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Uganda

Nicknamed the “pearl of Africa” by Sir Winston Churchill, Uganda has a colourful landscape of savannas, forests, giant lakes and snowy mountains.
While the land boasts beautiful but fierce animals like lions, rhinos and elephants, its citizens are warm and quick to smile.

Population: 44M

Language: Swahili

TIP: Tier 2

Through rescue and trauma-informed reintegration programs, Destiny Rescue is making a difference in the lives of sexually exploited Ugandan children.

In 2023, Destiny Rescue’s work in Uganda accomplished:

150

RESCUED

145

WERE CHILDREN

100%

ENTERED REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS
Children
are at
extreme
risk

Sex trafficking
and exploitation

in Uganda

In the past 50 years, Uganda has been shaken by civil war, losing 900,000 people. The aftershock of this tragedy can still be felt today as many families are broken and many children are poor, uneducated and vulnerable to human trafficking.

About 10,000 children live on the streets in Uganda. Although illegal, many sell sexual services to simply survive – in exchange for water, food and shelter.

Before I had given up hopes in life – that’s why I was so bitter. Now, I have come to realise that there are still hopes for me.”

Hope, 16-year-old survivor from Uganda

Stay updated in Uganda

14
The girls, children ages 12 and up and one 18-year-old, no longer have to sell themselves to survive.
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15
15 children, all between 11 and 17 years old, have been rescued from our projects in Uganda and Kenya.
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11
11 girls between 14 and 18 years old were rescued across our 3 projects in Africa.
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Our work in Uganda

Survival Situations

Rescue agents canvass the streets and villages to find children selling sexual services in exchange for water, food, and shelter to offer them a helping hand and a better future.

Community Care

Girls live with their families or roommates and work with a caseworker on their Freedom Plan which includes education or vocational training. They attend daily classes with our reintegration staff and receive face-to-face as well as over-the-phone trauma-informed counseling. Our care also includes meals and focuses on alleviating the financial stressors that made them vulnerable to exploitation.

Residential shelter

Our residential shelter offers safe accommodation for survivors with unique or especially challenging circumstances. In the shelter, children follow reintegration plans and receive services like those provided in community care. In Uganda, about 9% of survivors came to our shelter in 2021.

Reintegration

Stepping into a life of normalcy and independence is the ultimate victory! Our staff works with children towards a sustainable life of freedom.

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We operate rescue and reintegration programs in multiple countries across the world. Learn more about our mission to help end child sexual exploitation and trafficking in our lifetime.

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Latest stories from Uganda