EQUIP THE GIRL CHILD WITH SKILLS TO KEEP IN SCHOOL

In attempt to strengthen the capacities of teachers to mitigate violence against children and adolescents, Good Hope Foundation has continued to Support the child-to-child initiatives. It organized a training for girls and senior women teachers from the four schools of operation on how to make re-usable sanitary pads for purposes of equipping children and teachers with skills on how to address the health challenges to prevent violence against children and adolescents which are brought about by the challenges girls face during their menstrual days especially the failure to access the facilities that they can use during the menstrual periods that most children end looking for them from other people hence increasing the risks of being violated while others missing classes and dropping out of school because of failure to have facilities to use. Four schools which include Kiburara primary school, Kisinga vocation secondary school, Karusandara SDA primary school and Kenyange muslim primary school all from Kisinga and Karusandara sub counties were given trainings in re-usable sanitary pads on 26^th, 27^th, 28^th and 29^th/July 2016 respectively. Among those who were trained included the girls, teachers and the community members neighboring the school. Over 420 girls, women and men (400 girls and 20 men) were given skills on girl’s health and hygiene as well as making local re-usable sanitary pads.

Sessions on children’s parliament was also organized in order to strengthen the child rights club members to hold children’s parliament as a form of child to child initiative on preventing violence against children and adolescents. Members were again taken through the operation of children’s parliaments which is a platform through which children discuss issues that affect them and come up with local solutions/recommendations through petitions to the policy makers.

To help girls manage their health challenges in schools, schools were also supported with sanitary towels and other materials which are intended to be used by the children in making the re-usable sanitary pads whenever they face a related health challenge. This is intended to address the negative effects that results from the failure of girls to access the sanitary pads at school.

 

Kisinga Voc girls being trained how to make re-usable sanitary pad

Kiburara p/s girls P6-P7 being trained how to make re-usable sanitary pads

Kiburara p/s girls P6-P7 being trained how to make re-usable sanitary pads

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAM COURSE/CAREER

Good Hope Foundation facilitated Kisinga Vocational Secondary School to organize student’s career day on 22/July/2016 which was attended by over 420 students (234 girls and 186 boys). Among others who attended included the head teacher and the teaching staff. The careers day was on the theme; “How to achieve our goal of education at school”, this was in an attempt to strengthen the children’s capacities to be sensitive of violence against children and adolescents and be able to prevent and respond to the forms of violence against adolescents which hinders children’s education. The theme centered on three topics which included; your life experience does not necessary determine your future, planning for your goal and then education and the internet use. These were facilitated by three speakers who included; Mr. Masereka Zakayo a nurse at Kagando Hospital and a lecturer at Kagando school of nursing and midwifery, Maate Erius who is an engineer at crown beverages limited and an OB of kisinga vocation secondary school and then Mr. Jimmy B. Odyek coordinator of Rwenzori consortium for civic competence.

According to the first speaker, Mr. Masereka Zakayo who presented on the topic of; “your life experience does not necessarily determine your future”, he had to narrate his past experience of education were he said he comes from a humble family and that his education was in steps from a certificate as a nursing aid, enrolled nurse, diploma, degree to masters now. In his communication he highlighted that the challenges you meet a long should not hinder you from achieving your goal. He added that for those who are at school, poverty is not a challenge to their education but poverty can be brought by the students/children especially if they involve themselves in bad acts which may affect their education such as alcoholism, sexual immoralities, and bad companies to mention. It is does not matter which school you are at for you to succeed in education but the determination to achieve your goal.

The second speaker Mr. Maate Erius who presented on how to plan for your goal and as a person who passed through the same school he first gave a message of hope to adolescents were he informed them that they are on the best school and having the best teachers. He however said to the adolescents that a career is not easy to develop that it needs determination and passion. He talked about the peers who may either positively or negatively affect your personal goal. He said it’s a matter of being strategic. He encouraged the adolescents to have something that brings them to school.

The third speaker who Mr. Jimmy Odyek presented on Education and internet use, he first highlighted some few global challenges which include population increase, internet challenges/social media, climate change as well as youth unemployment. In addressing the above the challenges he said the adolescents/youths should be at the center as change agents were he said they should think beyond their surroundings in addressing these challenges. He called upon students to use internet to enhance their education but not using it to watch pornography. He added that there is a need to use internet to think globally and acting locally. He encouraged the adolescents to work with their parents and influence them to invest in education. He discouraged the tendencies of families spending a lot non productive ventures such as burials instead of education a practice that is common in most of the families in Kasese district. He also talked about the culture were he said most of the adolescents no longer respect the culture especially the addressing codes of adolescents that exposes them to violence. On thinking globally he encouraged students to embrace the learning of international languages such as Chinese language and other language in order for them to feet in the global world. He cautioned the adolescents to abstain from pre-marital sex.

