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The Road to Hope Program

THE ROAD TO HOPE PROGRAM

The Road to Hope Program supports child caregivers from financially poor backgrounds to access basic needs for their families and continue with education while caring for their chronically ill parents. The palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) in partnership with the Center for Hospice Care (CHC) in Indiana USA under the Global Partners in Care, established the Road to Hope program in 2012. The children are identified in collaboration with palliative care practitioners especially in the rural districts of Uganda. They have cared for or are still caring for their chronically ill parents while at the same time are burdened with the responsibilities of fending for the family, a role the parent can no longer fulfill. They often walk long distances to receive their parents’ medication.

Child caregivers are forced to do odd jobs to get income to support their families which does not leave them much time to focus on their education. The Road to Hope Program relieves them of this burden. Once identified, children are enrolled in schools within their districts to enable them to continue to get additional community support. Their other needs which include financial social and psychological support are taken care of by the Road to Hope Program. Currently, the Road to Hope Program supports 58 children from various districts of Uganda including, Arua, Yumbe, Moyo, Masaka, Hoima, Jinja, Lira, Buikwe, Kibaale, Luuka, Mayuge, Tororo, Luwero, and Kanungu.

Slide PCAU Road to Hope Retreat 2021 in Western Uganda. Slide George at The Age of Five Slide Magezi Nicholas is in P.3 studying at St. John Bosco Nursery and Primary School in Hoima district. Restore Hope To Child- Headed Families in Uganda
The Challenge
The 2016 National Household Survey shows 24,063 child-headed households in Uganda. In homes where parents are severely ill and need palliative care, children are often the primary caregivers. With no money, the child quits school to earn a living while caring for the dying parent. These children are vulnerable to deprivation of parental love and psychosocial support, various abuse, lack of education and healthcare, and food insecurity. The parent is distressed they cannot provide for the child.
Help Relieve Pain Your contribution will ensure restoration of hope and support of Child - Headed Families in Uganda.
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Success Stories

George Bazaire the Overcomer

At five years of age, George was caring for his dying father in their one-room mud house. He was responsible for picking medicine refills for his father and for looking for food from friends and well-wishers in the community. After his father died and he went to live with his mother, who was unable to care for his basic needs and education. In 2012 George was identified and enrolled in the Road to Hope Program. He started school in one of the government schools. Because of the trauma of losing a parent, George initially found school life challenging. It was hard for him to adjust to school life because he had matured too quickly when his father was sick. It was hard for him to be told what to do. He faced many challenges of fitting in school and on several occasions, he disappeared from school. PCAU carried out continuous ...
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Meet Moris the Mechanic

Meet Morris, 20 years. He is from Hoima district. Moses joined the Road to Hope program in 2014. He was identified by the Palliative Care Nurse in Little Hospice Hoima when he was taking care of his mother who was suffering from cancer. Morris had missed school for a year due to lack of school fees and given up on his dream of becoming a mechanic. With the Road to Hope program, he was supported with school fees up to senior two and he later joined a vocational course in metal mechanics. He studied with a lot of determination and acquired his certificate in motor mechanics. Currently, Morris is working at a garage in Hoima and is able to take care of himself ...
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