubled children, especially those suffering from the consequences of drug abuse and other peer-related problems.
FourSum Uganda, Wrist House Uganda, and Vital Voices partnership with Nakulabye youth group, Naguru Teenage Information and Health Centre and Mwana wa Ggwanga Foundation are currently leading the campaign, dubbed #EndChildTraffickingUG.
This is after they concluded that these teething problems are becoming prevalent in schools. Using drama and mentorship programmes, the organisations are meeting children, parents and communities either involved or reluctant to address the issues.
For instance, Agnes Namakula (not really name), a student at Nabisunsa Girl’s Secondary School in Wakiso, who was drawn into selling Cannabis Sativa ( also known locally as mairungyi) by her stepfather in Seete a trading centre, Mukono district in 2013.
In 2014, Namakula was brought to Nabisunsa by her guardian to resume education. According to Allan Semiyagi, a teacher at the school, due to the increasing number of similar students, they have established counseling and health clubs to cope.
“Some students won’t reveal their situations but for those that have come out, it is alarming. These drama performances and counseling sessions have been helpful, opening their [students] eyes on the issue,” Semiyagi says.
At Nabisunsa, each teacher is assigned 30 to 50 students for mentorship and counseling. It appears to be working as children like Namakula are slowly starting to cope with societal challenges.
The programme is being spread to several schools, including the St Lawrence group of schools.
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