KAMPALA,Uganda (UGNEWSLINE) –
Carrefour supermarket has donated food and renovated a facility for vulnerable children, I Need Home in Namuwongo- Kampala.
Michael Tumwesigye, the Executive Director of I Need Home, said hunger remains one of the biggest challenges facing vulnerable children, arguing that children need food before they can concentrate on learning.
“Even to children, education is not the main problem. The problem is feeding. You cannot talk about school before you talk about food,” Tumwesigye said.
He called for more support to ensure children from poor families have regular meals and access to education.
He made the remarks while receiving the renovated premises from Carrefour, which operates in Uganda under the exclusive rights held by Majid Al Futtaim.
The support was delivered through the retailer’s customer-driven Round Up Your Bill initiative.
Tumwesigye said many children under the organisation’s care come from families living in extreme poverty and struggle to access food, healthcare and education. Some are orphans, while others live with disabilities or chronic illnesses, including HIV.
He said regular meals are essential for children to grow, recover from difficult experiences and prepare for school, urging individuals, businesses and other well-wishers to support efforts to meet their basic needs.
The food donation is expected to help address the immediate needs of the children, while the renovation has improved the safety, hygiene and learning environment at the facility.
The works included renovating classrooms, offices and sanitation facilities, repairing roofs, windows, ceilings, doors and water gutters, and repainting the buildings. Bamboo staircases were replaced with terrazzo-finished stairs, while toilets were upgraded with modern flushing facilities.
Tumwesigye said that I Need Home currently accommodates 45 children and supports a total of 165 children, including those attending primary and secondary schools and university.
He explained that the organisation identifies children in critical need through community volunteers, local council leaders and assessments of their living conditions.
Children who meet the organisation’s vulnerability assessment threshold are first supported with medical screening and food before joining a two-year bridging programme to prepare them for formal education.
The programme combines learning with guidance on personal hygiene, basic life skills and appropriate behaviour. It also uses music therapy to help children recover from difficult experiences before they are placed in schools, where individual sponsors help meet their education costs.
Tumwesigye said I Need Home also works with families to establish small income-generating activities so they can gradually provide food and other necessities for their children.
The organisation operates in several informal settlements around Kampala, including Namuwongo, Wabigalo, Kibuye and Katwe, where some children face severe deprivation, abuse and limited access to essential services.
He also raised concern about sexual abuse among vulnerable children, saying cultural barriers sometimes prevent victims from speaking openly about their experiences. He warned that such silence can delay access to protection and health services, including HIV testing.
Tumwesigye referred to research conducted by the organisation’s board chairperson which, he said, indicated that HIV prevalence among school-going children in Namuwongo was higher than the national prevalence.
Carrefour said the renovation project was made possible through its Round Up Your Bill initiative, which allows customers to voluntarily round up their shopping bills, with the proceeds supporting community development projects across Uganda.
The initiative has raised more than Shs630 million and supported six projects across the country, according to the company.
The project forms part of Majid Al Futtaim’s broader sustainability strategy, which focuses on education, health, community development and economic empowerment in the markets where it operates.
