We walk down to the slums of Kampala to reach out to known and unknown street children, whom we rescue, rehabilitate, reconcile and reintegrate street children and other vulnerable children back to their respective families
Street outreaches are a key channel for connecting with vulnerable children. Through direct engagement with them, we are able to show them care and concern. As we counsel them, we win their trust, and they open up and tell us their stories. This is where the process of rehabilitation starts, as the children feel valued and ready to listen to counsel. In the process, we end up inviting them to come to our centers where they are exposed to a life/family environment, hence leading to positive changes.
During outreaches, they participate in leisure activities such as games, sharing testimonies, and receiving mentorship advice from former street-successful persons who are invited to share their success stories.
Mobile clinics are also set up whenever we have outreaches in the field, and those with minor health complications are treated or given first aid, while those with complex problems are referred to nearby hospitals for treatment. Generally, such outreach programs are interactive and interesting for the children, giving them hope to live another day.
Bible Study
Learning about God, through this we get time to know and understand how the boys see things and hear the picture they have or view about God.
Hygiene
To support our children with their poor hygiene our programs start with an opportunity to take a shower, brush teeth and wash and change clothes. Each child has their own kit of clothes, soap, and toothbrush.
Counselling
Our children have experienced things children should never go through. Rejection by family, social exclusion by the society, trauma, violence and abuse are their reality and our work is to give these children the support they need to cope and get through their experiences. We do this through group sessions as well as one on one session.
Health Care
Due to unsanitary living conditions our children face various infections and illnesses regularly. The smallest wound can turn in to a big infection due to the living circumstances these children are forced to live under. Therefore, our most important work concerns health care where all our staff members are trained in first aid. When our children are ill we provide proper care through a nearby clinic.
Feeding
The poor living conditions our children live under force them to eat leftovers, dirty food or even no food at all at times. The food we give them during our programs might be the only proper meal they get through the week. Therefore, we give them two meals per program and make sure to give a nutritious meal of rice, meat, cabbage, fruit and plenty of water.
Lessons
One dream most of our children have in common is the dream of going back to school. During our programs we focus on basic education that will help our children and to get used to the school environment. We have life skill lessons with all kind of important topics from critical thinking to drug abuse. We also teach basics in English and bible studies.
Activities
We involve our children in a number of activities so as to help them feel at home and have the joy of opening up to us through the trust we build during the games and sports that we carry out during outreaches, we encourage many children to participate because it allows us a chance to study them and come up with ways of helping them.
NIGHT OUTREACHES
During Night outreaches, we serve food to the children, get to find and reach out to new more children, inform them of the day programs, offer medical (First Aid) to those with minor injuries and for others with serious conditions we take them to hospital and at the same time offer shelter either temporarily or permanent.