Domestic violence and poverty at the center of increased number of single mothers in Kiboga central Uganda

Tuesday, May 19th, 2026 | By

The narrative of motherhood is rapidly evolving in Uganda, especially among younger generations. It’s increasingly common to encounter women in their early twenties identifying as single mothers, a significant shift from earlier eras when early motherhood outside of marriage was often linked to defilement or lack of access to family planning. Although increased access to reproductive health information was expected to reduce unintended pregnancies, the reality is more complex. (https://rightforeducation.org/2025/09/05/understanding-the-rise-of-single-mothers-in-uganda/)

The number of single mothers in Uganda has significantly increased. Single mothers aged 18-35 rose from 20% to 30%, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2024 report. (https://www.dw.com/en/ugandas-rising-single-motherhood-rate/audio-71891970

Ms. Lillian Namuwaya of Kiboga in central Uganda says her former drunkard husband had turned her into a punching bag every day which affected her mentally and physically.

“My husband would force my children and I to sleep outside on an empty stomach whenever he got drunk”, Namuwaya explained while appearing on the Community Green Radio gender show, Nyinabwenge.

Namuwaya explained how her husband would beat her to nearly death whenever she asked for anything such as food, school and medical fees.

Janet Babirye says he journey to single motherhood was fueled by poverty.

“We reached a point where we couldn’t afford basic needs in a home like clothing, food and medical care and asking for any of them would cause huge misunderstanding.  I decided to move on and fend for my children”, Babirye narrated to the listeners.

These mothers explain how hard it is to be a single mother and how they are struggling with their children. There numerous bills for feeding, school dues and medical bills. They say they have been forced to go extra miles working tirelessly to make sure they improvise for their children.

They, however, commend the National Association of Professional Environmentalists, NAPE and the Community Green Radio for improvising them with personal skills like poultry keeping, kitchen gardening and bee keeping that has enabled them and their respective communities to afford reasonable livelihoods.

The community Green Radio was founded in 2014 with an aim of amplifying the voices of the grassroots communities especially women.

Compiled by Oliver Nyamahunge