At 15, Longole (name changed) is learning to survive in ways no child should. She sleeps beneath an abandoned taxi in Katwe, her bedding nothing more than old sacks gathered from the streets. Each morning, she sets out to collect plastic bottles or scraps of metal, selling them for a handful of coins. Some days she manages to eat, others she goes hungry. In the city, she says, people look past her as if she does not exist. When the police arrive, she and other children scatter, treated as criminals ...

Life was different back home in Moroto. Longole loved waking up early to milk her family’s cows, a routine that gave her a sense of pride and belonging. But one night, raiders stormed their kraal, stealing every animal and setting their home ablaze. Her father was badly injured in the attack and could no longer work. With nothing left, her mother made the difficult choice to send Longole with a truck driver bound for Kampala, praying her daughter would find a way to survive.

What she found instead was hardship on the streets. Yet despite the struggles, Longole holds onto her dream. “I want to become a businesswoman,” she says, imagining a future where she sells goods and helps other children like herself find purpose. “If I can sell things, maybe I can fix my life too.”

For Karamoja Tumaini Network (KTN), Longole’s story mirrors the reality of countless children forced from Karamoja by conflict, drought, and poverty, only to end up stranded in Kampala. These children are more than statistics—they are resilient, determined, and full of potential. KTN’s work seeks to reconnect them with safety, education, and opportunities to rebuild their lives.

Supporting children like Longole is more than an act of charity—it is an investment in possibility. With help, her dream of becoming a businesswoman could grow from words spoken in the shadows of a taxi park into a reality that changes her life and uplifts others. Her story is a reminder that even in the harshest circumstances, hope still finds a way to survive.

Compiled by Richard Apuun

Longole’s dream is to build a business of her own