SLUM DWELLERS CHILD CARE PROJECT

INTRODUCTION

Hello my name is Grace, I worked as a early years teacher for some years and seeing children happy is my greatest joy. Recently I joined a charity called SAFE and am so proud of the work they do. Going through their projects I noticed the; SAFE SLUM DWELLERS’ CHILD CARE PROJECT and I thought I could do something to get it started.

Slum dwellers are among the lowest income earners which is the main reason they live in slums where the housing is affordable but very basic and in terrible state. They are engaged in low paying jobs and some are self employed in markets or are street vendors. While undertaking child protection awareness forums among slum dwellers, SAFE (Strategic Action For Eradication of child abuse) found that most of the slum dwellers are single women and sometimes to make ends meet, some also engage in prostitution in order to make ends meet.

We found children as young as 4 years old left on their own with younger siblings by parents who could not afford appropriate child care. Those who could afford to pay towards child care were leaving their children with unsuitable elderly women carers who were caring for up to 20 children in single rooms which had very poor sanitary conditions. Most of these children lay on mats on cement floors with no stimulation of any form whatsoever.

THE SAFE SLUM DWELLERS’ CHILD CARE PROJECT.

Concern for these children birthed the Slum dwellers child care project by SAFE with the intention of supporting the mothers start this self help project which they should be able to run themselves within 3 years.

This program has been dully costed, with SAFE intending to open a pilot child care facility in Kakajjo (a slum area between Makerere and old Kampala. This facility will cater for up to 50 children at a time and slum dwelling mothers who have been vetted will be involved in running this center. SAFE,s role will be limited to setting it up and ensuring that parents who use the facility contribute a minimal fee to enable continuity.The project will need a structure which will be a rented, play equipment, beds and mattresses, cooking facilities for milk and simple meals and a fridge. It is estimated that the Center will be caring for up to 50 children aged 0- 4 years

About the charity: SAFE – Strategic Action For Eradication of child abuse was registered in 2006 as an NGO for the purpose of advocating for children’s rights and educating communities of the different types of child abuses, ensuring that abused children are cared for safely while assessment of their long term care needs is being undertaken and resettling them back with safe family members or finding them alternative carers where this was not possible. The main purpose of our programs is to curtail the rampant abuses that continue to prevail in our communities.

I' am appealing to all of you people with caring hearts to contribute to this campaign so we could get it started and help the children through helping their mothers who seem to be caught between a rock and a hard stone in that if they don't go to work, they could not afford to feed their children and therefore going to work leaving their children in unsuitable care arrangements seems to be their only option. Let us put a stop to this y laying foundations that other child care centers will build upon..

For more details visit our Website: www.safechildug.org

Email: [email protected] Tel: +256393515305