Coming of Age

I talked with Gabriel about the status of orphans in society, about how little they have. Gabriel, being an orphan himself, pointed out that the orphan children who attend school are quite well off. They have a place to sleep, some food to eat, and they are learning. That place to sleep may be on the floor but at least there is a place. The food they eat may be milk with cornmeal but their tummies rumble less than other tummies.

Gabriel pointed out that the real problem was when an orphan graduates and must leave the orphanage school. Many of these orphans literally have no family, and they have no savings. So, when they graduate they have no place to move to and no job. These now-adult orphans are at the bottom of the chain when it comes to getting jobs. Although, most jobs obtained outside Kampala are based on relationships not any kind of formal application process.

Some orphans learn a skilled trade if their sponsor supports them through university age. But still, they need funds to have a place to stay and to get started in their craft. The dynamic seems unfair, but so many things here seem that way.