We're devoted change-makers motivated "to rebuild the lives of former street children to a life originally intended by God."
Child Restoration Outreach (CRO) - how it began
Child Restoration Outreach Uganda (CRO), is Non-Government organization dedicated to addressing the problem of children on the streets and its effects on the society. CRO has been assisting children and their communities in Mbale, Uganda since 1992.
In 1992, a group of committed Christian leaders who were concerned about the growing numbers of children on the streets and their plight in Mbale town following instability in Teso and Karamoja sub-regions, founded Child Restoration Outreach (CRO) as an organization to address the problem.
Originally, CRO operated in Mbale only but overtime it extended its services to three major towns in Uganda, that is, Jinja(1998), Masaka (2002) and Lira (2007) to become a leading Christian National Organization assisting street children and their families in Uganda
With such expansion, the CRO Country Office was established to oversee the four projects now with its offices in Mbale, Plot 8 Kabwangasi Square,Half London. The organisation is registered with the National NGO Board in the Ministry of Internal Affairs as S.5914/667.
Since 1992, and with the generous support of the donors, over 19,000 children have been supported with rehabilitation and education through the holistic approach where CRO targets to work with different stakeholders to improve the welfare of the children..
CRO supports street children and their families. Street life means a daily struggle for survival. Children experience assault, drug abuse, diseases, hunger, exploitation through child labor, physical and emotional abuse.There are part time and full time street children who are the direct beneficiaries of CRO. Other children in the community and schools are indirect beneficiaries through the peer education activities and outreach programs. There are many street children of great talents (music, sports, dance) which we try to develop.
The main causes of children coming to the streets include the following;
- Poor parenting habits
- Death of parents
- Family breakdown
- Violence and abuse of children at home
- Mistreatment
- Displacement due to natural factors
- Mental health issues
- Lost on the street
- Hunger
- Domestic violence
- Floods and landslides.
- Peer pressure from other children
- Child Neglect
The activities of CRO are guided by its Goal, Vision and Mission statements.
Our Goal
To contribute towards holistic child development among children in street situations.
Our Vision
Children formerly in street situations holistically Transformed, Responsible and Fruitful.
Our Mission
To enable Children living in street situations to discover their identity as children of God; reconcile them with their families; and empower them to become responsible and fruitful citizens.
The CRO broad objectives are;
- To increase quantitative and qualitative realization of the rights of former Children living on the street (CLOS);
- To leverage opportunities from working partnerships and networks for Child Rights Realization (CRR);
- To enhance duty bearers, actors and stakeholders’ capacities for effective execution of roles, fulfillment of obligations and responsibilities;
- To increase CRO capacity for sustainability of outcomes and its operations; and
- To strengthen CRO organization continuously for even more efficient and effective service delivery.
