About us
BACKGROUND
As of 2019, the number of street children in Uganda stands at 15,000 having risen in the past few years. Most of these are between ages 7 and 20. About 44% of streetchildren connect with the streets between 5 to 10 years (According to a recent report by Child hub Org ). In 2019, the Government of Uganda through Kampala Capital City Authority passed a law barring Ugandans from issuing money, foodstuffs and other items, asserting that it encourages children to stay on the streets. A number of organizations and stakeholders have offered given solutions to the problem some of which are realistic but not sustainable. Many believe these children’s presence on the streets is their own making and this has unfortunately made society believe that these children are incapable of doing anything productive. Unfortunately, most do not have anyone to mentor, guide and show them that there is more to life. Over the years, the growing need for someone to believe in them and show them the possibility of a better future that lies ahead for them is what shows on most of their faces.
In 2014, our team leader’s urge to offer these children a better life and the desire to equip them with the entrepreneurship and life skills that she had obtained earlier on in her life, saw her, during her second year at university bring together a group of artists, inspired by her vision and their goodwill to form “Streetlights Uganda”. An organization that uses both visual and performing arts to empower children living on the streets with entrepreneurship and life skills that encourage them to become self-employed and responsible citizens by studying, discovering and developing their talents. Streetlights is therefore an organisation born out of empathy and a deeper understanding of what it is like to lack in everything and hence offers an escape from the dangers of social ruin to the comfort of social support and belief in the fact that every child has an innate talent that can be discovered, nurtured and developed in order for them to earn a living. This enables us to touch their lives and nurture their creative minds by using art as a silent but loud tool!
Years of
Foundation
Children impacted
Women Empowered
incredible
volunteers
successful
Projects
OUR TEAM
Mujuzi Dennis
Joviah Namihanja
Nabwire Joan
Kyasimire Joan
Mwesigwa Benjamin
Kiggundu Rodney
Victoria Merab Akinyi
Vision
Mission
Objectives
Vision
A better world for Streetchildren
Mission
To Unearth the potential of street children through skills development and capacity building using art
Objectives
- To observe, study and discover the talents and abilities of the homeless.
- To train and develop the capacity and talents of the homeless through organizing art workshops/training, equipping them with skills to promote self-employment.
- To provide psychological support to the victims in the bid to boost their confidence and self-esteem.
- To create awareness and sensitization about the dangers of street habitation, drug use.
- To nurture, build and transform the homeless youth into self-employed, self-driven, respectful and presentable citizens with great self-esteem.
- To build more partnerships in bid to create more opportunities and offer platform for these.