KASESE JOURNALISTS, JOIN PEACE PROMOTION CAMPAIGN

Isaac Sinamakosa sensitizing the youths on Peaceful co-existence

14^th May 2017 was the day Umbrella for Journalists in Kasese celebrated press freedom day at Karusandara Primary school in Kasese District, postponed from 3^rd May 2017. The theme of the day was; Critical Minds for critical times; media’s role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive societies. The theme was built on the understanding that; Justice for all is a prerequisite for freedom of expression and sustainable development, promoting the media’s potential as a catalyzer of peace and mutual understandings, and freedom of expression and freedom of information fostering more inclusive societies.

Good Hope Foundation for Rural Development joined and supported Umbrella for journalists in Kasese to support four football clubs from four Parishes of Karusandara to play football for peace friendly matches at Karusandara Primary school playground. These clubs included; Kanamba FC from Kanamba Parish, B United FC from Karusandara Parish,Kivengenye FC from Kabukero Parish and Kibuga FC from Kibuga Parish. By the end of the day, B United emerged the champion and Kibuga FC the runners up.

Among the leaders who turned up and made several speeches concerning youth inclusion in Peace promotion included; District Woman Councilor, Karusandara Police OC, Police CID, Parish Councilors, Parish Chairpersons and LCIs. The event was boosted by the sub county FPAs and general team of Journalists in Kasese who also passed Peace and human rights information to the Youths. Over three hundred fifty (350) youths turned up for the football matches.

A hand shake for Peace by Guests

During the speeches and discussions, the following issues were raised;

• The major conflicts in Karusandara are related to land and domestic violence
• The sub county lacks a maternity ward and ambulance and this violates women’s rights to timely access health services.
• Poor Road network and access to electricity still culminating into very many economic problems in Karusandara. These challenges have triggered economic conflicts and rendered the population marginalized
• The issue of wild animals destroying people’s crops has not been treated as a priority by the authorities and has contributed to poverty among farmers neighboring the protected area(Queen Elizabeth National Park)
• The youth in several occasions have fallen victims of drug abuse, early marriages and becoming idle and disorderly.
• Education has not been given a priority by Parents of Karusandara whereby most Pupils drop out of school due to Parents’ negligence.
• Other tribes except Bakonzo in the sub county are still marginalized in terms of access to public jobs. This however among other reasons was attributed to low education levels of these tribes mates in the sub county, making them not competitive enough for the advertised jobs.

ASP MULI of Karusandara Police sensitizing youths on law governing the Country

During discussions, the following recommendations and immediate follow up actions were suggested;

• There is need to devise ways of promoting peaceful co existence between frontline communities and UWA whereby wild Animals from Queen Elizabeth National Park destroy people’s crops and this is a potential conflict trigger.
• The Land issue between Bakonzo/cultivators and Basongora/pastoralists need some one impartial to mediate because people feel those involved in the National and local government leadership have sides in the conflict.
• Early marriages are still a big challenge in the sub county necessitating urgent action.
• A lot of reports about youths being idle and abusing drugs were also heard during discussions. Massive sensitization on several human rights and the law is still needed among the youths.

Immediately, all development partners need to make follow ups/actions on the following key action point agreed on;

• Massive sensitization about go back to school and stay in school among Karusandara communities. Very few pupils, who start primary one, finish primary seven and finally secondary level in Karusandara.

The Champions B united FC Posing for a photo with Journalists and Good Hope Staff.

Chief Guest,Hon.Mbambu Doreen Speaking to the youths

The event ended with handing prizes to the champion and runners up by the District Woman Councilor of Karusandara Sub county who thanked Good Hope Foundation, in her closing remarks for teaming up with Journalists who can either escalate conflicts or prevent them through reporting,  and thanked them for the great work they have been doing in the sub county under different projects but majorly; prevention and managing conflicts and human rights violations and mobilizing communities for peaceful co-existence, not forgetting the youth who are very active in most conflicts.

Giving prizes to the Champions,by the Chief guest

GOOD HOPE FOUNDATION MAPS AND TRAINS THE MODEL COUPLES

Good Hope foundation in implementing a community driven approach to prevent violence against children and adolescents in kasese district will be the model couple approach to work as change agents as far as parenting is concerned through influencing and changing the parenting practices among the fellow couples and families in the neighborhoods through organizing sharing and discussion visits to the neighboring families and participating in radio talk shows on parenting. Good Hope Foundation mapped and identified four (4) model couples per sub county making Eight model couples from the two sub counties of Kisinga and Karusandara all neighboring the schools we are working with within the respective sub counties.

On 4^th and 5^th May 2017, Good Hope Foundation organized a training session for the model couples in the two sub counties of kisinga and Karusandara. Eight (8) model couples were trained on parent-child communication skills, parenting styles, guidance and counseling. The training was for the purposes of strengthening model couples positive parenting practices skills at family level targeting 8 couples in 2 sub-counties in Kasese district with the main objective of equipping model couples with knowledge and skill on positive parenting practices as well equipping them with skill on public speaking and media presentation.

