Rescue One More has launched a new Community Action Team in Jinja, Uganda, bringing local leaders together to protect children, strengthen justice, and support survivors of sexual violence.
Three young girls received justice after a 35-year prison sentence for their abuser. Learn how child protection and legal advocacy are helping keep children safe in Uganda.
When we think about healing from trauma, it’s easy to imagine a single breakthrough moment: a counseling session, a court victory, or a dramatic turning point.
But healing rarely happens that way.
More often, it begins with something much simpler: love, safety, consistency, and people who faithfully show up.
I’ve always been amazed by the impact these ordinary gifts can have in the life of a child who’s experienced trauma.
Scott and I first witnessed this with our own adopted children. Family dinners, predictable routines, and bedtime prayers were unfamiliar to them.
I remember gently guiding one of our children back to the dinner table after he wandered away every few minutes. Sitting together for a meal simply wasn’t part of his world. Yet before long, he found comfort in the routine. Family dinner became his favorite part of the day.
That experience taught us something we’ve seen repeated countless times since: while healing from trauma often includes professional counseling and evidence-based therapies, recovery usually begins by restoring what trauma has taken away—a sense of safety, stability, and belonging.
Every day at our Rescue One More Centers, children arrive carrying the weight of child sexual violence, exploitation, and profound betrayal.
Many are frightened, overwhelmed, and unsure whom they can trust.
Yet within days, and sometimes even hours, we begin to witness remarkable change.
Children who were once withdrawn begin laughing with their aunties. They make friends, join morning devotions, help prepare meals, and complete everyday chores. Slowly, they settle into predictable routines.
These moments may seem ordinary.
For a child recovering from trauma, they are extraordinary.
Each consistent act of kindness helps rebuild trust. Each safe relationship reminds a child that the world can be different than what they have experienced. Little by little, fear gives way to hope.
This month, Scott, Vanessa, and I had the privilege of watching that transformation unfold during a four-day camp hosted by a mission team from St. Andrew’s Church in San Antonio.
For many of the children, it was their very first vacation.
They splashed in Lake Victoria, hiked to waterfalls, played games, created arts and crafts, worshiped together, and simply enjoyed being children.
The campground itself was simple, but to these children it felt magical.
Their joy reminded us that healing isn’t found in extravagant experiences. It’s found in knowing you’re loved, creating joyful memories, and discovering that life can be safe and beautiful again.
On the final day, each child came forward to thank the team. One young girl knelt before them: a traditional Ugandan expression of deep gratitude and respect.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
While one team poured into the children, another mission team from First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio spent the day caring for nearly 30 members of our Ugandan staff.
Together they prayed, laughed, worshiped, played games, shared meals, and found something that’s often in short supply for those working in child protection: rest.
Every day, our staff carry the weight of heartbreaking stories while walking alongside children on their journeys toward safety, justice, healing, and hope.
To care well for children, we must also care for those who serve them.
Their encouragement, spiritual renewal, and well-being strengthen the ministry that makes healing possible.
June is recognized as PTSD Awareness Month, reminding us that trauma recovery is rarely defined by one life-changing moment.
Instead, healing grows through thousands of small moments of safety, consistency, and love.
Sharing a meal.
Bedtime prayers.
Conversations with a trusted caregiver.
Splashing in the lake with friends.
A team willing to travel across the world simply to remind children they are deeply loved.
Because of the generosity of our supporters and the faithful service of these mission teams, children who once knew only fear are discovering joy again. Families are finding hope. Our staff is being refreshed for the work ahead.
One child at a time, healing is taking root.
We are deeply grateful to the teams from St. Andrew’s Church and First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, and to every partner who makes this work possible. Together, we are helping children discover that while trauma may be part of their story, it does not have to define their future.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In April 2025, a 14-year-old girl in Kampala was moments away from throwing herself into oncoming traffic when a security officer intervened and rescued her. That moment changed everything.
We’ll call her Clara*.
Clara’s story reflects both the devastating realities facing vulnerable children in Uganda, and the life-saving power of timely intervention, coordinated justice, and long-term care.
Clara had been living alone with her stepfather while her mother was temporarily away due to marital challenges. Her stepfather was sexually abusing her.
When Clara courageously reported the abuse to school authorities, he withdrew her from school, and the abuse continued. Desperate and seeing no way out, Clara ran away and tried to end her life.
Thanks to the quick action of a concerned security officer, Clara was brought to the Central Police Station, where Rescue One More’s Central Community Action Team (C-CAT) was immediately notified.
Within hours, a Rescue One More social worker arrived to provide support and help conduct a child-friendly interview. Clara disclosed the abuse, and her stepfather was arrested. He later admitted to the crime.
