The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) partners with AFJN-Uganda on many of these initiatives through the generosity and prayer of our members, donors, funders, and supporters. We thank you making possible these stories to share.
By Sr. Mary Lilly Driciru, MSMMC
The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN)-Uganda, a registered nongovernmental organization (NGO) (after holding multiple advocacy programs) is helping the youth and children in Karamoja by advocating for justice though charity. With the help of partners like the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, pilot communities like Lokopo, Iriri and Lokopo primary school are vibrantly transforming lives through specialized organic farming and agribusiness.
The Mwagale Foundation (a child of AFJN-Uganda and result of the 2018 Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIPs) 2018 workshops) is now a partner. The group, comprised of the survivors of trafficking and vulnerable persons, amplify the awareness creation and prevention of TIPs in the central region and in Karamoja. They also support agricultural activities and other outreach programs in Lokodiokodioi and Lotome primary schools and neighboring communities and groups.
With the collaboration of local governments and stakeholders, over 500 kids were rescued and sent to some of the above mentioned primary schools. These interventions help school retainership, up to 80%. Additionally, the pilot schools are forming a Young Farmer’s Club as part of the school extracurricular activities to help the pupils change their mindset on farming. If all goes well, similar activities will be extended to other communities to enhance the prevention of trafficking, women and community empowerment.
Since AFJN (Washington, DC) stepped foot in Uganda in the name of advocacy and women empowerment, the impact is clear. Religious sisters, their lay partners and other stakeholders collaborate in taking longer strides in advocating for rights of the silenced members of the society. This ranges from abused women, child mothers and the marginalized members of the society particularly in the Karamoja’s Napak District and other parts of northern Uganda.
It all started on the streets of Kampala, in 2018, when AFJN inquired why Karamojong children and youth were more subjected to street begging than others. Digging deep, it stemmed from domestic TIPs with various interest groups targeting these vulnerable members of this society. Some prominent people subjected these unfortunate members to commercial begging. At the end of the day, all the beggars had to surrender all they received to their boss, receiving $0.50 or less for they day, if they were lucky!
Babies who became part of the nasty game were intentionally malnourished to attract sympathy in the begging spree, while the surrogate or female care giver would fill the milk bottles with alcohol! Other youth are exploited for cheap labor in the city markets, construction sites and the like. Untold atrocities are committed in their dilapidated quarters: ranging human rights abuses, organ harvesting, drug abuse, and premature death.
In a community dialogue, AFJN-Uganda learned from the local communities in Karamoja, that the only way to keep away from the streets is to become self sufficient. They need to have access to safe drinking water, become food secure, and create other social amenities to stop rural urban migration. In this case, food production through specialized agricultural projects in the community and schools and safe water is key in the prevention of TIPs by providing alternatives and providing opportunities in the community. Hence, theory of change and transformative development!
