Ultimate Media
The National Coordinator of Nyaka Aids Foundation, Abu-Baker Sempa has called upon government to ensure its Universal primary Education (UPE) programme has a special concern for orphans.
He says that though government has done well to provide free primary education, many orphans, especially in rural areas still struggle to buy books, uniform and many cannot afford one meal a day to sustain them throughout the day.
Sempa says many orphans are left in the care of helpless grandmothers or relatives who are poor to afford buying uniform, books, and related materials for the orphans.
He says the situation has been worsened by the extra charges like stationery and building, which many UPE schools charge pupils. Sempa says this has made many orphans drop out of UPE schools.
He was speaking after the launch of Kutamba Aids Orphans School in Nyakishenyi, Rukungiri district, started by the Nyaka Aids Foundation. The school that started with 60 pupils in P.1 and P.2 will offer orphans free education, scholastic materials, healthcare as well as breakfast and lunch. It is the second school the foundation has started, after Nyaka Aids Orphans School in Kambuga, Kanungu, which is benefiting 180 orphans.
Sempa says this is their way of rising up to the challenges of orphans in the country, but more needs to be done since the number of orphans is on the increase. He says the government can also organize community centers to cater for orphans without any parent or people to look after them.
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