The nature of child-headed households in Rakai District, Uganda

This report is a result of a study on the situation in child headed households (CHHs) conducted by a team of development practitioners working for several NGOs involved with orphans and other vulnerable children in the Rakai District. The rationale for this specific effort arose from the desire to get a better understanding of the magnitude of the child-headed household problem in Rakai. Many of the children are living in poverty and hunger, exacerbated by the AIDS epidemic, which has had a serious impact on the Rakai District. This study recognises very strongly that the existence of CHHs is a reality and shows that priority needs of these children include shelter, food, and reliable source of income, education and health. It is dedicated to the hundreds of child household heads who have exhibited enormous energies and resilience in providing care and protection for themselves and siblings.