The project aims to address the problem of prostitution in Uganda specifically in Jinja and
Buikwe districts. Since the early 70s, prostitution has grown to be a huge problem in these
districts due to the lack of job opportunities, marketable skills and the poor educational
background of women in Jinja and Buikwe. Consequently, women end up trapped in
prostitution in order to survive. These women often come to Buikwe and Jinja with a hope
of a better life but because this area has few decent job opportunities, the only available
jobs are in bars, selling alcohol, karaoke dancing and sex. As a trial they opt to do it for just
a while. But most of them end up with unwanted pregnancies, HIV, raped, addicted to
drugs and alcohol hence losing their hope, their self-respect and dignity. Thus, the vicious
cycle begins as prostitution becomes their only means of survival, a way of life to support
their addiction and their children who in turn live in the same environment where their lives
are debased. They are rejected by their communities and families while poverty dictates
their worth and future. These women now living in prostitution face insurmountable
challenges, poverty, violence, abuses, and shanty living quarters, financial unpredictability
and poor to non-existing family life for their children. For those who have children, their
babies and toddlers are cared for by other people and most of the time by neighbors. The
older ones are left to fend for themselves with the risk of becoming street kids. Because of
that environment the children tend to lack discipline, have poor mother to child
relationships, and have no father figure in their lives and to have suffered abuses from their
mothers or from those responsible for their care. The biggest concern for the children who
are growing up surrounded by violence, drugs, alcohol and abandonment is that they in turn
become part of that environment. Yet with all these insurmountable needs in Jinja and
Buikwe district, there are currently no organizations apart from the BTRMU at work with
women in prostitution. All the above has brought about a moral decadence in the
community that in turn has also attracted young girls to drop out of school and end up in
the trade. This has necessitated the need to address the problem through preventive
measures.
There is community stigma against women in prostitution believing that they deserve what
comes to them and believe they have brought it upon themselves, making them vulnerable.
They cannot easily access services like counseling, community education and they are not in
the target group of the community.. Even the community leaders do not act as advocate
because of how they prejudge the women in prostitution. The center will help bridge this
gap between the women and the leaders. Through this initiative, the local community
leaders including the pastors and the health facilities personnel will have a chance to see
the need to do something about this cause.