East African Gazette
Kampala
Government asked to consider tax exemption on products imported to support children with a parent in prison, Father Felice Sciannameo the Director Family of Africa has advised.
Family of Africa is a Non-Government Organization that does not only accommodate children with a parent in prison but supports vulnerable people such as street children, orphans, school drop-outs through skilling and counselling.
In an interview with the East African Gazette Father Sciannameo said that, “Donors want to support these children however, the Organization is likely to lose funding due to the high rate of tax levied on imported products meant to cater for the toddlers.”
![](https://eastafricangazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/lunch-03-1024x576.jpg)
According to Sciannameo, Family of Africa home pays 30% as tax levied for the products that cater for children living with mothers in jail. These products include beds, clothing, toys, machines and scholastic materials.
![](https://eastafricangazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/lunch-04-1.jpg)
Previously, Prison’s department did not have a daycare center to take care of the needs of children detained alongside their mothers as a result, inmate mothers were required to strap their kids on their backs as they worked all day but set up of the facility has the day care has solved such challenges
The Prison’s publicist Frank Baine said that, children detained alongside their jailed mothers are barely of culpable age, under the Ugandan laws though it is by proxy that they are in jail.
![](https://eastafricangazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Lunch-2-1024x576.jpg)
“Many children find themselves incarcerated and others are born in prison, purely by fate. These toddlers find themselves in this situation because their mothers are in prison and have no one else to take care of them while their mums serve prison sentences,” Baine noted.
Currently the Family of Africa home accommodates over 100 children.
![](https://eastafricangazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/lunch-06-1024x1015.jpg)
Fr Sciannameo noted that, exempting tax on the products imported to support children with a parent in prison will help to ensure that these children get the necessary services hence reduce the number of kids on the streets