By Swift Reporter
More than 131 vulnerable children at Love and Care Children’s Home in Masaka have received support from Be Forward following a donation of essential supplies aimed at improving their welfare and living conditions.
The donation, which included mattresses, books and other items, was delivered by a delegation from Be Forward during a visit to the children’s home to assess the living conditions of the children and appreciate efforts being made to care for them.
The delegation was led by Charles Kamunvi, representing the association of motor vehicle dealers, and Joseph Bogere, who heads Be Forward’s operations in Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia. They pledged continued support towards the home.
The children at Love and Care are among those who have been abandoned by their parents and left without proper care and protection. The facility currently shelters and looks after more than 131 children who would otherwise be exposed to the challenges of surviving on the streets.
The home is managed by Nakasinde Fatuma, a philanthropist who has dedicated her efforts to providing shelter and care for the vulnerable children, largely with support from well-wishers and other people of goodwill.
During the visit, members of the Be Forward delegation commended Fatuma for her commitment to rescuing and looking after children who had been living on the streets of Masaka and neighbouring communities.
However, Fatuma acknowledged that sustaining the home and providing for the growing number of children comes with significant financial and logistical challenges. She appealed to government and other well-wishers to increase their support to enable the facility to meet the children’s daily needs.
The visit was also attended by police officers, with Masaka Regional Police Spokesperson Twaha Kasirye using the occasion to issue a stern warning to parents who abandon their children.
Kasirye condemned the practice, describing it as a criminal offence, and warned that police would intensify operations to identify and arrest parents who neglect their parental responsibilities by abandoning children on the streets.
He emphasised that parents found responsible would be taken to court and held accountable under the law.
The engagement brought attention to the plight of vulnerable children in Masaka, where child abandonment remains a concern despite the city’s continued growth and development.
Through its donation, Be Forward has joined other well-wishers in supporting efforts to provide vulnerable children with a safer and more supportive environment as calls grow for greater government and community involvement in child protection.