Page 34 - Oct-Dec 2024 Edition

| CHARITY FEATURE

By: Turaiya Lemard (DEV - Student)

UGANDA HANDS FOR HOPE

ganda Hands for Hope is a many children to roam the slum, exposing
Unon-governmental organisation them to increased risks of neglect, danger, and
exploitation.
dedicated to supporting the most
vulnerable children and families This is where we come in!
within the Namuwongo slum of In 2008, Joseph Cummiskey embarked on
Kampala. Our mission is to reduce a mission to make a difference. He focused
on children in Namuwongo who were at risk
poverty and create enduring change of potentially not surviving to reach the age
in the lives of those most in need of five due to disease, malnutrition, neglect,
by promoting education, healthcare and danger. What began as a small protection
shelter providing food, basic medical support
equity, and empowerment and a haven for vulnerable children, has grown
programs. significantly.
Namuwongo is one of the largest slums in Today, we continue to offer food, shelter, and
Kampala, with research showing an estimated safety through a comprehensive educational
population of between 20,000 - 30,000 people, programme that also includes a variety of other
and approx. 50% of the population primarily community support programmes and increased
consisting of children. Unfortunately, families medical support to address basic health needs
endure extreme poverty, often struggling to earn for families. Our educational establishments
$1 a day. As a result, families face homelessness not only cover core subjects but also provide
or live in homes with severely inadequate extracurricular activities such as a brass band/
infrastructure that are especially vulnerable to music training, creative dance and Irish dancing,
flooding. It is also common for families to go beat boxing and venture scouts, in addition to
days without proper food/ meals. The pressure traditional sporting activities such as athletics,
to earn a living often forces parents to leave football, hockey, netball, and volleyball as well
their children unsupervised, as they cannot as Gaelic football and hurling to mention a
afford the prohibitively high schooling fees whilst few. These activities all ensure children remain
working within the informal sector. This leaves engaged and safe, away from the dangers of
roaming the slums.
32
32