Kalangala District is facing a deepening public health and child protection crisis, with rising HIV infections among young people increasingly linked to child trafficking and exploitation.
Local leaders report a surge in the number of children trafficked into the island district, many of whom end up working in bars or being forced into commercial sex. Authorities warn that this exploitation is significantly driving HIV infections among minors.
District estimates indicate that about 15 percent of children under 19 in Kalangala are living with HIV--an alarming figure that has raised concern among officials.
Many of these children are reportedly lured from other districts and neighboring countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda with promises of employment, only to face exploitation upon arrival.
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Fourteen-year-old Josephine Nanyomo is one of the survivors.
Originally from Lwengo District, Nanyomo lost both parents at a young age and became the eldest caregiver for her siblings. She says her stepmother forced her into marriage at just nine years old.
"I ran away because I couldn't manage that life," she recalls.
However, her escape led her into another trap. She was taken to Kalangala under the promise of a job, only to be forced into sex work at a lodge.
"I was told I would get a job, but they did not tell me what kind. When I arrived, everything changed. I was taken to a lodge and forced to work there. I ran away again because I couldn't manage that life either," she says.
Nanyomo was eventually rescued with the help of local leaders and connected to MIFUMI, a non-governmental organization that supports vulnerable girls.
Through the organization, she received vocational training in crafts such as bag and jewelry making. She now earns a living from these skills and supports her siblings. Though she dreams of returning to school, she has shifted her focus to educating her younger brothers and sisters.
Fifteen-year-old Gloria Nalubega shares a similar story.
After losing both parents at a young age, Nalubega became the sole provider for her siblings.
"My father died first, and a few months later my mother also passed away. I was six years old. My siblings were three and one. I had to work in people's gardens to get food. Our parents left us with nothing," she says.
She later traveled to Kalangala after being promised work in a hotel, but instead found herself in exploitative conditions.
"I was delivering food to customers and earning between 4,000 and 5,000 shillings, and I sent all of it back home to support my siblings," she says.
Nalubega was later rescued and enrolled in a vocational training program, where she learned hairdressing. Today, she earns a living by braiding hair.
"It was in that hotel that MIFUMI found me and took me for training. Now I can braid different hairstyles and earn an income," she says.
Authorities say child trafficking into Kalangala extends beyond Uganda, with victims also brought in from neighboring countries, further complicating response efforts.
Kalangala has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the country, estimated at 13.1 percent, with adolescents aged 15 to 19 the most affected.
Willy Nkumbi, a probation officer in the district, says cases of gender-based violence and early marriages have historically been high but are beginning to decline due to interventions by organizations such as MIFUMI.
Development partners, including the governments of Iceland and the Netherlands, have supported initiatives aimed at addressing the crisis. Through projects such as the "Heroes for Gender Transformation Action," over 500 girls have received assistance, backed by funding of approximately 700,000 US dollars.
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These programs have provided vocational training in tailoring, baking, hairdressing, crafts, construction, and computer skills, helping vulnerable children transition into safer livelihoods.
However, leaders warn that progress is at risk.
Some organizations that previously offered critical support have scaled down their operations in the district, raising fears that vulnerable children could once again fall into exploitation.
"We have learned that MIFUMI may be leaving the district, yet they have been central in fighting gender-based violence. Many girls here survived abuse and became champions for change," Nkumbi says.
Authorities are now calling for urgent, coordinated efforts to combat child trafficking, strengthen child protection systems, and curb the spread of HIV among young people in Kalangala.