Key areas of training included; understanding the concept of model couple looking at the characteristics of a model couple in relation to positive parenting. A model couple a family of man and woman living as husband and wife with their children, the couple that is recognized by the community as husband and wife living under the same roof, the family that has basic household needs like- main house, detached kitchen and latrine, bathroom, dry rake, hand washing facility with soap,  garden for food security in case of rural families, a couple that knows the value of education, a couple who is mindful of children’s basic needs, as well the couple that is able to share their experiences in child up-bringing, farming and community participation including any innovations that have enabled them to bring up children using the means available at their disposal. 

Other training areas included; understanding the concept of violence against children and adolescents looking at the forms, causes, effects and how it can be prevented;  understanding the concept of positive parenting mainly looking at the aspects that can help in achieving positive parenting such as behavior control, respect for Individual autonomy, modeling appropriate behaviors, positive communication skills, provision and protection looking at the roles and responsibilities of parents/guardians. The participants were also skilled in media and public speaking were we concentrated on giving model couples tips on public speaking and radio presentation looking at how they can prepare themselves for the radio talk show before, during and after the radio talk show.

Key commitments

• Model couples committed themselves to reach out to 10 families each couple in their neighborhoods to share and discuss with them on the aspect of positive parenting of children and work with them to bring about change in those families in regard to reducing violence against children and adolescents.

• Model couples also committed themselves to always come for radio talk shows whenever they are called upon to share family experiences in parenting of children to the listeners.

 

Model couples being on how to prevent violence against children in Kisinga S/County

Model couples being trained on how to prevent violence against children in Karusandara S/County

 

YOUTH AND WOMEN GROUPS SUPPORTED TO ENGAGE IN INITIATIVES GEARED TOWARDS PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

While it has been noted that poverty has a direct link with violence against children and adolescents, Good Hope Foundation is supporting youth and women group’s initiatives geared towards preventing violence against children and adolescents. Women and youths have always been identified as the most perpetrators of violence against children and additionally women have been seen being at the center of ensuring that children get what to eat in most of households, provide clothing to the children but little or no support towards the education of children and provision of other basic necessities which has been attributed to their limited finances.

Good Hope foundation supported  4 CBO  initiatives geared towards prevention of violence against children in the two sub counties of operation Karusandara and Kisinga sub counties. The supported CBOs included one youth group and one women group per sub county. Good hope first conducted CBO assessment on 13th and 14th /3/2017 to identify and assess the initiatives as well as to identify the capacity gaps in implementing the initiatives. After the assessment of the groups, on 15th and 16th March 2017 Good Hope organized 4 training for the 4 CBOs in the identified gaps where 117 (83f and 34m) group members attended the training. Rural Youth Initiative for Development (RYID) was trained in poultry keeping while St. Lucy Women Group, Kanamba Women group and Kevengenyi Youth for Development were trained in piggery management.

After the training the groups were then supported with seed capital to boost their identified initiatives. The support was to strengthen the capacities of youth and women organizations to be able to actively participate in income generation activities to improve their livelihoods as well as to strengthen the capacities of the youths and women to be able to participate in reducing violence against children and adolescents at family, community and school levels through participating in school, family and community initiatives aimed at reducing violence against children and adolescents.

The four CBOs supported included; from Kisinga, Rural youth initiative for development (RYID) which has a membership of 35 members (20f and 15m) and it was supported in poultry project, St. Lucy women group with a membership of 30 members (25f and 5m) was supported in boosting their piggery project while from Karusandara they include; Kanamba women group which has a membership of 27 members (23F and 4M) was supported in their piggery project while also Kevengenyi youth for development with 25 members (15 F and 10M) was also supported in piggery project.

Key commitment

• Group members committed them selves  to participate in community and school initiatives geared towards prevention of violence against children and adolescents. As members they will identify initiaitives that they can initiate at the neighboring schools which are geared towards preventing violence against children and adolescents.

RYID poultry project

Project officer on a monitoring exercise of the project supported piggery initiative owned a member of the CBOs

Youth group being supported with seed capital to boost thier piggery project

100 CHILDREN SUPPORTED WITH SCHOLARSTIC MATERIALS DURING THE MUSIC DANCE DRAMA ON VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

Following the 2016 recent conflicts that erupted in Kasese district that left many families losing their dear ones as well as increasing violence against children and adolescents especially through impacting on the parenting mechanisms of children in the families and communities, Good Hope Foundation in collaboration with ECOS band peace ambassadors on 1^st/5/2017 organized a community sensitization session on violence against children through Music Dance and Drama at Kyatoke trading center in Buisembu sub county. Over 600 people attended the session including the sub county chairperson local council three, the district councilor, security officers, religious leaders and other local leaders.

