About 100 school-going children stranded after Kiteezi disaster
Some victims of the Kiteezi landfill receiving scholastic material from Red Cross at a temporary settlement camp in Wakiso District on September 12, 2024. SHABIBAH NAKIRIGYA
What you need to know:
- Survivors of the landfill collapse are appealing for support to enable their children return to school for term 3.
About 100 children, who were victims of the Kiteezi landfill garbage collapse that killed over 35 people, are still stranded with no basics and fees with the final third term few days away, authorities have said.
According to Red Cross, majority of the children whose families were devastated by waste, including some candidates, are likely to miss third term which starts September 16.
“We need support from all corners because out of the 111 children we have in the camp, 80 per cent are school going- starting from baby class and have no hope to resume school,” Red Cross communications officer John Cliff Wamala told Monitor.
“Some of their parents were working in Kiteezi Landfill and they are still stranded with nowhere to work,” he said on Thursday while receiving relief items from Joint Medical Stores (JMS).
But Wamala emphasized that the items at their disposal are insufficient as compared to the needy following the tragic garbage collapse.
“We urge well-wishers to come and support in this specific cause,” he added.
Survivor parent Susan Namuyiga appealed for help to purchase scholastic materials and overcome a fees burden for her three children.
“We need support to complete third term because it is very expensive to change a school,” she remarked.
According to her, they have not been briefed on the way forward regarding the return of their children to school.
Earlier, relief and disaster minister Lilian Aber told Monitor that government has not yet discussed anything related to school fees.
“What we have for Kiteezi victims is a relocation plan where we shall give all of them monitory support to relocate,” she said.
Meanwhile JMS donated items worth Shs10 million including soap, sanitary wear, medicine, nutrition foods and blankets.
JMS Executive Director Bildard Baguma noted that they are open to offering medical related aid to victims.
“We believe that it’s important for us to contribute somethings to the victims towards health because we know staying in camps is a health threat due to poor hygiene and congestion,” he observed as he explained why their donations were focused towards children and women.