A home assessment determined that returning Clara to her mother’s residence was unsafe. Child Protective Services (known as the Probation & Social Welfare Office in Uganda) referred her to Rescue One More’s safe house, where she received care, counseling, and protection.
This swift, coordinated response is exactly why Community Action Teams matter. When police, child protective services, legal advocates, doctors, and counselors work together, children don’t have to navigate trauma or the justice system alone.
Clara’s case moved quickly through the justice system because it was actively followed and supported.
When the perpetrator applied for bail in the Magistrate’s Court, our C-CATs legal advisor and administrator were there to successfully oppose his release. The judge denied bail after learning the case was being closely monitored.
The case later advanced to Uganda’s High Court. Although the perpetrator sought a plea bargain with a 15-year sentence, our legal advisor and administrator pushed for a sentence that better reflected the severity of the crime. The judge ultimately sentenced him to 22 years in prison—the longest sentence Rescue One More has seen to date.
Because the perpetrator accepted responsibility, Clara was spared the trauma of testifying in court.
Justice, in this case, was not only punitive, it was protective. It ensured Clara’s safety and reinforced that children are believed and valued.
Today, Clara is emotionally stable and actively engaged in counseling. She participates in mentorship, connects with other children at the shelter, and is no longer living in fear.
Rescue One More has identified extended family members who are prepared to provide Clara with a safe, loving home. As part of the reunification process, our team is providing counseling and psychosocial support to ensure Clara’s long-term well-being.
None of this is possible without supporters who believe that children deserve safety, justice, and the chance to heal. Thank you for standing with vulnerable children like Clara and giving them the chance at the life they deserve.
Name changed to protect identity.
By Sarah Lambie, Co-Founder & President
I love my job. In fact, there’s nothing I’d rather do than prevent another child from experiencing sexual violence in Uganda. But if I’m honest, there are days when the heaviness can feel overwhelming. Today was one of those days.
During a call with our Mukono team this morning, I learned about a case that left me feeling angry and frustrated.
14-year-old Rose* had been raped and impregnated by a neighbor. While her perpetrator was convicted, my heart broke for this girl whose childhood had been cut way too short.
The heaviness of her story—and so many others like it—weighed on my heart all morning.
Sexual violence against children in Uganda is a crisis. More than one-third of all girls experience abuse, along with one in six boys. For years, resources for child survivors were limited, costly, and often out of reach for the families who needed them most.
Then, a text notification from our program manager lit up my phone. I opened it to find dozens of photos of artwork created by the children at our shelters.
Little handwritten messages of hope were taped all over the walls. Many included Genesis 50:20-21, our guiding verse: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
These sweet little love letters are poignant reminders of the progress being made—not just in court convictions, but in the hearts of children who are learning they are safe and loved.
Less than five years ago, children like Rose had almost nowhere to turn.
But today, thanks to supporters who refuse to look away, fear is being transformed into safety, pain into healing, and despair into hope.
Together, we’re shining light into the darkest of places. And when we do, everything changes.
With your support, Rescue One More has been able to:
Our approach to ending child sexual violence in Uganda is comprehensive:
1. Prevention Education: We educate hundreds of children, parents, and teachers every week on how to recognize warning signs, prevent abuse, and report incidents safely.
2. Safe Shelter: Children who’ve experienced trauma receive counseling, medical care, and a loving environment where they can heal.
3. Justice: Our community action team works tirelessly to build strong cases, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable.
4. Economic Empowerment: We provide survivors with opportunities for education and skills training, giving them hope for a brighter future.
As we enter this season of gratitude, I can’t help but thank God for our remarkable family of supporters.
Children like Rose can rebuild their lives — not just survive, but thrive — because people like you refuse to let darkness have the final word.
Your support brings light to the darkest situations, transforming lives and protecting vulnerable children across Uganda.
Thank you for being a light in the darkness.
Ready to make a difference? Learn how you can support child survivors in Uganda →
Download free child protection resources to help keep children safe in your community →
*Name changed to protect privacy
About the Author: Sarah Lambie is Co-Founder and President of Rescue One More, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending sexual violence against children in Uganda by providing a pathway to safety, justice, and healing.
When CBS approached me about doing a news story on Rescue One More, I was skeptical. Would their producers think it was a story worth telling?
This is a story about child protection in schools going terribly wrong, and how our team is working to change that. But before I get to that, let me set the stage by stepping back into time in Uganda.
As I climbed the stairs of the Makindye Town Hall back in July, it seemed like nothing about the place had changed.
The building, located next to a police station in a busy division of Kampala, was still stuffy, a bit dingy, and bustling with activity.
