Empowering Kids in Uganda Society is the only organization focusing solely on children born into captivity with the Lord’s Resistance Army.
Hundreds of children were born into the LRA with approximately 400 passing through the GUSCO Reception Centre alone between 2004-2012. This statistic does not include the children that passed through other Reception Centers or the numerous children that returned prior to 2004.
Many of these children returned without their parents and were reunited with elderly grandparents. They were unable to attend school, or they were sent to orphanages despite having loving families. At EKU we believe that the best place for a child is with their family and so we focus on in-family support and empowerment that strengthens ties between the children and their families and communities.
Children born in captivity face a variety of challenges and EKU believes in a holistic and long-term approach to supporting and empowering children. Types of support available to our children include: medical, educational, psychosocial, mediation and traditional cleansing. In addition, we provide support to Caretakers and returning Child Mothers because a child’s livelihood is dependent on them. This is alot and therefore when a child needs a service we cannot provide ourselves, we act as an advocate and provide it through partnerships with other organizations operating in Gulu.
EKU currently operates in Gulu and Pader districts but hopes to expand into Kitgum district as well.