At 13,Mwesigwa is head of the family
Aug 24, 2010
Thirteen-year-old Herman Mwesigwa has to miss school on Tuesdays and Fridays to earn a living and look after his siblings. The Primary Seven pupil of Lake Site Primary School in Walukuba Masese in Jinja Municipality looks after five of his siblings.
By Doreen musingo
Thirteen-year-old Herman Mwesigwa has to miss school on Tuesdays and Fridays to earn a living and look after his siblings. The Primary Seven pupil of Lake Site Primary School in Walukuba Masese in Jinja Municipality looks after five of his siblings.
He also pays rent for their house in Masese slum. “Tuesdays and Fridays are my work days because of the market day at Masese fish landing site. I leave early in the morning to ferry people and food items from the boats to the mainland,†says Mwesigwa.
Mwesigwa, who earns sh500 per item ferried, says when their father died two years ago, his relatives grabbed all their household properties and evicted them from their house.
Their mother, who had five children at that time, abandoned them and got married in Tororo, where she gave birth to another baby. She later dumped the child for Mwesigwa and moved on.
For over two years, Mwesigwa has been struggling to fend for the family until the Bujagali Trust Foundation (BTF) came to his rescue.
“I am very happy that the Foundation has taken over one of my siblings, Alex Kasada, who is six years old. They pay his school fees; provide him with scholastic materials and clothing. This has given me a chance to save money to look after my other siblings,†Mwesigwa says.
Mwesigwa has opened up a super-saving scheme account where he saves for his school fees and money to look after his siblings.“I don’t know what is in store for me when I finish my P7; I am the father and mother and yet the demands on my shoulders are increasing.â€
Mwesigwa hailed the Foundation during a luncheon ceremony held at YMCA Training School hall, where children under the Foundation met the chairperson, Kevin and his wife Elispeth Riley.
Martina Wakole, a neighbour to the children says BTF has brought hope to the family.
“Relatives stole all the household items leaving these children to suffer,†she says.
Currently, Mwesigwa is working in Lingila Island near Dolwe Islands, where he went to collect timber to earn a living after completing his Primary Seven mock examinations.
Thirteen-year-old Herman Mwesigwa has to miss school on Tuesdays and Fridays to earn a living and look after his siblings. The Primary Seven pupil of Lake Site Primary School in Walukuba Masese in Jinja Municipality looks after five of his siblings.
He also pays rent for their house in Masese slum. “Tuesdays and Fridays are my work days because of the market day at Masese fish landing site. I leave early in the morning to ferry people and food items from the boats to the mainland,†says Mwesigwa.
Mwesigwa, who earns sh500 per item ferried, says when their father died two years ago, his relatives grabbed all their household properties and evicted them from their house.
Their mother, who had five children at that time, abandoned them and got married in Tororo, where she gave birth to another baby. She later dumped the child for Mwesigwa and moved on.
For over two years, Mwesigwa has been struggling to fend for the family until the Bujagali Trust Foundation (BTF) came to his rescue.
“I am very happy that the Foundation has taken over one of my siblings, Alex Kasada, who is six years old. They pay his school fees; provide him with scholastic materials and clothing. This has given me a chance to save money to look after my other siblings,†Mwesigwa says.
Mwesigwa has opened up a super-saving scheme account where he saves for his school fees and money to look after his siblings.“I don’t know what is in store for me when I finish my P7; I am the father and mother and yet the demands on my shoulders are increasing.â€
Mwesigwa hailed the Foundation during a luncheon ceremony held at YMCA Training School hall, where children under the Foundation met the chairperson, Kevin and his wife Elispeth Riley.
Martina Wakole, a neighbour to the children says BTF has brought hope to the family.
“Relatives stole all the household items leaving these children to suffer,†she says.
Currently, Mwesigwa is working in Lingila Island near Dolwe Islands, where he went to collect timber to earn a living after completing his Primary Seven mock examinations.