CHILDREN LIVING ON STREETS: ADVOCATES BEGIN THE JOURNEY TO KARAMOJA

First lady Janat Museveni has flagged off a group of child rights advocates who have begun a journey to Karamoja to raise awareness on the need for joint action to stop trafficking of Karamojong children to the streets. The activists led by the country director of Dwelling Places, Damon Wamara will walk for 18 days to Karamoja to say no to the sale of children. The walk dubbed “Journey of Hope” comes amidst growing concern and debate following an investigative story “Life for Sale” aired on one of the local Television stations showing parents selling off their children at 50,000 shillings at Arapai Market in Napak, Karamoja region. In her speech read by the director in charge of social protection at the ministry of gender, Labor and Social development James Ebitu, the first lady said government is committed to having every child in school including those living and working on the streets. Meanwhile, members of parliament under the Uganda Parliamentary Forum for children have released results of their fact finding mission which show that selling of children is a booming business in Sorotiwith brokers positioned at the Soroti- Karamoja boarder to help those ready to sell off their children especially the girls. The legislators say that the children are trafficked all the way to Kampala and major cities where they are placed on streets to begwith the money collected going to well-established businessmen yet to be confirmed. The forum has now resolved to table a motion in parliament that will provide answers to the problem and also challenged area leaders to cause the formulation of ordinances on the matter. They also want roadblocks mounted on the main routes used by the traffickers and arresting the perpetrators. Dwelling places founder, Mrs Lilian Nkemba the time is now to stand with Karamojawith the organization ready to support the area”. “I don’t know who started the saying that we will not wait for the Karamojong to develop, I grew up in school hearing it but we are changing today, we are standing with Karamoja”. MrsNkemba emphasized. The executive director, Uganda Child Rights NGO Network, Stella Ayo asked every Ugandan to contribute to educating Karamojong children. “You need only 2000 shillings to sponsor a child in Karamoja, which is less than a dollar, we can all contribute to this cause” She said. According to a report by Retrack, about 15,000 live and work on streets in Uganda with the Karamoja taking the second place in all areas.

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