Age: 11
Bwaise, Uganda
I am 11 years old. I lived at my grandmother’s place since I was a baby; my mother abandoned shortly after I was born. My grandmother lives in Bwaise, a slum area of Kampala city, and runs a bar at home. Because of her busy schedule in bar, I did all the house-work and hung out in the neighborhood with friends. I used to steal empty beer bottles from my grandmother’s bar and sell them to the neighbors.
One day I stole a whole crate of empty beer bottles from the bar and ran away from home because I would be severely punished if I returned. I stayed with my neighbors but eventually I had to live on the streets. A mentor from the Youth Corps home picked me up one morning from the street and asked me if I would like to live with him and other kids like me in the home. It nice living in the Youth Corps home, I have a nice bed and am now going to school. I enjoy watching movies and in the future I want to be a movie star.