Eng:Maate Erius of crown beverages limited and an OB of Kisinga Voc School giving words of encouragement to students  during careers day

Kisinga Voc students presenting a play about violence against adolescents in the domestic environment 

Senior Nursing officer Masereka Zakayo Black narrating the long walk to his current level of Education and  employment position as away to encourage students to concentrated on Education

KIBUGA RESIDENTS BREAK THE SILENCE ABOUT CONFLICTS

Kibuga is one of the Parishes in Karusandara Sub County, Kasese District, Uganda where Karusandara Youth United Development association (K.A.Y.U.D.A), a local CBO Partnering with Good Hope Foundation on prevention and management of conflicts and human rights abuses in the sub county, conducted a neighborhood assembly at Kibuga Trading centre on August 31^st, 2016 to discuss Peace.

LC11 Chairperson of Kibuga Parish, welcoming Participants including LC111 Chairperson

The assembly centered on three objectives that included;

·        To expose and discuss possible triggers of conflicts and human rights violations in Karusandara sub county especially in Kibuga Parish

·        To agree on possible actions of reducing the different forms of conflicts in Karusandara sub county.

·        To strengthen capacity of K.A.Y.U.D.A to conduct conflicts prevention and management meetings at community level.

The Neighborhood assembly session was fairly attended and over 200 people turned up. Approximately 93 males and 110 females attended. Among other participants were; O.C Police Karusandara police post, LCIII Chairperson, Sub county Council Speaker, Paralegals and men, women, youth residents of Kibuga Parish, Karusandara sub county.

Some local people attending the NA Session

Key issues raised during discussions

·        There are violations of women’s economic rights by husbands in the Parish. After harvesting Agricultural produce, men do not allow their wives to participate in Planning.

·        Alcoholism is practiced by both men and women in the sub county and this has for several times triggered domestic conflicts.

·        Men have left their wives to be bread winners in their homes.

·        Men report very late back home and this has also triggered domestic conflicts.

·        There are a lot of Police corruption cases in Kibuga and Karusandara at large. All this has contributed to continuous conflicts.

·        Women have been denied right to worship by their husbands and parents.

·        Some Parents are still primitive to an extend of denying their children right to education.

·        The rich undermine the poor and this has created a social gap between these two classes of people in the sub county.

·        Land grabbing and political influence in the sub county has also triggered conflicts in the sub county

·        The different ethnic groups in Karusandara Sub County stay peacefully but only a few pockets of miss understandings occur that are considered normal in any community setting.

·        Sexual harassment of especially girls by their fellow age mates of opposite sex, villagers, parents and teachers is still high in Karusandara Sub County.

·        Climate change is causing disasters in the sub county and hunger is expected which could affect people’s livelihood.

 

A Foot Peace ambassador engaging participants during general discussions

Key Action points made.

·        Sub county leadership to emphasize the execution of by-laws aimed at protecting children’s rights like stopping children from entering bars, and bars opening during day time.

·        To preach a message of love among the married couples in different forums as one of the ways of curbing Domestic violence.

·        To mainstream environmental protection education and action in all activities at community level.

·        Local community members and leaders to support all planned actions by CBOs identified by Good Hope Foundation in preventing and managing conflicts and human rights violations in Karusandara sub county.

The session ended with remarks by the Local Council Three chairperson emphasizing on Peaceful co-existence among the different ethnic groups in the sub county that are over 40 in number. The Chairperson gave a biblical relationship between a family and community where he advised married couples to promote peace in their homes if they must witness Peace in the whole sub county, because community Peace starts at home.

348 PEACE AMBASSADORS TRAINED AND DISPATCHED TO COMMUNITIES

 

Some of the trained CBOs members posing for a group photo

August 18^th-25^th, 2016 left Good Hope Foundation for Rural Development with 100 males and 248 females equipped with skills in conflict analysis, prevention and management and human rights violations prevention as well as skills in mobilizing communities for Peaceful co-existence in Five Sub counties of Kasese District.

Ten community based organizations from Kitswamba, Munkunyu, L.Katwe, Karusandara sub counties and Katwe Kabatoro town council that included; Ophfund Uganda, Karusandara youth united Development association, Kikorongo Service Centre, Katunguru Women’s resource users Foundation, Katwe Kabatoro association for PWDs, Kakone Mwemukye Tufanye Youth, Mother Care Women Group, Kitsutsu Youth, Bigando Youth United group and Bigando Farmers cooperative produced the above trainees for three days each who were later dispatched to communities to prevent and manage conflicts and human rights violations in their respective sub counties.

TOT(FPA) retooling her CBO Members in an out door session

During the trainings, it was discovered that the most prevalent conflicts occurring in the above sub counties and Kasese District at large are;

·        Land conflicts

·        Domestic violence

·        Religious tensions over beliefs and resources

·        Cultural tensions

·        Political differences 

·        Violence against children / child abuse

·        Cattle keepers and cultivators conflicts

·        Wild animal problem / Protected areas to community conflicts 

FPAs after equipping their CBO Members in Conflicts identification and general analysis

And it was further brought to our notice that the above conflicts are caused/triggered by;

·        Poverty among community members

·        Adultery

·        Laziness

·        Ignorance of the law by local people

·        Inadequate land for settlement

·        Lack of enough water sources for domestic use and animals

·        Elections of local and National leaders.

