Written by Francis Ssuubi
During the last two weeks I have been travelling in different parts of Uganda, tracing children of prisoners, one thing that I have observed is that children in Uganda ,even those whose parents are not in prison, are in a great un describable crisis, and if nothing is done, the future of this country is bleak, raising up a generation that has been dented by poverty , and disease. With 50% of Uganda’s population being children, we have an uphill task to make the future bright for this nation.
Together with my team here we have visited a total of 33 families with 55 children with a parent in prison in the last two months ,tracing children of prisoners . 21 families we visited, the parent in prison had murdered his or her spouse leaving the children parentless.
In Kasese,i met a young boy Brian 5 years who was knocked down by a Boda Boda (Motor cycle),the thigh bone broke into two and the leg is rotting, he needs urgent medical help. His father is serving a long term in prison, and he has never seen him.
In Mbarara I met with a woman, a mother of two girls who for the last seven years thought her husband had simply got lost, she cried when she learnt that the husband is in prison on deathrow, and I counseled her,it was a blessing for me to offer support, she was smiling with her daughter when I left.
Then in another village in Isingiro, i met three children, they thought their father was dead, the whole village celebrated when they learnt that the father of these kids is alive,one man said that their hearts were out of their position, my visit has put their hearts back in the right place.
In another village, a grandmother looking after 3 children whose father is in prison was happy to know that her son in prison was alive, they were happy.
We hope to support all these kids at Wells of hope Academy, a school for prisoners children.
It was a very expensive and tiring journey moving through hard to reach terrain areas, mountainous, and hilly, rough roads, dusty roads, looking for families, I sat on Boda(motorcycle) for miles, the body pained, got headache and i was bathed in dust, I even caught a cough. But its a blessing..
I am requesting , you to be part of this, together we can turn the tide of a child of prisoner, sincerely you will be blessed. Currently we are in dire need of help to maintain these children at Well of Hope. Please help us ,help the children. These children cannot ask, that is why I am asking on their behalf.
Click here to see the pictures https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3918268447803.147492.1612269332&type=1