When Amasiko opened its doors in June 2015 one of the first children to arrive was Akbar. Akbar had run away from home in the neighbouring town of Muko to escape poverty and ended up on the streets of Kabale and eventually in a police cell.
The staff at Amasiko worked with Akbar to get him reconciled with his family and were delighted when a few months back he returned to Muko and started working at his father’s bicycle repair shop.
On Thursday this week Akbar and his father, Ibrahim, returned to visit Amasiko staff and the other children.
Ibrahim is very happy because he is able to give Akbar skills in bicycle mechanics, so that he can be self-sufficient and economically independent in the near future. Akbar is now able to earn a little money each week but like many teenagers he has trouble saving any of this. When they recently came to the Amasiko the staff took up the initiative to help Akbar know that saving is an important strategy in accumulating wealth.
On his part Akbar promised to start saving and accumulate some money and open up a savings account.
What a heartwarming case of providing opportunities, not aid.
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