The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world's time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.
RETRAK is directly contributing towards the fulfilment of the MDGs through its unique and holistic strategic approach which addresses the entirety of the needs of the child and, indirectly its family and community; through its focus on the need for individuals to be empowered through transitional and locally relevant approaches, which allow them to take their future into their own hands; and through its dedication to integrated and sustainable solutions to developmental problems.

Click below to learn more about how RETRAK’s flagship project, The Tigers Club Project in Uganda, is contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

MDG 1
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

The need to scratch together a living through petty labour, stealing, begging or scavenging is not conducive to children regaining their energy and realising their full potential. Through the Tigers Club feeding programme an average of between 100 and 120 children per week come together on a Thursday and benefit from a simple but wholesome meal at the Tigers Clubhouse, as well as the opportunity to make contact with staff and other street children.
Children involved in other aspects of Tigers Club’s work, for example in learning centre activities or football training, or selected onto the Resettlement, START or Informal Foster Care Schemes, also receive appropriate nutritional support. The costs of the feeding programme are being gradually offset by farm produce.

MDG 2
Achieve universal primary education

Without educational support, street children may never be able to break away from the lack of opportunities inherent in street life. Through the Tigers Club Education Programmes, a total of at least 30-50 children per week can follow catch-up classes and life skills training. A minimum of 150 children selected for the START scheme, Informal Foster Care or Resettlement Programmes respectively also continue to participate regularly in educational activities while preparing for return to the community. Once they have been integrated, they or their families are given specific support to ensure that they can continue to go to school.

MDG 3
Promote Gender Equality and empower women

Although The Tigers Club Project directly benefits street boys, it is committed to the empowerment of women and girls. The over 100 women and girls benefiting from our work each year include the girls who seek assistance from The Tigers Club Project and are referred to appropriate partner organisations; mothers whose emotional well-being is improved after their missing son is reunited with the family and whose capacity to care for their child is built through counselling and training; and mothers and siblings of resettled and fostered children who enjoy the impact of the family income generation support offered by Tigers Club.

MDG 4
Reduce child mortality

Tigers Club addresses the risk of child mortality inherent in street life. Violence, abuse, malnutrition, ill physical and emotional health and exposure to pollution and traffic all pose risks to the general well-being of a child. Tigers has contact with over 1000 children per year and, in its attempts to help children come off the streets, can significantly reduce the risk of childhood death which children would otherwise be exposed to.

MDG 5
Improve maternal health

Through health and hygiene training given to approximately 60 children per month, as well as through counselling and awareness raising with families, foster carers and communities during resettlement and foster care follow up visits, Tigers Club can help to improve general health and hygiene awareness which can indirectly lead to improvements in maternal health.

MDG 6
Combat HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases

Ill health can be a crippling obstacle in a child’s endeavours to break away from street life and take its future into its own hands. Through the Tigers Club Medical Centre, an average of 150-200 boys per month can receive direct treatment for conditions resulting from street life, or be referred to other specialist agencies for further support. In addition, the nurse, her volunteers and former street children work together to conduct general health and hygiene awareness raising sessions, as well as HIV/Aids awareness campaigns. Once children return to the community, social workers ensure that the family gain skills in protecting their and their child’s health; provide for the child’s medical costs as well as preventive measures such as bed nets, and continue to educate the families and communities about the risks of diseases such as HIV/Aids, malaria and others.

MDG 7
Ensure environmental sustainability

In many parts of the world, lack of knowledge about sustainable agriculture and immediate nutritional needs are responsible for inappropriate farming and damage to the environment which, in turn, can reduce scope for income generation and lead to family and community poverty. Tigers Club addresses this issue through agricultural training provided to 32 boys per month at the Tudabujja Halfway Home and Farm. Through it, boys do not only gain sustainable agriculture skills needed to help their families raise income through farming; they are also taught to love and care for the environment and Uganda’s precious natural resources.

MDG 8
Develop a global partnership for development

Tigers Club has never believed in working in isolation. Through its strong partnerships with many other governmental and non-governmental, national and international organisations, Tigers Club has been able to contribute to exchange of learning and best practice with regard to care for street children, and to advocate nationally and internationally for the rights and needs of street children.