Child Protection in Uganda Starts with One Brave Voice

My name is Suzan Nantaba, and I’m a Community Education Officer with Rescue One More in Kampala, Uganda. I help run our child abuse prevention and awareness program in Uganda.

I want to share a moment from last month that I’m still carrying with me, because it represents exactly why we walk into schools in the first place.

In April, our team spent a morning at Progress Junior School. We sat down with over 1,000 students to talk openly about child protection—sexual abuse, exploitation, and violence.

We named what should never be a secret. We taught every child how to say no, how to report abuse, and how to seek help.

And then we listened.

A young girl stood up, took the microphone, and said:

“My advice to young girls out there is that you should not be scared to report something bad. Just be audible. Report to elders and run for help.”

She is already braver than many of the adults around her.

That is the work. That is the reason we walk into a school in the first place—so that one day a child will have the language for the unspeakable, and the courage to use it.

Why Child Abuse Prevention in Uganda Matters

But a child’s bravery is only the beginning.

For a disclosure to lead to safety, the adults around that child must be ready to receive it.

That’s why Rescue One More doesn’t only teach children. We also train teachers, school administrators, parents, community leaders, and other adults on how to prevent, recognize, and report child abuse.

Creating safer communities requires everyone to understand their role in protecting children.

What We Teach Parents, Teachers, and Community Leaders

For parents, safeguarding starts at home. We encourage them to use correct names for body parts, know every adult who has access to their child, have regular conversations about safety, and believe their child if they disclose abuse.

Teachers learn how to identify warning signs, create safer learning environments, respond appropriately to disclosures, and follow reporting procedures that protect children.

Local leaders, including LC1 officials, receive training on Uganda’s child protection laws, their legal responsibilities to report abuse, and the dangers of settling cases privately instead of pursuing justice through the proper legal channels.

Building a Culture of Protection

The little girl who stood up to speak that day reminded me of something important:

Children are often ready to tell the truth long before adults are ready to hear it.

Our job is to change that.

Every school we visit, every parent we train, and every community leader we equip brings us one step closer to a future where children are believed, protected, and supported when they speak up.

Because child protection is not only about teaching children to find their voice.

It’s about making sure someone is ready to listen when they use it.

At Rescue One More, we are committed to building that culture of protection across Uganda—one school, one family, and one brave voice at a time.