Kitenge wipes tears off faces of Kivulu's destitute children

Aug 22, 2012

Until October 31, New Vision will devote space to highlight the plight of slum dwellers as well as profiling those offering selfless service to improve conditions in these areas. Today, Carol Namtosi brings you Justus Koojo, who gives Makerere Kivulu’s destitute children and teen mothers hope

Until October 31, New Vision will devote space to highlight the plight of slum dwellers as well as profiling those offering selfless service to improve conditions in these areas. Today, Carol Namtosi brings you Justus Koojo, who gives Makerere Kivulu’s destitute children and teen mothers hope

“I don’t know what would have become of me,” says Hellen Kakai. “Perhaps I would be dead if this organisation had not come to my rescue,” adds the Senior Two student as she goes about her domestic chores at their home in Kivulu, a sprawling slum near Makerere University.

Kakai is one of the 500 destitute slum children in Kivulu being supported by Kitenge Africa, a non-governmental organisation working to improve the livelihood of disadvantaged children and mothers living in slums. 

“Before I was taken up by this organisation, I had no clothes or shoes,” Kakai says. She explains that this was after the death of her father, which also forced her to drop out of school due to lack of school fees. 

“So, I went to live with my elder sister. However, she went to Juba in search of green pastures and has never returned. “I had no form of support and kept hopping from one relative to another. The relatives also got tired. 

“But a Good Samaritan took me over even when she had a small house.  “One day, these people (Kitenge Africa) came, asked me a few questions and then agreed to pay my school fees,” recalls Kakai.

Like many slums in Uganda, the situation in Makarere Kivulu is pathetic. The slum is characterised by filth, crowded and unplanned shanty structures, poor sanitation and lack of basic facilities for health and education. 

Statistics from the 2002 Uganda Population and Housing Census shows that between 49% and 64% of Uganda’s estimated 3.2 million urban dwellers live in slums. Of these, only 13.9% have access to piped water and toilet facilities. 

In Kivulu, there is an acute shortage of toilet facilities and many residents use polythene bags ‘flying toilets’ that they throw in the drainage channels.”

Prostitution is also rife in the area, with a big number of illiterate and unemployed youth. Their main pass-time activities include drug abuse, alcoholism and gambling. 

Ray of hope

One evening in 2008, Justus Koojo, an IT graduate of Sikkim Manipal University, Kampala, was walking on Kampala Road when he witnessed an unconventional conversation. 

Jessica Dexter, a Canadian tourist, offered a banana finger to a street child and they engaged in some form of conversation. He became curious and approached the pair. He discovered that Dexter had a passion for helping disadvantaged children, but had no contacts of any organisation that would promote her cause in Uganda. 

Koojo, then 19 years old, picked the cue and formed Kitenge Africa to assist the vulnerable and disadvantaged children in slums. 

Funding

Born to Justus Mugisha and Sarah Kabahinda in Mbarara district, Koojo incorporated 1000 Shades of Green, a tour and travel company that contributes 40% of its profits towards supporting the charity.

“However, Kitenge Africa has over the years partnered with different individuals and organisations worldwide. These people contribute towards the cause either in kind or through cash donations,” he says.

This has helped the NGO expand its activities to include improving health, sanitation and personal hygiene through regular donation of clothes and sanitary materials.

“In the beginning, we would move door-to-door, begging and collecting donations, which we would give out to the homeless on the streets or organised groups in desperate needs like orphanages. 

“Besides that, we also offered free treatment to those suffering from skin infections or diseases and taught them on preventive measures,” Koojo says.

The organisation supports street children aged between four to 18 years old. It is also assisting 12 destitute mothers. 

LC officials speak out

Matia Kiggundu, the local council chairperson of Makerere Kivulu Zone 2, acknowledges the contribution by Kitenge, but is angry with the Government, saying it has ignored the plight of slum dwellers.

“The organisation has transformed the lives of destitute children and of mothers, who cannot afford to look after their children well,” he notes.

The LC official urges the Government to solve issues affecting slum dwellers and create projects that will provide employment to people, especially the youth, who, when left idle can cause problems. “Most of us are poor. We live in poor houses, there is rubbish everywhere. This causes diseases. Something must be done,” Kiggundu appeals.

Challenges 

Koojo says their greatest challenge is insufficient funding, lack of committed people to partner with as well as inadequate housing to cater for all the children. 

Despite the challenges, Koojo is not fazed. He is driven by a passion to help the less-fortunate to continue with the project.

Plans

He plans to expand his tours and travel business such that improved profit margins would translate into better contribution to the charity. 

At the moment, after the children have been rehabilitated and have gained basic survival and education skills, they are absorbed in small projects such as carpentry and micro-finance to help them gain practical vocational skills as they prepare for the future.

Message to policy makers and the well-to-do

“We need to care and love one another to achieve social and economic breakthrough, which will transform individuals and communities,” Koojo pointed out.

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