Entrepreneurship programme helps prevent children being dumped on the streets, says Uganda partner

How The Road to Parity fits into an ecosystem of care which shields the most vulnerable and creates life-changing opportunities - against the backdrop of an extraordinary story    

Lilian, Co-founder of CACDI

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​Lilian Nayiga knows all about abandoned children and has spent years caring for them.
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“The first child I came across was looking for food amongst rubbish,” she says. “He was 3 years old, but because of severe malnutrition, looked like an 18-month-old baby. He had multiple organ complications. Perhaps that’s why his parents dumped him.” 

​Lilian (known to those close to her as Sarah) took little David into her care, although she and husband Ronnie soon realised there were many more like him. “Ronnie is my inspiration to help children,” she says, referring to her husband’s harrowing childhood.

Ronnie left extreme poverty in his home village, hoping for a better life in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, but it was far tougher than expected and he ended up living on the streets. At 15, he slipped, underage, into the Ugandan military in a desperate attempt to care for his widowed mother and 3 sisters.

Carrying a gun as a teenage soldier, Ronnie was sent to guard a diplomatic residence in Kampala. The assignment proved to be fortuitous. Through the friendly couple who lived there, Ronnie was eventually introduced to Kiwi humanitarian, Jeremy England. “I came into the care of Jeremy, who took me into his home. I helped with garden work and general support around his residence,” Ronnie remembers.

The deal was that Jeremy would provide accommodation and a job for Ronnie if he returned to school. Not only did Ronnie get the education he was denied as a child, but he later went on to secure a degree in business administration and then a master’s degree in civil administration. His dramatic transformation meant he could finally support his mother, and paid for his sisters’ education.  

Lilian recalls she felt a ‘calling’ because of the love shown for Ronnie. “His story drove me to reach out to the vulnerable, the sick and the malnourished,” she says.

Together, they set up a children’s shelter in Luweero district, north of Kampala. The sanctuary for vulnerable youngsters has become known as Canaan Children’s Development Initiative (CACDI).
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CACDI has close relationships with the local authorities, police and community leaders – with children referred each year. In all, 50 young people are currently in its care, aged 6-23. Of those, 19 live at the shelter - the rest live with carers who are supported with school fees and equipment, and some living expenses.

CACDI's shelter

​Ronnie, who is also involved with farming, including growing maize, pineapples and bananas, explains: “We have relied on our own savings, which came from various sources - agriculture, a security job I took in Qatar, donations, help from Jeremy, and Lilian’s job.”

Lilian points out that the sad reality in Uganda is that many children are abandoned by mothers who face horrendous circumstances; extreme poverty, widowed, domestic abuse, or suffering from HIV. “Our work brings us into contact with many of those women, and others, who desperately need help,” she says.
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In 2024, The Road to Parity entered a partnership with CACDI to help some of the distressed people it comes across to become financially independent.

Beneficiaries are provided with a one-off micro grant to secure the equipment and supplies they need to set up a simple business, plus some basic training. The enterprises are varied; mini eateries, stalls selling shoes, snacks, chicken, maize, charcoal, fruit, vegetables and stationery, as well as businesses repairing shoes and tailoring.
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Lilian says: “In many cases, these are widows running for our rescue, or victims of domestic violence. If we don’t help them create a sustainable income, they will end up dumping children. It is very common for children to be dumped, especially new babies. The mother will go to hospital, give birth and then run.”    

Nabaasa and her maize and chicken selling business

Nabaasa is one of the latest entrepreneurs to be supported. The 39-year-old mother of 4 is separated and faced eviction because she could no longer afford to pay rent.

Referred by the local council, she’s been helped to set up a street-side business selling fresh and cooked maize (corn on the cob), and chickens. “I can now meet my house bills, pay my children’s school fees and buy food,” she proudly says.

Following early outreach feedback, the entrepreneurship programme was given the name Project Twekembe, which broadly translates to 'let's fight against poverty.'  

Lilian says the project provides the “the missing link” to help stop domestic abuse and protect children.


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​Despite the complex challenges the entrepreneurs face, including illiteracy, none of the businesses set up so far this year have failed, and the mostly women have become role models within their communities. “The businesses give them pride,” Lilian says. “They are working and earning. It is what any mother would want – to be able to take care of their children."

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Mwanje and his shoe repairing enterprise

​​Project Twekembe has recently supported its first male entrepreneur. 40-year-old Mwanje lost the use of his legs and has severe kyphosis (curvature of the spine). The father of 3 has been begging on the streets to support his family, while his wife tries to earn some money washing clothes for villagers.

​Mwanje has received assistance to set up a shoe repairing business. “Since I cannot stand or walk, I can manage this business sitting down,” he says. “So far, it’s not so bad. I can at least go home with some more money to help my family.”

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As well as co-managing CACDI, Lilian is a supervisor with the Electoral Commission of Uganda. While the focus of her work there is helping to deliver elections, there is much to do in between - updating registers, confirming voter details, enrolling new voters and ensuring her team of more than 70 staff get paid. “Voting is now digitised,” she says. “But not like Europe. In African countries, even if it’s digitised, machines are often not functioning.”

Lilian was expected to follow her mother into midwifery, but decided nursing wasn’t for her. Instead, she joined the civil service from school and took her first degree in arts and social sciences at evening classes. She later secured a scholarship to study a master’s degree in international development at Seoul National University in South Korea.

She appreciates her work to support Uganda’s electoral processes is important, but it’s not where she derives most satisfaction.

​“It’s helping children that brings me pride and happiness,” Lilian says. “That 3-year-old boy, David, who was slowly dying when I found him in the rubbish, is now 8. He is healthy and attends primary school. 

David, found amongst rubbish, is now attending school

Lilian adds: “One of the other children from the shelter is being helped through university. When I am with them, and see what they have become, I feel I did something good. Sometimes, I also feel a burden, like a weight, but I can never drop it until it’s done.”

For Ronnie, speaking about his past remains painful, but he is eternally grateful to the people who have helped him along the way, particularly Jeremy. “I now consider him like a father figure.”  

Ronnie also recounts the kindness of a man who took him in for a few months and gave him work at a car wash when he’d been living on the streets of Kampala. “Since then, I have been trying to find that man, but in vain,” he says. “My journey, my story has been shaped by some truly humane individuals. Canaan was born out of a desire to help children in similar situations.”

CACDI’s latest project – under Ronnie’s supervision - is a kindergarten and primary school with space for 350 children. It’s still under construction, but the aim is to welcome pupils in 2026.

CACDI's new school under construction

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Jeremy

Jeremy, meanwhile, is currently cycling 1,300km from Belgrade to Athens to help raise some of the USD 10,000 needed to finish the construction work, equip the classrooms and dormitories, install bathrooms, and erect a security wall.

“I’m doing it because I trust Ronnie and Sarah (Lilian). I’ve seen enough aid projects to know what makes one honest and sustainable – it's the people. These people are family to me.” 

To follow the ride, click here.

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