The extraordinary work of photojournalist Zoriah: (more photos in link)
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I wont claim to be a specialist on the subject of child drug addicts, and I dont know any of the statistics (after a brutal course in college I will never again pay much attention to statistics.) What I do know is what I see with my own eyes and what I experience when I travel and when I work.
I know that every country and every region has problems with drug addiction to varying degrees. However I also know that in developing countries the problem is much, much worse than anything we see in the west.
During my recent trip to Uganda I spent a good deal of my time in the slums of Kampala photographing the lives of the children that live in the midst of poverty and chaos. In these areas, drug addiction takes on new meaning. There are literally hundreds of children living on the streets as drug addicts. Their drug of choice is the only one that they can afford, glue. The vast majority are battered and bruised from constant fighting, wearing filthy, tattered clothes.
Now add to this the fact that many of these children are missing hands and feet. You see they cant afford food...the glue they sniff is cheaper and it takes the hunger pains away. Of course the glue is not free and some of the children have been known to steal in order to feed their addition. In an area where no-one has much of anything, the locals hide crude bear and wild animal traps to keep the children away. It does little to solve or help the problem, other than taking the child off the streets for a week or two after they have lost fingers, toes or a limb.
Like most things in life, the problem is complex. The most simple solution would be to make it more difficult for the children to get the glue that they sniff, as all they have to do is go to any one of the vendors on the street that will put some glue in an empty bottle for the children to sniff. Locals agree that the children should not be sold glue, but the public official of this area (basically the mayor of this district I am told) is the one who imports the drugs and supplies the street level dealers. His money and power keep him safe.
Two boys pass a bottle of glue back forth, sniffing it in
a back alley of a slum in order to get high.
A young addict getting high.
A teenager sleeping on the streets.
Street kids pass time in an alleyway that up
to 30 kids sleep in each night.
Former street children and child drug addicts sing during
classes in school and home founded by a former street kid.
A brief note and request:
Many of these photos, and many photos that have been displayed on this site over the past few weeks, could not have been captured without the help of my dear friend Patrick. He was raised on the streets and has gone on to help children get out of horrible situations. He is 21 years old and cares for 43 orphans in a house he built and founded himself. Twice a week he does outreach for street children and drug addicted children in the slums of Kampala, many of whom end up being cared for and educated in his home. His organization is www.raisinguphope.wetpaint.com
He is currently looking for volunteers to come to Uganda to help him, and of course funding for his sustainable projects. I have met this man, spent weeks getting to know him and can say that he is a true, kind and amazing soul. It is a gift if you have the chance to meet him and I vouch for him 100% His work is important and if you can help him I promise your time and money is better spent on things like this than most other charities. Follow his link and contact him if there is any help you may be able to offer.
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