DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD 16^th JUNE OF EVERY YEAR

Do you all know that on June 16, 1976, nearly ten thousand black students from Soweto, South Africa, marched the streets to protest the poor quality of their education in their country? They marched as a way to demonstrate their disapproval of the Black Education Act, which segregated students based on their race.

Hundreds of innocent students were shot by security forces. And in the 2 weeks of protest that followed, dubbed the Soweto Uprising, more than a hundred students were killed and thousands were badly injured.

On June 16, 1976, nearly ten thousand black students from Soweto, South Africa, marched the streets to protest the poor quality of their education. They marched as a way to demonstrate their disapproval of the Black Education Act, which segregated students based on their race.

Hundreds of innocent students were shot by security forces. And in the 2 weeks of protest that followed, dubbed the Soweto Uprising, more than a hundred students were killed and thousands were badly injured.

Since 1991, the Day of the African Child has been celebrated on June 16 to commemorate those killed during the Soweto Uprising in South Africa, and to recognize the courage of the students who marched for their right to an education.

The Day of the African Child is also an opportunity to raise awareness for the ongoing need to improve the education of children living across Africa. It’s a need that still very much exists today. Of the 57 million primary school age children currently out of school around the world, over half are from sub-Saharan Africa my country Uganda inclusive.

Educating children lifts them out of poverty There are a number of reasons why children go uneducated. Their parents may not be able to afford school fees, the distance to the nearest school may be too far, or early marriage may keep girls especially from the classroom. These and many more barriers to education have an enormous impact on children putting the girls child at a greater risk

“Girls are active members of society,” explains Masika Joy, a young girl from Kitholhu Sub County in Kiraro Camp for displaced people who were recently affected by floods and landslides. “Society should understand us better and understand that we need the support of everybody around us to achieve our potential.”

 1 in 10 children are still missing from the classroom. Much more work needs to be done to ensure all children are receiving a quality education. We know the transformational power education can have on children, and it’s proven that with an education and by supporting and protecting our children we shall be able to achieve sustainable development goals 1 ,4,5 and 10:

It’s against this background that Youth Partnership Uganda on seeks for your support by donating towards the cause, we plan to commemorate the day with 711 children in the camp and most of them of school going age who need food, photocopied reading materials especially those in school, sanitary pads and solar lamps to help them be able to revise at night

Kindly click on our donate button on our website www.youthpartnershipuganda.org and brighten the future of our children, thanks to all those that have donated to the cause may God bless you

Children, especially girls, are more likely to stay healthy, be more independent and become a force for social change.

If all children in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty and this would greatly affect us all and fail to achieve the sustainable development goals