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.

A Child in Crisis

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.

Rapid Response, Coordinated Protection

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.

Justice That Brings Safety and Healing

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.

A New Beginning

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.

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?

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.

*Name changed for protection

The journey toward justice in Uganda is fraught with challenges. In addition to rampant corruption, families often try to negotiate settlements privately, outside of the courts and the public’s eyes – a practice that denies victims the justice they deserve and puts countless other children at risk of becoming a predator’s next victim. We’re changing that.