Ivan, a young boy from Luwero District, lived a normal life with his mother and five siblings. Unfortunately, his mother passed away in June 2023 when he was in senior four, leaving Ivan, just 16 years old, as the head of the family. Ivan’s mother had left them a small piece of land and a three-roomed permanent house, which Ivan used to support his siblings. He moved all his family to one room, rented out the remaining two rooms, and laid bricks to support his family with basic needs.
The situation was challenging and overwhelming for Ivan who had to provide basic needs for his siblings, including paying school fees for them all. He promised himself that after completing Senior 4, he would drop out of school to support his siblings’ education, believing it was the key to success. His dream of becoming an electrician seemed unattainable as he focused on intensifying his bricklaying business to care for his family.
Fortunately, Ivan was referred to the Palliative Care Association of Uganda’s Road to Hope Program by a Palliative Care Nurse from the General Military Hospital Bombo, he fit the criteria and was enrolled. The program supports Ivan and one of his siblings, enabling them to continue their education.
Ivan was enrolled in a vocational institute, pursuing his dream of becoming an electrician. Although the program didn’t support all his siblings, Ivan continues to lay bricks to pay for their education, demonstrating his perseverance and hard work.
The Road to Hope program has supported over 94 child caregivers like Ivan with access to education, basic needs support, medical care, psychosocial support, mentorship, and supervision. This comprehensive support enables such children to focus on their education while still supporting their families. Ivan’s story showcases the program’s goal of empowering child caregivers to pursue their dreams. There are many children like Ivan facing the risk of dropping out of school due to the sickness of their parents, poverty, and lack of support. The Road to Hope program is making a difference, but more support is needed. We urge individuals and organizations to join hands with the Road to Hope program to support vulnerable families like Ivan’s, ensuring that all child caregivers can access education and realize their dreams.
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