GOOD HOPE FOUNDATION BUILDS THE CAPACITIES OF TEACHERS ON PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

The government of Uganda has kept on increasing its expenditure on education year after year however this expenditure is not matching with the teachers output especially in line to pupil’s performance, teacher’s attendance, and teacher’s role as care givers as well as parent’s contribution towards improving the education of children.

The national action plan on child development 2016/2021 focuses on reducing risks of abuse, exploitation, violence and neglect of children.

Schools being places were children stay most; it has been singled out as a place of concern towards preventing violence against children and adolescents.

Good Hope foundation organized a capacity building training for the teachers on prevention of violence against children and adolescents. The training was attended by the teachers from four schools of operation which include; Kisinga Vocation Secondary school, Kiburara primary school, Kenyange Muslim primary school and Karusandara SDA primary school all from Kisinga and Karusandara Sub Counties. 40 teachers; 17 females and 23 males attended the training.

The training focused on;

Understanding who a teacher is: a teacher as a care giver not a law enforcement officer which the facilitator said most teachers are practicing. Teachers are advised to act as care givers in order to facilitate child development and learning.

Members were then taken through the code of conduct as the Guiding principle or set of standards of teachers.  It was unfortunate that most of the teachers have never read or have taken time without reading these regulations and this explains the reasons behind the high cases of violence against children and adolescents in schools. Accordingly, the code of conduct should assist in reducing violence against children, ensuring increase in children’s enrolment and ensuring all children enrolled complete school.

A teacher-student relationship was highly emphasized by the facilitator who said there should not be a big gap between teachers and learners. He said there is need to create a conducive environment that will facilitate learners to interact freely with the teachers. Every learner has unique characteristics and problems and without good friendship between the learners and teachers it means the learners will remain suffering with violations without the teachers knowledge who are in such case the care givers. Unless the teachers and students relationship is bridged, violence against children shall not be prevented as they cannot detect children at a risk of violation.

Using students/learners for personal gain was also mentioned which they said it is very rampant in most rural primary schools where learners are used as baby seater to children of female teachers, working in gardens of teachers.

The facilitator also had to highlight on the issue of punishments as stipulated in the code of conduct where he said caning is not allowed in the teaching practice and the use of canes as pointers by most teachers, sometimes distracts the learners attention as it creates a state of fear therefore it is recommended for teachers to use charts as pointers not canes.

The code of conduct restricts teachers from engaging in sexual affairs with their learners, not using their influence as a teacher at the expense of the learners as well as not engaging in activities that affects the activities of his/her teaching.

Teachers were told that teaching is more than following the syllabus, it also encompasses giving basic knowledge on other mainstreaming issues such as HIV/AIDS, Environment, and personal health, religious

The facilitators refreshed the teachers on the guidelines of preventing violence against children and adolescents in schools as was produced by the ministry of education, technology and sports. Focus was on measures of preventing violence against children and adolescents in schools.

The training also centered on the concept of violence against children and adolescents mainly focusing on the forms and cases of violence against children and adolescents such as; physical , sexual, psychological, spiritual, economic and child neglect.

The participants/teachers were then taken through the reporting, tracking, referral and response mechanisms to violence against children and adolescents as their role as care givers. To have a society that is free from violence against children and adolescents, teachers should highly be engaged.

Every school was then given a copy of children’s act and copies of Kasese district child protection ordinance.

 

Teachers of Kisinga Voc Sec,Kanyenga Muslim,Karusandara SDA and Kiburara P/S during the training that was conducted from Kasese P/School with the help of 2Assistant inspector of schools.

CHILDREN FROM KARUSANDARA SDA KISINGA VOC SEC SCHOOL PRESENT A PETITION TO THE SUB-COUNTY LEADERSHIP

Good Hope Foundation organized sub county dialogue meetings in the two sub  counties of Kisinga and Karusandara which were attended by over 90 people including; the sub-county technical teams, sub county leadership, religious leaders, teachers and opinion leaders, representatives from the women and youth community based organizations, cultural leaders to dialogue on the findings from the baseline survey and on the issues raised by the community members and the children that increase violence against children and adolescents.

The issues that were discussed include; Children are being subjected to corporal punishments by parents and teachers inform of hard labor, high cases of early marriages and defilement in the sub county, the increased cases of women going to bars with their children, Denial of food to children at home and at school, high cases of alcoholism among the children in the sub county.

During the dialogue, pupils from Karusandara SDA primary school presented a petition to the sub-county LC111 which was on the unfair operation of Mendela’s bar, the petition was undersigned by over 100 pupils. Key issues in the petition included; selling of alcohol to children, the bar employs children and it operates 24hrs.

According to the petitioners, the above has resulted into; defilement, early marriages, school dropout, theft among children, beating and denial of basic needs by parents because of children’s bad behaviors.

