The Chief Executive Officer of Global Forum for Development (GLOFORD) Morris Chris Ongom has underscored the need to rescue, rehabilitate and empower the neglected groups of people in the city area including the drug abusers, street connected children, commercial sex workers and refugees to make them productive workforce.

According to Ongom, once these categories are rehabilitated, skilled and empowered, they can make productive workforce for the country hence making the city secure and inclusive for everyone to coexist in.

The Chief Executive Officer was addressing a media conference on Friday 16th September 2022 at the GLOFORD’s head offices in Junior Quarters ward, Lira City West Division, Lira City to update them on the progress of the implementation of the safe and inclusive city project.

Ongom says the young people in these categories should be helped to realize their full potential and become more productive.

He also blamed the increasing rise of street connected children to the lack of basic upbringing of children by their parents who instead use violence which in the end pushes children away from home.

Speaking at the same media conference the program manager for GLOFORD, Irene Janet Achen says their emphasis is to ensure that the city is safe for everyone the reason they are working with these categories of youth to ensure they are not sidelined but rather supported.

Achen added that these youth can be employable once skilled and trained in various vocational disciplines.

This project according to Acen is a strategic response to the effects brought about by the devastating effects of the induced lockdown following the outbreak of COVID-19.

The safe and inclusive city project officer Christine Anyinge Ojok says the intervention  targets to do a lot of thematic activities including strengthening the capacity of the enlisted categories, providing sexual reproductive health training, and economic empowerment amongst others.

The project which is targeting youth from the age bracket of 14-30 is being supported by Plan International Uganda with funding from Danida.