Grapevine

Devastated, homeless and helpless: Kiteezi survivors’ tales

‘My children now have no home’

Irene Namatovu, plastics collector

“I am a single mother raising two young children. The girl is six years old, while the boy is four years. My children survived the tragedy because both are in boarding school. But when they return, where will they go? I was on my way to work when the calamity happened. Scared and worried, I hurried back to the location of my house only to find nothing but a heap of garbage and no sight of the house. As we speak, I have nothing. With the other affected residents who lost houses and loved ones, we are all currently staying inside the tent that was erected by the Uganda Red Cross rescue team at Kiteezi football pitch. The Red Cross team has been so kind to us providing necessities including food and clothing. But for how long?”

‘My pregnant wife is still missing’