| Administrative History | Allocations 1959-1992; see later annual reports for any subsequent spending.
Uganda became a British protectorate in 1894, with the province of Buganda as a native kingdom under Kabaka. In 1961 the country became self-governing with Buganda having federal status, fully independent in October 1962, and a republic in 1967. In 1971 the government was overthrown by General Idi Amin, who remained in power until April 1979 when his government was overthrown by troops from Tanzania with Ugandan exiles. Instability continued, with the Uganda Bush War finally ending in 1986 with a change of government, which, as of Juen 2019 is still in power.
In 1958, following a request from the government of the Uganda protectorate and the Uganda Children's Welfare Society, the SCF general secretary visited the country and agreed that SCF should begin work there. In March 1959 Miss C. O. Dover visited and began work, surveying the condition of children in the country. It was decided that work should concentrate on helping homeless children and dealing with the problem of malnutrition. From the start, SCF was concerned to work with local groups, including the multiracial Uganda Children's Welfare Society. Local SCF committees were formed in three areas. Work was begun with children who had lost their mothers, including the provision of 'home feeding kits' for families who took care of such children. The most important problem was the large number of abandonded children in the streets of Kampala. The SCF Reception Centre in Kampala, built by the Ugandan government, was opened in 1961. The purpose of this centre was to care for abandoned children until returned to their relatives or fostered. An African worker was also working in Kampala on similar work and a field officer was responsible for aiding the four district branches of SCF. Educational sponsorships were also provided. Social workers were appointed and an under-fives unit began. A parent's club providing informal child welfare and nutrition advice was set up.
In 1962 the Fund became the country's first approved society. Already in 1961, the Fund was active in encouraging reforms, particularly in the provision of proper legal terms for the various homes and societies caring for children in Uganda. In 1963 the Fund was running a 'Family casework service' to assist children within their families. SCF successfully sponsored the foundation of the Uganda Child Care council. In the same year, an Africa solicitor was sent under the Freedom from Hunger campaign to demonstrate new feeding techniques using cheap local foods. In 1964 an extra Freedom from Hunger project was begun: at Mulago Hospital, Kampala, a nutrition until was set up for the treatment and prevention of kwashiorkor. Mothers, with their children, stayed for two to four weeks and learnt the basics of nutrition using cheap local foodstuffs. African doctors made follow-up visits later to ensure that the work was successful. This nutrition unit was the first of its kind in Africa.
By 1966, Uganda had 11 SCF branches and with the government they were paying for two SCF caseworkers. SCF provided relief aid after an earthquake in Toro. On 1 July 1971, the Mwanamugimu project at Mulago was handed over to local control. A new nutritional unit at the Regional Hospital in Mbale was opened in 1972 and there were plans to open another reception centre at Kabale. The had to be abandonned, however, due to lack of funds, and in 1974 all remaining SCF work in Uganda was taken over by the government - Mbale on 30 June and the Kampala reception centre on 31 December. Some small degree of sponsorship funding continued.
In 1980, following the overthrow of the Amin regime, SCF sent a Field Director to set up an emergency feeding programme in Karamoja programme and attempt to reconstruct the Kampala and Mbale nutrition clinics. In May 1981, the extent of the Karamoja famine became apparant and SCF, which had two staff already in the area, was able to respond quickly. Feeding centres were set up by SCF and other organisations. In 1982, SCF began reinstating the Mbarara child health programme and starting work on the backlog of immunisations in the country. The Mbale nutrition unit was reopened. In 1983 the Mwanamugimu unit at Mulago Hospital with aid from the ODA reopened. Feeding in bush schools was part of a major aid programme of the World Food Programme. In 1984 there was an emergency relief operation following disturbances in the Luwero areas. SCF cooperating with Oxfam and Unicef in operations in Uganda. SCF work on nutrition and immunisation continued, as well as work on AIDS and relief work in West Nile province. SCF established a number of primary health care projects in Kampala, Mbale, Kumi, Mulago, and West Nile, which included mother and child health, immunisation, and nutrition. SCF later established a large social work programme, including work with children's home, the Foster Care and Adoption Association, and the establishment of a child care open learning project. |