Growing a Better Future for Children in Remand

Early in 2014, Sustain for Life launched a programme at Mbale Remand Home in Uganda to improve the lives and livelihood prospects of children in detention, girls and boys aged 12 to 17 who had been in conflict with the law and were awaiting trial. Mbale is one of five remand homes in Uganda and some of the children there are among Uganda’s most vulnerable. Children in detention face a multitude of unacceptable conditions such as poor nutrition, lengthy periods on remand, poor sanitation and health, and lack of recreational and rehabilitative services. Given the limited resources from the Ugandan government, the detention centres are unable to provide children with their basic needs, psychosocial support, education or other rehabilitative services to prepare them for reintegration back into their communities.

How did we help?

Sustain for Life directly implemented a programme  to improve lives and livelihood prospects for extremely vulnerable children detained at Mbale Remand Home through agricultural training and food growing, non-formal education, resettlement of children into safe communities, improved emotional and physical health and better access to justice within a safe environment. Specifically, we :

• Aimed to improve the psychosocial and general well-being of children detained at Mbale Remand Home
• Worked to developing the skills of children and staff in sustainable agriculture
• Worked to establish gardens at the centre, growing food and raising poultry to improve nutritional health
• Aimed to building the capacity of staff to enhance the delivery of services to detained children
• Assisted to try and limit the time children were detained through facilitation of the justice process, tracing, family counselling and resettlement.