There are over 1,612 young people (aged 8-17) living full time on the streets of Jinja, Uganda, over 80% of whom regularly use drugs to numb the pain of their situation & stop them feeling cold and hungry. With your help, we will provide addiction support services to over 800 of these young people.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
Around 80% of the 1,612 youth living full time on the streets of Jinja regularly use mafuta (aeroplane fuel) to numb the trauma they have experienced, stop them feeling cold and hungry and reduce the pain of being beaten, raped or injured whilst trying to survive. Drug addiction is the biggest challenge we face in supporting a child to successfully leave the streets. Once addicted, they are less likely to want to return home due to the stigma of drug abuse and the need to access drugs.
Solution
We will provide residential rehabilitation for young people who are committed to overcoming their addiction and returning to their families. They will receive the specialist medical care, support and counselling they need to deal with their addiction, overcome trauma and rebuild family relationships. They will also be supported by our social workers to run peer education sessions for children still on the streets, focused on the dangers of drug abuse and how to access support through SALVE.