June 16 every year is the International Day of the African Child and the theme for this year "Education for all children in Africa, the time is now".
This year's theme rhymes properly with the mission of Joy Makers, an NGO founded during the Covid-19 pandemic in Jinja District, eastern Uganda after observing the rate of illiteracy and poverty.
Joy Makers realised the need to positively change the lives of children, youth and women, especially the disadvantages ones in rural areas where poverty is at the ceiling level.
While launching the organisation's robotics education programme, Mr Ivan Mugabira, co-founder of the Foundation, said they focus on empowering disadvantaged children, youth, and women through providing quality education, skilling, maternal and child health
The robotics programme is an engaging and hands-on approach to learning that utilises robots to teach various concepts and skills, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields.
The aim is to foster problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration among students, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
"At Joy Makers, we are driven to make a change against the fundamental injustice of the "lottery of life", the fact that where you are born strongly determines the opportunities you will get and your abilities to grasp the opportunities you get," Mugabira said.
"We believe all children and young people should get all the support they need so that their identity is defined by their potential and not their circumstances."
He further more said the Foundation has beneficiaries, outstanding children whose parents are financially handicapped and could not positively alter the future of their children.
"With the help of our donors, we have managed to put smiles on the parents and children who had no hopes of continuing with school, one beneficiary example is Josiah Kukiriza, a very bright and ambitious child who has dreams of becoming a surgeon one day," Mugabira said.
"He had dropped out of school due to lack of school fees but one of our donors Philipp Schmidt offered to sponsor his education. He is fully enrolled in school and we have hopes that he will achieve his dreams."
