The Environmental Women in Action for Development in partnership with the Work No Child’s Business(WNCB) have donated bicycles to boost current efforts towards the progressive elimination of child Labor in Busitema Sub County in Busia district.
Busitema Sub County is one of the new project areas where EWAD has expanded the work no child’s business with hope alive that constructive efforts will progressively contribute towards the elimination of child labor and create child labor free zones.
The peloton of 18 bicycles will be used by a trained team of local research assistants who also double as community mobilisers against child labor in Busitema.
The Work No Child’s Business (WNCB) Project is implemented by the Environmental Women in Action for Development (EWAD) in Busia, supported by Hivos with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Netherlands towards ending child labor in Busia District among other districts in Uganda.
According to EWAD executive director Margaret Tuhumwire, the community mobilisers are working as community watchdogs to identify, and report suspected cases of child labor.
‘They will not only work as watchdogs but they will also sensitize the community and children about the dangers of child labor in addition to creating local community structures to offer support to the victims, she explained.
The bicycles will also enhance preparedness to address child labor emergencies in the communities in which these community mobilisers live.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the EWAD/WNCB Busia program manager Shallon Ninsima said that the bicycles will greatly expand the child labor response in Busitema. Through the provision of these bicycles, it eases mobility within their areas of operation as we progressively move towards ending child labor in Busia. We’re looking forward to great results to inform the next project interventions based on evidence,” says Shallon.
EWAD executive director further explains that EWAD is committed to rally support behind the most vulnerable of communities, which include youth, children, women, and all people in need through sustainable development and an appreciation for and protection of their environment, we hope to help them improve their quality of life.
The community mobilisers doubling as research assistants have also been commissioned to undertake a household mapping to collect data in 800 households in selected seven villages where EWAD/WNCB project is working in Busitema Sub County to inform project interventions based on researched information. The household survey mapping will cover Busitema, Syanyonja, Habuleke and Chawo parishes among others.
Speaking at an event to hand over the bicycles to the community mobiliser held at Busitema primary School the Busitema Sub county Administrative secretary, Sijui Emojong noted that most children in Busitema are either engaged in child labor or survivors because of the Gold mining boom.
“This donation of bicycles will help the community and children to mobilize them out of child labor and engage in constructive sustainable activities and also attain education,” he explained.
“I appeal to the beneficiaries to look after these bicycles with good care. Let me also take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to our partners WNCB and the Government of Netherlands for their continuous commitment towards our community work,” She further said.
Our Mission is to “To empower poor women, children and youth to overcome poverty and vulnerability through education, life skills development and enhanced access to other resources for social and economic development.”
