|
|
|
|
 |
|
21 June, 2012 UMEME this morning presented a donation of Uganda Shillings 6.6 million to Child's i Foundation a transitional care centre that aims to resettle abandoned children back into families in Uganda. Handing over the donation at the Umeme Head Office in Kampala, General Manager (Regulatory Affairs) Sam Zimbe said '...Umeme had noticed the increased number of abandoned children in Kampala is responding to the urgent call for support the Foundation has made...' The donation made covers one year's costs of Lydia Semwogerere a family support worker and counselor at the Foundation. On a day to day basis Lydia provides critical support to children and families resettled in the home. Besides checking on hygiene Lydia, a mother of five herself, including two adopted children, teaches mothers how to prepare a balanced diet for their children and encourages them to learn about family planning and child safety. "I'm grateful that Umeme has decided to help us make families and not orphans," said Lydia, speaking at a press conference at Umeme's headquarters where she received a cheque. Umeme's support to the family support worker will ensure that over the next year all children who are resettled into their families are protected, well looked after and provided for and others helped to grow up in families and not orphanages. "This cause caught our attention because of the numbers involved. Out of the estimated 40,000 children living in institutional care across Uganda in 2012, there were only 73 children on the official record as having been adopted or re-settled into families," Zimbe said. Alternative childcare comes amidst a challenge of frequent cases of children abandonment by desperate mothers who feel they cannot sustain their children. |
 |
