Supporting Street-Connected Children and Youths
When COVID-19 hit Uganda, the government implemented a complete lockdown as well as a strict curfew, which put street-connected children and youths (SCCY) at a very high risk, considering that they solely depend on the streets to survive and that they are among the most vulnerable and stigmatized people in Gulu City in Northern Uganda. The measures put in place by the government did not include the protection of such vulnerable people, who were therefore at risk of falling into criminality, exploitation, and potentially death.
Eirene Suisse’s volunteer Gaetan Bidaud worked with local partner Hashtag Gulu, an organization aiming at supporting SCCY in Gulu and restoring their dignity and hopes. Together, they opened a temporary shelter for 3 months where 70 SCCY stayed. Besides a bed for the night, SCCY received nutritious meals, medical and psychological support, vocational training, as well as various activities such as sports and arts. Volunteers also seized the opportunity to undertake a research study on SCCY in Gulu in order to shed light on this generally disregarded and forgotten population. This was all possible thanks to the support of volunteers and the involvement of the community and local authorities.
The most obvious impact was that SCCY were safe and secure during this highly dangerous time, and 10 SCCY were reintegrated with their family when that was possible and safe. This was also the occasion to make the problems of SCCY visible, which has worked well considering that it has since become a priority of the local government. Their local partner seized the opportunity to position themselves as a leading organization in the matter.
The management of the shelter allowed the partner CSO to continue its program with SCCY and, more importantly, to strengthen their relationship with their beneficiaries. It is indeed worth mentioning that SCCY have significant trust issues with the population as a whole and NGOs in particular, as they have been deceived many times in the past. Thanks to their commitment and the support of volunteers, the CSO has now gained this trust and will surely be able to strengthen its actions in the future.
