Last week I attended an event at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala. Unicef Uganda was launching the Situation Analysis for Children of Uganda. I have to admit, I was more than shocked by some of the statistics that were shared. Like, 57% of Uganda’s total population is below 18 years! That is over 20 million of the 35 million Ugandans. Of the 20 million Ugandans 3.7 million children below 5 years of age leave in poverty.
Here is a writeup done by Catherine Ntabadde Makumbi, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Uganda, it has details about the event. There is a video which you can watch at the end of this post.
Listening to all the different presentations and reading all the literature that was shared got me asking myself what could be done to change this situation, what an individual like me and anyone else can do about it? This reminded me of a video a watched awhile ago, that changed a thing or two about how I go through my day and it hit me, with an additional small action(s) I could possibly change much more than I can imagine, I mean who knows!
Here watch this;
As a challenge to myself I decided to add a little more action to my routine. Every morning on my way to work, I pass by a number of kids walking to school, most of them are way to young to be walking to school. Did I mention how cold it usually is at 6am in the morning?! Obviously these are kids from families that are struggling in one way or another. So, I thought, what little action can I possibly do that might change a little something in their lives?
I remembered back in the day, my school days, I always got in trouble for loosing my writing tool – Whether a pen or pencil. My parents would literally lose it every time I got home after school and I have no clue where I left my pen or my pencil. Interestingly, even now in the office, pens are the things that we all seem to lose most, I am sure its not only in this office, yes?!
So I decided, every morning- well, whenever I can, on my way to work I will be giving a few school children that I meet a pen or a pencil! This little pen or pencil might not seem like much but it’s one of the most important tools a pupil or student must have at all times. Its been interesting the last few kids I have given a pen/pencil to, how excited they get for getting a new pen, it is awesome to look at.
As a challenge to you who is reading this blog, what little action have you taken or what can you do for a child today? The action I am taking is definitely not a permanent solution, but I believe together we can come up with, and have permanent solutions. Tweet me, lets have a chat.. My twitter handle is @cmugume
PS. While you are thinking, do a quick search for #InvestInUgChildren on twitter, you shall be able to learn more about the children situation in Uganda, what different people are doing about it and probably get you an idea or two about the possible actions you can take.
