Refugee Children: Plight of refugee children at the top of AU agenda

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Children are a huge concern as African leaders meet to address the refugee crisis. Isabel Nakirya spent a day at a school in Uganda to learn more about the challenges they face.

Shattered dreams for dozens of refugee children in Kampala. Patrick Mangalano is one of the students signed up to take English language lessons here. His ultimate dream is to one day return to the Congo and become a politician. But for now, he just dreams of being able to attend a school where classes are always in session.

PATRICK MANGALANO CONGOLESE REFUGEE "Many days we stay at home without learning English because we don't have desks, everything is over. I feel so bad, what about my friends who will come after me."

ISABEL NAKIRYA KAMPALA, UGANDA "Its meant to be a normal school day at this center but no pupils have reported because furniture is worn out. That means over 50 refugee children are missing out on their English lessons and that could affect their grades."

The learning center is supported by a local church. But the church alone can't donate enough money to keep the school running all year long. Many of the child refugees here are Congolese who don't speak English. Their parents wish they could give them a better education, but can't afford to take them to schools in the city.

ZAMUKULU AMULI CONGOLESE REFUGEE "My children are my future, I wish they go back to school because they will help me when I grow old and when I am not able to work."

PHILEMON ISEVAKWE CONGOLESE TEACHER "When we don't teach, the parents don't feel good, they come every day asking when we shall start the program and some have even started registering children even if we tell them not to."

The UN refugee agency in Uganda is trying to help.

JOEL BOUTROUE UNHCR COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVE, UGANDA "Go to the schools, you will see children sitting at the window, you don't learn anything there, so if we want to be serious about education, we have to increase substantially our efforts."

So to increase those efforts, the UN has earmarked eleven million US dollars to build new schools and boost the education of the 100 thousand child refugees in Uganda.

But that money will only help children living in refugee settlements and not those like Patrick who are in the city. So for now, that idea of attending class every day on schedule remains just a dream. Isabel Nakirya, CGTN, Kampala.