Caring for Uganda's Aids orphans

By Sarah Grainger
BBC News, Uganda

Innocent was adopted so she did not spend Christmas alone

The parents of Innocent Mukasa (not her real name) died when she was two-and-a-half-years old.

Until a couple of months ago she was living in an institution for abandoned children in Kampala.

But Innocent, now 11, is one of around 20 children who are being fostered by other families to whom they are not related.

Traditionally, Innocent's extended family would have looked after her. In fact, for a time, she lived with her grandmother.

But there came a point where she could no longer cope and Innocent found her way to the children's home.

More and more children are finding themselves in the same position. Conflict and the spread of Aids have increased the number of orphans in Uganda.

When you take on an 11-year-old, they have some catching up to do Jane Tumukunde Foster mother

It is estimated that there are almost one and a half million now.

"Society is overwhelmed," says Dinah Mwesigye, a social worker in Kampala.

"The tradition of extended family used to work, but now one grandmother can lose all her sons and daughters and she's left to look after all their children. She can't manage."

Fostering encouraged

For many, the alternative is a children's home or an orphanage. But there are obvious disadvantages to growing up in an institution.

"Children don't belong to anyone in an orphanage. They don't have a personal connection," says Michael Pease from the organisation Substitute Families for Abandoned Children (SFAC).

Innocent (l) is much happier to be living with a family

"You are one of a group and you're ruled and governed by routine. You're not an individual and you can lose your identity."

So now there is a drive to encourage fostering in Uganda, where families take on children to whom they are not related.

Jane Tumukunde (not her real name) met Innocent at the institution where she was staying in Kampala and didn't want her to spend Christmas alone.

Innocent has now been living with Jane and her family for two months. But Ms Tumukunde admits there are challenges to fostering the child of a stranger.

"With your natural child you begin imparting values to them when they're in the womb. But when you take on an 11-year-old, they have some catching up to do."

Nevertheless, social workers say the benefits of fostering over orphanages are huge.

Children have someone to turn to whom they know takes responsibility for them directly, they grow up in a family and learn skills that they will need when they themselves become parents.

Innocent says she is happy she has been fostered.

"I've learnt things I never knew. How to respect people, how to make sure they're OK."

Vetted

A number of checks and balances are in place for children who are fostered in Uganda.

Prospective foster parents are vetted to make sure they are suitable and both the parents and the child are monitored by social workers to make sure everything is going smoothly.

Although the tradition of extended family is itself a version of foster care, the concept of looking after a child to whom you are not related is still a new one in Uganda.

Only a handful of families have taken the step since the project was set up in 2002.

But social workers are hoping that the numbers will increase and the time children spend living in institutions will in future be minimal.