Precious Childrens Centre

The Precious Children’s Centre is a community based, nonprofit initiative that aims to improve the welfare of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in the Kawempe Division of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. Kawempe is a highly populated slum area, with over 290,500 inhabitants and a 60% illiteracy rate. The area is also known for its high crime rates and HIV/AIDS. The Precious Children’s Centre works with police and local council members to locate vulnerable children and provide them with a safe place to live, nutritious food, counseling and rehabilitation, early childhood education, and basic primary education.

The Precious Children’s Centre was founded in 2011 by Robert Baryamwesiga, an officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, who was born and raised in Kawempe, and was moved with compassion for area children when he made a return visit.

Providing Nutritious Food

Real Medicine Foundation began supporting the Precious Children’s Centre in 2015, providing monthly funding to purchase nutritious food for the children. This funding has improved the children’s health and concentration, and stabilized operations at the Precious Children’s Centre, since food shortage was one of the biggest challenges affecting the project.

Supporting Vulnerable Children

In addition to providing food and shelter for its 464 OVC and former street children, the Precious Children’s Centre provides:

• 425 OVC with basic primary education and
• 39 former street children with counseling and rehabilitation before they are enrolled in our education program.

In this community where illiteracy, crime, and disease are prevalent, these vulnerable children now have a safe place to stay and are learning to read and write.

• Poverty
• Illiteracy
• High crime rates
• High HIV/AIDS prevalence
• Limited space
• Limited funds for teachers’ incentives

RMF continues to improve the long-term prospects of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Kawempe Division by providing funds for nutritious food, which improves the children’s health, stabilizes operations at the Precious Children’s Centre, and ensures that children are more receptive and able to concentrate on the education and counseling they receive at the center. We are also looking into establishing further resources, such as vocational training and secondary education programs.