Students from Kisinga Voc Sec Sch presented a petition on the failure of parents to provide food for their children in Schools and in homes. The failure to provide food by parents to children in schools has resulted into the following; poor performance in class, diseases such as kwashiorkor, ulcers, increase in school dropouts, increase in thefty among children, increase in early marriages as well child labor. The petition was undersigned by over 70 pupils of Kisinga Voc Sec Sch who recommended the sub county to involve and adopt a bye-law on food and nutrition, behavior change communication on nutrition by different stakeholders or development partners and then triggering behaviors towards food production in homes.

REACTIONS AND ACTIONS FROM THE PARTICIPANTS

Reactions to the presentations

According to the LC1 chairperson of Kevengye village where the bar is located, he communicated to the members in the house that it is true the bar has been a threat to all pupils and students not necessarily those from Karusandara SDA primary school only.

Members agreed to the submission of the children and they attributed the vice to the women who go with their children in these bars and then the laxity in the implementation of bye-laws that were passed by the sub county on alcoholism.

The chairperson LC111 said it is unfortunate that, the sub county leadership has never got any complaint about the operation of these bars, it is the first time to receive such a petition even when it has been a serious threat to the lives of our children.

It was mentioned by the members that every Wednesday and Sunday women from Karusandara do not sleep in their homes as they sleep in the markets leaving men alone with the children and this is increasing incest in the sub county.

They added that it’s unfortunate that most of the mothers from Karusandara Sub County save for alcohol not for family development.

 Actions from the dialogue,

The sub county leadership pledged to summon the owner of Mendala’s bar to write a statement before the end of April.

The sub county leadership after the swearing in of new elected leaders in the month of May will call for a meeting for the entire bar operators in the sub-county to remind them about the bye-laws as well as making them to commit themselves to bide to the bye-laws.

The police to strengthen its community policing programs to increase on peoples understanding about the different laws as well as bringing about law and order in the community.

Religious leaders, teachers and the elders to be involved in mobilizing community members towards preventing violence against children and adolescents especially instilling good parenting skills as well as popularizing the bye-laws of the sub-county.

The coming council to pass a motion on increasing taxes on bars to limit children from accessing alcohol.

Religious leaders present pledged to commit one Sunday in a month to pass information about good parenting skills and Violence against Children.

Involving boda-boda riders in the prevention of violence against children.

The sub county leadership pledged to pass a bye –law on food and nutrition.

Laws and bye laws should be put in place to protect the environment

 Karusandara SDA primary school pupil presenting a petition about the operations of bars during the dialogue meeting at the Sub county Head quarters

 Kisinga Voc Sec Sch Student present  a petition to the Sub County leadership about provision of food to cchildren

Area inspector of schools responding to issues presented by students during the dialogue meeting at Kisnga Sub county

 CFPU Officer at Kisinga Sub county also responding to the issues raised by the participants during the dialogue meeting

Participant contributing during the dialogue meeting at the sub county

The CDO Kisinga S/C responding to the issues raised by the participants during the dialogue meeting

GOOD HOPE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS WOMEN GROUPS WITH SEED CAPITAL

Since Violence against Children and adolescents has a direct link with women’s economic empowerment, Good Hope Foundation supported 2 women groups in two sub counties with seed capital to boost their livelihoods and improve their household incomes. Two women groups supported included; St.Lucy women group which has a membership of over 30 members was supported with seed capital to boost their piggery project while Karusandara HIV/AIDS United group from Karusandara Sub County which has a membership of over 50 members was supported with seed capital to boost their savings and credit scheme.

The seed capital was handed over to the groups by the sub county LCIII C/person in the presence of all stake holders, who said to the members of the group that this is a great opportunity for the group which needs to be utilized very well for the benefit of the group members and for the good of their children. While the district councilor for the Karusandara sub county while handing over the check to the group, he said the sub county will have the mandate to follow-up the seed capital to ensure that it is properly management for the benefit of the group members and to ensure the goal of the project is achieved.

The chairperson St. Lucy women group in her speech, promised to the members on how the project is not going to benefit the members only but they will also identify some poor families in the neighboring communities whose children are suffering to benefit from the project by giving them piglets also to help them improve their household incomes in response to violence against children.

The C/person of St Lucy Women group giving an appreciation speech

Leaders of Karusandara HIV/AIDS United group receiving a cheque to boost their VSLA scheme in the presence of the C/person LC III and the Sub County Councillor

Leaders of St.Lucy receiving a cheque to boost their piggery project in the presence of the CDO,C/person      LC III and the Sub County Councillor

WOMEN GROUPS TRAINED IN INCOME GENERATING PROJECTS

In an attempt to strengthen the skills of women’s groups to be able to engage in economic activities as a way of increasing their participation in prevention of violence against children and adolescents,  Good hope Foundation carried out capacity assessment of women groups in the two sub-counties of Kisinga and Karusandara to identify the capacity gaps.The groups assessed included; St. Lucy women group from Kisinga and Karusandara HIV/AIDs United group from Karusandara sub county.  