I don’t think I’ve walked through those doors since the day the Child Protective Services Officer of Makindye asked us to foster Vanessa “for a short time.”
She had spent the previous two weeks in jail – the safest place for her after being disowned by her family for reporting her uncle to the polic.
That was 13 years ago.
As I approached the meeting room, I passed the very spot where I first met Vanessa. We’ve come full circle, I thought.
I stepped into a boardroom filled with Rescue One More staff, police officers, and other members of the Makindye Community Action Team (CAT) – the multidisciplinary team fighting and responding to child sexual violence in the Makindye Division of Kampala, Uganda.
Our Kampala CAT administrator, Esther, sat ready to project case files on the wall.
Since launching the Makindye CAT in July 2023, the team has registered 150 child sexual violence cases and 105 arrests.
Our team quarterbacks these cases—pulling together government agencies, facilitating case reviews, and providing resources where needed.
Today, Esther was reviewing five cases that had gone off track and required the team’s weight to correct.
One case involved the head teacher of a school accused of molesting eight young students. (Sadly, this case isn’t unique.)
Though he had been arrested, he was later granted bail.
In front of his colleagues, Esther turned to the chief of police to ask why. He offered a reason, but the CAT pushed back, arguing his release could lead to evidence tampering and put the girls at further risk.
They agreed to rearrest him.
They also agreed to send a team to the school to train teachers on child safeguarding and students on prevention and awareness.
After the training, eight more children came forward and disclosed that the same teacher had also abused them.
This week, our staff, together with the CAT, is headed to the Director of Public Prosecution’s office to ensure the case is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
13 years ago, Vanessa watched her uncle get bribed out of jail and was given a jail cell to sleep in.
Today, an entire team is working to bring safety, justice, and healing to children in this community.
Something about this place has changed. And none of this change would be possible without you.
Thank you and God bless,
Scott Lambie
Founder & CEO
Rescue One More
We are excited to announce that on June 26, 2025, working in partnership with Kawempe Division leaders in Kampala, Uganda, we officially launched our 6th Community Action Team (CAT) dedicated to fighting child sexual violence. Watch this short video for highlights from the event!
The Kawempe CAT brings together a multidisciplinary team comprising police officers, probation and social workers, prosecutors, medical and mental health professionals, and officials from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). Together, they will coordinate efforts to develop effective strategies for responding to and preventing child sexual abuse.
The mayor of Kawempe Division, Worship Dr. Emmanuel Sserunjoji, an executive member of the team, urged the community to not only speak out against sexual violence but to take a firm stand against perpetrators by ensuring they face the full extent of the law.
Kawempe is a safer place for children today, thanks to this team!
When Jane* first arrived at our safe house a year ago, you may not have guessed she was 14 years old. Having endured unimaginable abuse for as long as she could remember, this tiny, withdrawn girl was suffering from severe trauma on top of incontinence and malnutrition that stunted her growth.
Abandoned by her mother and unable to be cared for by her bedridden father, she lived with a non-relative caretaker who allowed years of abuse by multiple perpetrators. Never having attended school or having the opportunity to interact with other children, she was kept hidden away.
I first met her last summer, shortly after she arrived at the shelter. While the other children flocked to me for hugs, Jane seemed to shrink into shadows, hiding from a world that had shown her only cruelty.
But love changes everything.
By November, Jane surprised me with a warm hug, the first display of affection I’d seen from her. Medical treatment had addressed her incontinence, while counseling and constant encouragement from our staff began healing her wounded spirit. She started interacting with other children, even smiling and laughing.
During my most recent visit (June 2025), Jane was among the first girls at the gate to greet me. No longer hiding, she’d become a “big sister” to newer arrivals. After reading about David and Goliath and chatting with the girls about how to fight our own giants, Jane pulled me aside with tears in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I once had no hope for a future. Now I have big dreams. I feel love for the first time.”
I’m not the one you should be thanking, I thought. This hope, these dreams, this love…it’s all because of God. He delivered you from your enemies just like he delivered David from Goliath. He turned a shepherd boy into a king. I can’t imagine what he has planned for you.
While she has come a long way, the road ahead remains uncertain for Jane. She’s still hesitant about testifying against her abusers for fear that they’ll stop funding her father’s medical care. And, after a year of searching, our social workers still haven’t found a safe and loving family to resettle her with.
But the transformation is undeniable. She’s no longer the withdrawn girl who once hid in shadows. She’s a vibrant young woman who greets visitors with open arms and mentors younger children.
Through supporters like you, we continue providing the love and safety that makes this healing possible, trusting that the same God who delivered David from Goliath and made him king will work mightily in Jane’s life, too.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sarah Lambie
President & Co-Founder,
Rescue One More
*Name changed for protection
