The Role of Women as Caregivers in Uganda
Women play a vital role in caregiving, especially in supporting vulnerable children. They provide essential needs, guidance, and love, often stepping in where traditional family structures fail. Some women care for abandoned children through orphanages and foster care programs, while others offer direct humanitarian aid and education. This critical work ensures that children have stability and hope for a better future.
A Story of Abandonment and Compassion
In January 2023, during a Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Kayunga Catholic Parish, a female worshipper with three children entered the church. She asked her five-year-old son to look after his siblings while she went to the restroom. However, she never returned. The children, two boys and a girl aged between five years and three months, were left waiting. As the priest concluded the service, the mother was still missing. The children attracted attention, and one of the congregants, Ruth Nakitto, a primary school teacher, offered to help.
Nakitto took the children to the police station and then to her home in Kisaaba Village. With official documentation from the Probation Office, she cared for them until their mother could be found. It was later revealed that the mother had abandoned her children. Nakitto has since helped care for over 15 abandoned children, including those she found at the church, now aged eight, six, and three years.
A Life of Service and Sacrifice
Ruth Nakitto, a 46-year-old teacher at Kayunga Girls Primary School, has dedicated her life to helping vulnerable children. Her journey began long before she became a qualified teacher in 2002. As a young student, she helped fellow learners and even provided food for the elderly and disabled members of her school community. Her charitable nature and discipline earned her many friends, including Rev Sr Ann Elizabeth, the former headteacher.
Nakitto comes from a large family raised by a single mother who worked as a tailor. Despite facing challenges such as asthma and financial difficulties, she received support that allowed her to pursue her education. Her dream of becoming a nun was thwarted due to her health, but she eventually became a teacher. In 2002, she graduated from Rakai Primary Teachers College and later earned a Diploma in Primary Education from Kyambogo University.
Challenges and Resilience
Nakitto currently cares for two children whose mother has mental health issues. She does not have biological children or a spouse, dedicating her life to serving God and helping vulnerable children. Her monthly salary of Shs450,000 is modest, so she runs a small retail shop selling sweets, bread, cooking oil, soap, and children’s toys. She also sells Bibles and rosaries at the church on Sundays to supplement her income.
Despite her efforts, Nakitto faces challenges in disciplining the children, many of whom come from difficult backgrounds. Two of the children ran away, and she struggled financially to meet their basic needs. The child who is HIV positive requires a balanced diet, which can be hard to afford. Nevertheless, she remains committed to her mission.
Official Perspectives on Child Abandonment
Damali Mirembe Manyindo, founder of Sonrise Baby Home in Jinja District, notes that many abandoned children come from Kayunga and surrounding areas. Parents often leave babies at health facilities, marketplaces, or public toilets, hoping they will be found by Good Samaritans. The home currently cares for 34 babies, but it lacks the capacity to take in more.
Dr Charles Iga, director of production for Kayunga District, attributes child neglect to poverty and domestic violence. While government programs like Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM) aim to alleviate poverty, not everyone benefits. In some rural parishes, about a quarter of intended beneficiaries do not receive PDM funds, leaving many families in need.
Collins Kafeero, probation and social welfare officer for Kayunga District, reports an increase in child abandonment cases. His office works closely with the Family and Child Protection Unit of the police to address these issues. When abandoned children are found, they are placed in homes or orphanages until they are five years old. If relatives cannot be traced, adoption processes begin, though the goal is always to reunite children with their families.
Kafeero highlights factors such as domestic violence, fathers neglecting their responsibilities, poverty, mental disorders, and parental death as causes of abandonment. He also mentions cases where single mothers abandon their children to remarry. His office collaborates with the police to ensure child neglect is addressed and to educate the public on children’s rights.
Rising Cases and the Need for Action
Last year, a widow in Nawankonge Village abandoned her children to get married. She was arrested but later reunited with them after seeking forgiveness. The community now contributes to the children’s school fees. According to police statistics, 11 cases of child abandonment were reported in Kayunga Police Station in 2024, up from nine in 2023.
The Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2004 shows that 3,663 cases of child neglect and 1,597 cases of child desertion were reported nationwide in 2004, increasing to 4,730 and 1,918 respectively in 2023. These numbers highlight the urgent need for continued efforts to protect and support vulnerable children.