While highlighting on the impact of conflict, the chairperson LC111 said that as a result of this recent conflict the sub county has registered an overwhelming number of orphans totaling to 200 orphans, many children have dropped out of school, and that many families can no longer meet the children’s basic needs. Through the music dance and drama, key messages passed included;

Educating community members on the value of education while highlighting the parent’s roles and respomsibilities in fulfilling the child’s right to education. To illustrate this, Good Hope Foundation together with ECOS band peace ambassadors supplied exercise books to over 100 children during the event.  

Children being given exercise books and pens

They also commended on the practice of shop keepers selling alcohol to children where they called upon local leaders to implement the district child protection ordinance on protection that prohibits shop keepers and bars from selling alcohol to children.

They also called upon families to fully participate in food production for them to be able to parent their children.

A message on peace and love in the families, communities and schools was also passed while communicating that if violence against children and adolescents is to be reduced peace and love must first be in families, schools and communities. Additionally a message commending on the practice of adults using beating as a form of punishing children was also passed while calling upon parents to stop beating and start using alternative punishments.

The band could not leave calling upon parents to engage themselves in income generating activities as a way of fighting against household poverty thereby facilitating positive parenting. They encouraged parents to join savings and credit groups and also to start income generating projects at home like animal and bird keeping as this will help them to be in position to meet the children’s needs.

Good Hope Foundation staff giving remarks about the objectives of the activity

PEACE SENSITIZATION TAKES OVER LABOUR DAY

Bwesumbu sub county Chairperson making welcoming remarks as well as passing Peace message

1^st May 2017 was blessed with sensitization of local people of Greater Kitswamba on human rights, conflict prevention and management through Music dance and drama by Foot Peace Ambassadors (FPAs) of Kitswamba Sub County in Partnership with local Artists who were led by Mr. Kahyana Jolly of Echoes Band Peace Ambassadors and others from Rwenzori Big Stars Band in Kasese District.

Averagely 836(524 Males and 312 Females) people that included approximately 76 PWDs attended the grassroot sensitization event held at Kyatoka Trading Centre, Bwesumbu Sub county, Busongora North Constituency, Kasese District.

Among the participants included; Local residents of Busongora North dominated by Kyatoka Parish residents, Bwesumbu District Councilor, Kyatoka OC Police, Bwesumbu LCIII C/Person, FPAs of Kitswamba sub county, Media person from KGR, Artists from Echoes band Peace ambassadors and Rwenzori big stars band, Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu Youth Council Speaker, Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu regional Education secretary and many other local leaders.

Peace and human rights sensitization through Music

The sensitization event aimed at;

·         Creating massive awareness about Peace building, conflict management and Human rights to local people of greater Kitswamba and Bwesumbu sub county in particular.

·         Mobilizing at least 400 local people as peace and human rights ambassadors in Busongara North Constituency.

·         Providing counselling to the Kyatoka residents, following the recent loss of lives by many families of over 30 people during the November 2016 attacks in Kasese District

 

Good Hope Foundation ED Passing his Peace message

Several issues were raised by different Speakers and among others included;

·         The Kasese District November, 2016 killings left two hundred (200) orphans and thirty two (32) widows in only Bwesumbu sub county.

·         People still live in fear and lost trust for armed forces.

·         Over thirty (30) Males lost their lives at Kyatoka trading centre gunned down by government forces.

·         Keeping law and order is not only to civilians but also to armed men and women. It was observed that armed forces in several ways have violated civilians’ rights.

·           House hold poverty is largely leading to Domestic violence and youth becoming susceptible to being lured into conflict and human rights violation actions.

• Early marriages and polygamy as abuse of women’s rights are still common in Bwesumbu and therefore education on the same needs to be specifically organized too.
• A lot of reports about youths being idle and abusing drugs were heard during discussions. Special empowerment program for the youths is therefore needed in the greater Kitswamba area. Empowerment in terms of formal education and economic empowerment are vital.

Sensitization through Music by Artists,continued.

Good Hope Project officer sensitizing participants on human rights

The key recommendations below are worth considering for sustainable Peace and human rights promotion in Busongora North Constituency of Kasese;

• Facilitating more engagement actions between Police and local people to positively refresh people’s attitudes towards the force.
• Putting in place mechanisms of economically empowering the 200 orphans and 32 widows in Bwesumbu Sub County who are living a regrettable life.
• Organizing such events at other trading centers in the Constituency. Few people have the confidence to move to other places for peace message because of the fear they still have. Mbata and Kajolly centers were for example recommended by leaders for sensitization on Peace and human rights.

FPAs sensitizing through Drama

The day was summed up by amplifying the Labour Day theme: “Building the nation through good Work ethics” meaning every one as a worker has a responsibility of  practicing good ethics that do not trigger a conflict and violate other person’s right.

Staff and FPAs group photo at the end of the event