Today it’s Blog Action Day. Founded in 2007, Blog Action Day brings together bloggers from different countries, interests and languages to blog about one important global topic on the same day. Close to 2,000 bloggers from 108 countries have registered to take part. The theme this year is “The Power of We“: a celebration of people working together to make a positive difference in the world, either for their own communities or for people they will never meet half way around he world.
I would like to use this opportunity to put an organisation in the spotlight called Footstep Uganda. This private non-profit organisation created by a Dutch couple and a Flemish woman, helps innocent children who are unjustly and unfairly held in child-prisons in Uganda. More than 400 children are held captive in the Kampiringisa prison. There are only a handful of children there who committed a petty crime. The rest are mostly orphans who were living on the streets or children rejected by a stepparent. They live under horrendous circumstances. If no relatives are found, the street children remain there until their 18th birthday. They don’t get food daily, and if they do it’s only a corncob. There are toddlers in the child prison who can’t speak because no one talks to them. Due to the circumstances they lag in their development. A lot of the kids are sick. Malaria, worms that eat skin, and HIV are dispersed.
The people from Footstep Uganda are the only visitors allowed. They can have one weekly visit to give the kids warmth, medical care and attention. Until now they have negotiated and saved 40 children. The rescued children are staying at the Footstep Home where they get food, an education and most importantly love. [continue reading after photo]
When I saw the TV images only yesterday (partly Dutch, partly English), I cried my eyeballs out. The images are heartbreaking and I felt nauseous just by looking at them. My heart is aching for the children and WE need to do something! (scroll down to watch the 13 minutes video)
WE can empower Footstep Uganda by financially adopting a child, providing for a specific need or contributing towards the development of their projects. WE can volunteer, WE can visit the Footstep Home and bring presents. WE can free them. WE can give them daily happiness.
Watch a video of the Child prison and Footstep Uganda here (partly Dutch, partly English, 13 minutes): Child Prison Uganda
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5 thoughts on “The Power of We – Put a smile on the face of a child”
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Thanks for bringing such a place to people’s attention – it sounds awful and no child should have to live like that. Toddlers who can’t speak for lack of example is just heart wrenching.
O my god Louise! I’ve just been watching the video and it is indeed heartbreaking.. Great that you’ve brought this to the attention of more people and footstep is a fantastic organization!
Had no idea this day even exists, so thanks for bringing it to our attention !!! Will now be better prepared for future to make a difference, like you’ve done!!
Good for you !!
Had no idea it was blog action day. Thanks for highlighting the cause. It helps to step back from our own lives and really explore what else is going on, aside from what we “hear” on the news. It really is a tragedy, I look forward to learning more about it and how we can help.
I truly admire your spirit for highlighting this cause and taking a step towards getting everyone’s attention to it.
I wish you and Foodstep Uganda all the very best in this noble endeavour.
~Varada