SUCCESS STORY: Janet stood up for her family - Justice Centres Uganda

SUCCESS STORY: Janet stood up for her family

This is a story of a true family catastrophe deriving from a man who practiced domestic violence, neglected his own children and even pushed his partner out of the house and forbade her from using her own garden. This severe case was solved with the powers of patience and mediation.

On 2nd August 2021, Janet walked into JCU offices to lay a complaint against her partner Kenneth for not providing for their two children aged 11 & 6 and for threatening to expell her from their family home. Janet had cohabited with Kenneth for over twelve years but after some time Kenneth got into a relationship with another woman and moved in with her.

Upon his departure, he stopped providing for the children and further started threatening to evict Janet from the house. To make matters worse, Kenneth prohibited Janet from utilising the land which they had jointly acquired during their relationship. Janet was really frustrated, and was unable to sort out the issues with Kenneth until one of her friends told her about JCU.

JCU Fort Portal held a locus meeting in Ruboona Town Council, Bunyangabo District, in the presence of both parties, the LC1 members and other relatives. It was at this mediation that Kenneth realised his mistake and agreed to do the right thing for his family (Janet and the children). Both parties amicably agreed to sign an MoU wherein;

  • Janet would stay in her house with the children, utilise three portions of their 20-acre piece of land;
  • Kenneth would use the plot of land situated in Ruboona trading center;
  • and that both parents would provide for the children.

The mediation was followed by a discussion about property rights and children’s rights. In the end, Janet who approached JCU disheartened, ended up pleased with the free services accorded to her and relieved that she now had land that she can utilise as well as a home to raise her daughters in.

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