A lack of education and cultural gender bias are major factors in Uganda’s high rate of poverty and teenage pregnancy.
8 million of Uganda’s 10 million children will exit school before the age of 10 with the equivalent of a 3rd grade education.
These children's future will be limited as a result of little education to a life of poverty, child led families, teenage pregnancy and subsistence farming.
8 million of Uganda’s 10 million children will exit school before the age of 10 with the equivalent of a 3rd grade education.
These children's future will be limited as a result of little education to a life of poverty, child led families, teenage pregnancy and subsistence farming.
Steven, age 10 holding the baby, looks after his siblings while his grandmother works to support them.
Eddie and his family which includes his wife, her mother and sister and 4 kids live in this 10x12' home - they are lucky, he has a job and the three women tend to the acre + gardens. 1 child attends primary school.
Manual labor, hand cutting lumber or working in the quarry will provide these workers with around $50.00 per month.
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According to a 2013 UN Health Population Study of Uganda, there are 20 million children under the age of 20 constituting roughly 60% of Uganda’s 38 million citizens. Approximately 51% or just over 10 million are classified by the UN as critically or moderately vulnerable. A “vulnerable” child is includes child headed households – kids in contact with law enforcement, not in school, child labor/exploitation/slaves and child mothers to name a few. 63% of the OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) live with caregivers other than their biological parents. Finally, over 3 million live below the poverty line, which in Uganda is $50.00 USD per month per family of 4.
Just over half of these 20 million Ugandan children are of school age, 5-18. Of these, 3 million will never attend school, and 5 million will not advance past Primary 5, which is an education roughly equivalent to a 3rd grade in the US. It is fair to say that these 8 million kids are relegated to a life of poverty and basic survival. Of the 3 million who will continue in school, only 1 million will graduate from senior secondary school and from that, just 20 thousand will graduate with a college degree each year. Most Ugandans in rural Uganda live at or below the poverty line relying on low wage manual labor and subsistence farming. While the educated class expands, those who do not stay in school are left without much hope for experiencing much of Uganda's improving national progress. |