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Protecting Children in Jinja, Uganda

We work with marginalised communities in the suburbs of Jinja to transform their neighbourhoods into safe spaces for children to live, play, learn and grow. 

Endemic poverty in the neighbourhoods surrounding Jinja, Uganda, puts thousands of children at risk of abuse, trafficking, neglect and exploitation. Children on the Edge work with community members in six local areas in the suburbs of Jinja; transforming them into safe spaces where children are protected from harm and are able to thrive.

We work closely with Children on the Edge Africa, our sister organisation, to support and train six ‘Child Protection Teams’, made up of locally elected volunteers who work with community members to keep children safe from harm. They understand the problems that need to be tackled in their areas and they serve as a voice for local children. With regular training, they learn how to uphold rights and address child abuse and neglect, working with the police, social workers and local councillors to bring about change.

This low-cost, effective model has been working since 2012, empowering local people to make the changes they want to see in their own communities, transforming them into safe places for children. 

To address gaps in early years education provisions in Loco and Wandago, Children on the Edge built two preschool centres. They offer a colourful safe space where 150 young children from the poorest households can access education and support at the most crucial time in their development. 

With poverty rife, many families in the communities we work with cannot afford to send their children to school. Child Protection Teams provide small business loans and training to help set up sustainable businesses that ensure families can earn enough money to pay for school fees. 

To empower children to play an active role in transforming their communities, three Child Rights Clubs in Loco, Masese I and Wandago work closely with the Child Protection Team members and campaign for change.  

At the national level we lobbied successfully for a change in the law to protect children from Child Sacrifice. The Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Bill 2020 was finally passed into law by the Ugandan President on the 14th July 2021.

"
I used my loan to boost my vegetable business, upgrading it from selling out of a big bowl to a proper kiosk. This has helped me to keep my children in school and provide what they need each day.
"

Rose - Masese III Community, Uganda

Meet Jane

Jane was elected chairperson soon after joining her local Child Rights Club. She said "Before joining the Child Rights Club, I had a lot of difficulties; I lacked self esteem and confidence to stand for the truth. I used to be afraid of my sister and my teachers, but now I can be honest and tell them what’s on my mind.”

As chairperson, Jane coordinates activities for the club and tries her best to inspire her fellow members and she is a trusted counsellor for other children. Under her leadership, the Loco Child Rights Club has become proactive and effective. 

The headteacher at her school used to be completely uninterested in the Child Rights Club, but after witnessing the impact of their activities, she was won over. Jane told us that "When we requested permission from the headteacher for our cleaning day, she gave it without question. Previously she would have refused, saying we were wasting time on useless things!”

Jane says, "I’m so grateful for the Child Rights Club; it has changed my life and the lives of many other children”.

Your donation can support more children like Jane to build their confidence 
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OUR IMPACT

6

Child Protection Teams transforming their communities

3

Child Rights Clubs where children can use their voices for change

150

Children learning at two preschool centres

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS IN JINJA HELP TO
CREATE CHANGE

Make a difference. Donate Today.

£16

Could provide a snack & a drink for a child at our preschool centres for a year.

£28

Could cover a teachers salary for a week in our preschool centre in Loco.

£249

Could fund a Community Workshop to train parents on how to keep their children safe.

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Ten Years of Change in Jinja

Babra Nandawula, our social worker in Uganda describes the incredible change she has witnessed in communities in Jinja over the past ten years.

Ending Child Sacrifice: The Inside Story of the Five Year Fight to Change the Law in Uganda

We share the inside story of the fight to change the law in Uganda. After five years of civil society campaigning, The Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Act 2021 was officially signed into law on the 14th July 2021.

Child Protection Teams

For over a decade, Child Protection Teams, set up, trained and supported by Children on the Edge, have been working to transform marginalised communities in Uganda.

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