Following the spread of covid-19 pandemic that was reported in Uganda in March 2020, there has been a rise in the number of street children. The pandemic has increased the effects caused by the recent 2020 Kasese flash floods that happened in the month of May. Most of these kids spend their time loitering in town, a situation that forces them into unsafe sexual practices, drug abuse and continue to be at risk for psychoactive substance use, HIV infection and other reproductive health problems.
Rwenzori region in the western part of Uganda which is comprised of six districts of Kasese, Bundibugyo, Rubirizi, Ntoroko, Bunyangabu and Kamwenge has also in the past been affected by both internal and external conflicts, a situation that has affected social economic development and education sectors where instead of children going to school some of them have instead opted for early marriages.
To some parents the practice is seen as a source of income therefore inducing their girl children to get married at an early stage while the boys also marry at a young age due to failure by their parents to take them to school due to economic constraints. These tendencies have resulted into early pregnancies and therefore over population which has further exerted pressure on the already poor social economic status of the local communities in the region which has compelled some of the children to run to streets in the urban centers hoping to find a fairly good life there.
Since February 2020 magic events foundation is implementing a residential music project that is targeting street children who were clearly identified and picked from the streets of Kasese town. The project is meant to equip these Kids with Music skills and other Hands on skills including soap making, candle making and Art and craft so that they can be self-reliant and rehabilitated and rejoined with their families.
The music project has since reduced on the psychosocial behaviors change among these kids hence rehabilitating them. The skills acquired by the kids will help them fight poverty in their families through putting them into use and hence they will be able to pass on the skills to other community members who did not attend the training.
The project has reduced on the number of street children by 50% and through conselling sessions, hope has been restored among these Kids as they continue to see a bright life in the future because of the skills they are attaining as we look forward to rejoining them with their parents or guardians.
Dozens of children across the country are being robbed of an education simply because of who they are or where they live. Deprived of learning because they are caught up in emergencies, face extreme poverty, or are discriminated against because of their gender, disability or ethnicity. The world’s most vulnerable and excluded children are missing out on education.
Magic Event is a non-profit community based organisation that was founded with an aim of developing the potential of Ugandan child through education, health, environmental conservation and skills development.