KCCA partners with Napak District to rescue, reintegrate Street Children back to their families
By AKAMPA Tanbull
akampabi@gmail.com
Over 259 Children have been rescued and are being taken to Koblin Skilling Centre in Napak District where tracing and reintegration with their families is going to be done. Food items to support the centre was equally delivered last Friday 29th July 2022.
As we write this story, Kampala Capital City Authority has experienced an increasing number of children in street situations especially from Karamoja region forming 80% of children in street situations and the majority from Napak District.
There are reported cases of about 250 Karamojong children especially teenage girls with siblings living on their own in Kisenyi parish (Central Division) and Katwe parish (Makindye Division) brought by collaborators to Kampala for purposes of forced begging, and over 500 children with adult care takers spending the day on the streets/in markets sorting beans.
The information from communities revealed that there are adults who live on the money collected by children including parents in Karamoja especially in Napak District who wait for ’remittances from their children. The single reason for trafficking children from Karamoja currently is the commercial value attached to begging. This has become a lucrative business involving varied beneficiaries where children are exploited, abused and possibly trafficked.
It is against the above background that KCCA has designed strategies to rescue children from streets and prevention of children in street situations as a way of contributing to wellbeing of children in the country.Kampala Capital City Authority realised the need to work closely with other District local governments especially Napak District leaders where 80% children on the streets in Kampala come from to support in reunification of children with families, prosecute perpetrators and prevent trafficking of children. It is clear that the street begging syndicate especially by Karamajong children has turned into lucrative business under the control of street monitors.
This has to be aggressively addressed to save the children from exploitation.
All people who give street kids money are promoting this vice of keeping Children on Kampala streets, therefore should desist or be charged since there is a law that prohibits giving out money as well littering the streets, Kampala citizens should work hand in hand with KCCA to build a smart City. For more information about KCCA services click this link! (KCCA website)
www.tanbull256.com
