Kawempe youth centre offers safe space for slum children to read

Kawempe Youth Center is located in the middle of Kisowera slum in Kawempe division, Kampala district. It is a safe place where children and youth go to read, play, acquire skills and counselling.

Esther Kyazike its founder says the situation in the slums is alarming. Young girls engage in prostitution to get basic needs like pads. The young ones are also abused and the boys sleep with old women to survive.

These immoralities have become normal to the people because many lost hope. COVID 19 lockdown worsened matters.

At the centre, they engage children in productive activities to protect them from harmful distractions.

“We help them to distress and find hope in life. They also learn to believe in themselves,” she says.

Aside from having free access to novels, pamphlets and textbooks, children and youth are offered computer skills for free.

“We train them to use the internet productively to better themselves. Some start businesses and market their products,” she says.

Esther Kyazike, the founder of Kawempe Youth Center

Kyazike is also the woman councillor for Kisowera, Kizza and Kilokole zones at Kawempe division council. Kisowera and Kizza alone have over 10,000 people.

She says, most families don’t have space for children to play and the centre offers that as well. Parents drop off their children to read and play. 

During holidays, Kyazike says, they receive more than 80 children and students a day.

Ismail Nsubuga, councillor for Kisowera zone at Kawempe division says the centre helps to keep children from loitering.

“It is open to all children and youths whether they go to school or not,” he asserts.

There is also a room where teenage mothers are counselled and given parenting skills.

Kyazike works with seven volunteers.

They teach mothers to read for their babies before they are born and how to feed them. They are also given financial literacy, health education and urban farming techniques.

It is open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am-6:00 pm.

“I appeal to parents to protect their children from harm. They are our future. Also, leaders should get down to the people and help them,” she implores.

How she started the centre

After her A level, Esther Kyazike enrolled for a certificate in accounting but did not complete it because her father suffered a financial setback and failed to complete tuition.  

She sat home for some time and got tired of being idle. She dreamt of being an accountant.

Kyazike decided to do something that would benefit her and other youths.

A library crossed her mind but she did not have the capital to pull it off.

She was convinced that such a place would bring youths together to network while reading.

Regardless, she started collecting books from friends and well-wishers.

After, the administrators of Kawempe Muslim primary school offered her an empty classroom. She talked to a few friends who gave her money to fix the shelves and chairs.

In 1999, she opened Kawempe library. Students started flocking to the place to read for free. With time, she received computer donations.

In 2003, Kyazike shifted the library to Kisowera slum on a piece of land that was offered by a well-wisher. She named it Kawempe Youth centre.