Analysing a conflict during group work

As a key output of the Trainings, trained members committed themselves to do the following immediately after the trainings;

·        Composing songs and plays about Conflict prevention, management and Human Rights Violations prevention in their respective sub counties.

·        Trickling the knowledge gained to other community members through different engagements for sustainable peaceful co-existence.

·        Participating in government programs like planning meetings as a civic responsibility that will also empower them to monitor implementation of government budgets.

·        Acting as role models for Peaceful co-existence in their respective communities

LCIII Chairperson,Munkunyu sub county addressing CBO members after the training where he emphasised on treckling the knowledge gained to other community members

 

Group work where Police is in attendance

  

Another group photo of CBO members after the training

The trainings were facilitated by TOTs referred to as Foot Peace Ambassadors who were trained by Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO), and supported by Good Hope Foundation Staff. These trainings were also attended by Local council three chairpersons, Sub county Chiefs and Community Development Officers of the above respective sub counties.

A PEACEFUL KASESE LAUNCHED

 

Participants posing for a group photo after a full day of serious in door work

On 17^th of August 2016, Key Kasese District leaders converged at Virina Gardens, Kasese Municipality to analyze conflicts and Human Rights violations occurring in the District and agree on interventions aimed at reaching a sustainable solution to the development challenges. Key leaders like LCV Chairperson, Resident District commissioner, District internal security officer, Regional Police commander, Religious leaders, Cultural leaders( representing Bakonzo, Banyabindi and Basongora ethnic groups), sub county Chairpersons and their District councilors from sub counties of; L.Katwe,Kitswamba,Karusandara, Munkunyu and Katwe Kabatoro Town Council, and other influential stakeholders including Media, representatives of other CSOs like NAYODE, KADNET among others physically and through delegation turned up to discuss way forward for a peaceful Kasese. Good Hope Foundation for Rural Development(GHFRD) facilitated the District Meeting under the project Titled; Community action to prevent and manage conflicts and Human Rights violations in Rwenzori region, funded by EU through HIVOS and RWECO. A total of thirty five (35) influential District leaders attended and participated. 

Hon.Muthanaba Patrick, highlighting state of peace in Kasese District,Hinting on proposed District split as potential conflict trigger

During high informed discussions, the following issues were raised;

• Leaders in Kasese District incite violence through their non conflict sensitive languages
• Conflicts in Kasese have relationship with politics. Some Politicians feel a conflicting Kasese is fertile for Political self centered or party maneuvers than when it is peaceful.
• Land conflicts in Kasese are fueled by land grabbers who are well positioned in the leadership of both central and local government and engage local people for their self interests. 
• Failure to implement court rulings, concerning land cases also triggers land conflicts in the District.
• There is a lot of Hypocrisy among Kasese Leaders who pretend to be serving their people where as they are working towards fulfilling agendas of other influential external people.
• Most politicians lack leadership skills and generally have limited knowledge about conflicts prevention, management and Human Rights violation prevention.
• The different ethnic groups in Kasese are accommodative of each other but only incited into violence by bad politics.
• There are several lacunars in the cultural institutions law, which have been used by different ethnic groups to seek for cultural institutions in what ever way they wish hence triggering conflicts.
• The approach of community influenced action is the best one if concentration is really made on local people in empowering them to determine their civically well informed destiny. People should be skilled to be in control of their leaders, not being miss-guided by leaders for self interests.

 

Participants raising pertinent issues about conflicts and Human Rights violations in Kasese District

The above issues guided participants to agree on the following resolutions/way forward as interventions that will lead to a peaceful Kasese;

• Training local Leaders especially Politicians in Conflicts prevention and management as well as conflict sensitivity during public actions.
• All religious leaders should be brought on board and know their roles as far as conflict prevention and management is concerned.
• GHFRD should increase the number of sub counties in their area of operation, if possible because so many people need to be involved in Prevention and management of public conflicts.
• Civic education on electoral processes should be conducted in order to avoid violent History repeating itself in future especially within Kasese.
• Mapping other potential NGOs working in the District on Peace related projects and teaming up to avoid duplication of work, but rather maximize impact.

 

Peace loving dedicated leaders

The Meeting ended with remarks by the regional Community liaison officer, ASP Sunday B from East Rwenzori regional Police head quarters, emphasizing on community policing as a way of reducing conflicts, and announced that the government is in the process of creating a monitoring mechanism for activities of politicians within their communities with an aim of early identification of political actions that could trigger conflicts in communities. He communicated that according to their investigations, conflicts in Rwenzori are being fueled by some Politicians and influential civil servants with self interests and promised to work with any stakeholder to ensure a peaceful Rwenzori and Kasese District in Particular.