Key activities carried out by these groups include; savings and credit, kitchen gardening, animal rearing (piggery and goat keeping), domestic violence prevention as well as drama shows conducted by St. Lucy Women group from Kisinga while, Savings and credit, drama shows, hygiene and sanitation and kitchen gardening is being carried out by Karusandara HIV/AIDS United group. From the assessment, among the gaps identified by the group members included; improper management of income generating projects of the group especially piggery project by St. Lucy women group and Savings and credit scheme by Karusandara HIV/AIDS United group as well as parenting skills and children’s laws.

Three skill training workshops for two women groups in Kisinga and Karusandara sub counties were conducted by Good Hope Foundation which focused on management of income generating projects especially savings and credit as well as piggery projects in order to enhance member’s knowledge on how to use VSLA and piggery as a business to improve household incomes thereby contributing to the prevention of violence against children and adolescents. 28 members; 23 women 5 men from St. Lucy women group from in Kisinga Sub County were trained on piggery management and the training focused on four areas which include;

• Housing
•  selecting pigs for keeping
• Avoiding in-breeding pigs
• Always look for pigs with 12 breast
• Pigs with long back born are good
• And then pigs with big size legs
• Record keeping (using the head, calendar and the book)
• Preparing for a pig that is almost producing and after producing were it is necessary to prepare food, prepare dry grasses it will produce on.

St.Lucy Women group during the piggery training at Rwenguhya COU

While Karusandara HIV/AIDS United group, 33 members; 26 women and 7 men were trained on management of village savings and loan associations.The training centered on; register book, social welfare fund ledger, savings ledger, loan ledger and the cash book as well as on sharing out.

61 members; 49 women and 12 men from the two groups were again trained on parenting skills, children’s laws as well as on how to make re-usable sanitary pads to improve access to sanitary pads thereby reducing the risks to violence against children which is result of failure to access sanitary pads by young girls.

Karusandara HIV/AIDS United group being in VSLA Management

Women groups being in making re-usable sanitary pads

Group members posing for a photo after training on children's laws and parenting skills

STRENTHENING CHILDREN’S RIGHTS ADVOCACY CLUBS IN KISINGA AND KARUSANDARA SUB COUNTIES

In an attempt to strengthen capacities of children and adolescents in schools to mitigate violence against children and adolescents,  Good hope Foundation is working with child rights advocacy clubs in the four schools that is; Kisinga Vocation S.S, Kiburara primary school, Kenyange Muslim primary school, and Karusandara SDA primary school  in Kisinga and Karusandara sub counties.  

 We organized familiation meetings with the school administration to identify and form child rights clubs and this was followed by the capacity building sessions for these clubs to share and discuss issues related to the concept of violence against children and how they can participate in preventing the vice especially through debates, MDDs and girl education movement (GEM) as approaches of empowering children with skills of preventing violence against children.

Three debate compitation were organized in the two sub counties of our operation between Karusandara SDA and Kenyange Muslim, Kiburara interclass compitation and Kisinga Vocation secondary school interclass compitation debating about ; ”Violence against children is on the increase, who are responsible and what can be done to prevent it”.

Accordingly; teachers, parents, children, church leaders, government and community members such as Boda boda men, business people were highly mention as those responsible for violence against children citing the cases of denial of basic needs by the parents, corruption, failure to provide social services, cooporal purnishments by both teachers and parents, disrespect by the children, rape ,difelemnt by the Boda boda men and the business people.

Among the remedies mentioned included;

•  Teachers should not be going to class with canes as it brings fear in children a case that makes many children not to understand what is being taught hence leading to poor performance.
•   Parents should always provide meals to the children and in time to avoide being late at school. 
•   Educating parents and communities on relevent children laws and policies.
• There is need to set strict laws as well as regulating the selling of alcoho to children 
•   Adolescents should always have faith in themselves and resist gifts as well as reporting teachers and others who abuse them sexually.
• Religious leaders should always organize missions to educate the parents on how children are parented.
•  Government should organize civic education on the rights of children
•  Civil society organizations should also carryout advocacy on the rights of children
•   Government should increase taxes on alcohol to unable children to afford alcohol
• The government also should increase and pay salaries in time to enable parents who are civil servants meet the basic needs of their children
• The government should also increase access to loans to enable parents start income gerating business to fight against household poverty
•   Local leaders and the school management committees should work hand in hand with parents to ensure that children in primary level get food at school.

Achievements

4Child rights clubs have been formed in the four schools of operation

 Capacity of 120 club members has been built to prevent violence against children and adolescents.

Three debates were successfully organized with attendance of  over 300 children and adolescents.

Over 120 Children and adolescents have gained confidence to freely speak out about violenace against children and adolescents.