Parents tipped on child upbringing for good school grades

It was during parents and teachers general meetings on 8th July 2016 at Kyanya SDA Primary School,  29th June 2016 at Kitswamba SDA, 15th July 2016 at Nkaiga and 14th July 2016 Ibuga primary schools where cluster meeting for parents (class per class) were encouraged to improve the performance of the pupils in each class and strengthen the relationship between  pupils, parents and teachers.  

Change of corporal punishments to alternative forms of punishments which can positively contribute on the child’s well up bringing like sweeping the compound mopping the floor, reading a topic for the class will build the child’s responsibility more than the punishment both at home and school. Parents also agreed to buy uniforms for their children for better identification in the society.

Prepared by:
Asiimwe Pamella
Project Officer
VAC Project

Teachers Learn from their Peers

Teachers of schools participating in the project ‘community-led mechanisms to prevent violence against children and adolescents in Kasese District, Rwenzori Region’ benefited from the exchange visits around the district. School tours were carried out by the visiting teachers to expose them to best practices of hygiene and sanitation in toilets, kitchen, class rooms, changing room for girls and the compound through having tip-taps, brooms, rubbish pits, basins and jerricans.

The hosting schools’ senior man and woman lectured the visiting teachers on how violence against children can best be prevented. Ibuga primary school was visited on 30^th June 2016 and emphasis was put on provision of lunch to the pupils, Daily attendance of teachers at school, adoption of other punishments which are not corporal and giving a skill of reusable sanitary pads to the pupils so as to promote good concentration in class, promote hygiene and prevent girl child drop outs.

Cluster meetings were also emphasized between the cultivators and pastoralists during the Parents general meetings and teachers were advised to choose either to be CHEATERS or TEACHERS.

Prepared by:
Asiimwe Pamella
Project Officer
VAC Project
30th June and 1st July 2016

Kitswamba SDA Primary School Gets Urinals and Washrooms

Privacy is critical for retaining teenage girls in school especially during their menstrual periods. However a single latrine was being used by boys, girls and teachers at Kitswamba SDA primary school. RIDE AFRICA worked with the school and put up urinals and washrooms for boys so that they can be separated from girls in order to promote hygiene and sanitation as well as have privacy among the different genders in the school. 

RIDE AFRICA has further offered financial support to the school to complete a latrine that will enable the separation of boys, girls and teachers. This will go a long way in retaining children in school especially during the adolescence and teenage period.

Asiimwe Pamella
Project Officer
VAC Project

Children Call on Leaders to Protect Them from Violence

Pupils of Ibuga Primary School, Kasese district have called on their leaders to protect them from the rampant violence against children. This was during the Rwenzori regional Day of the African Child Celebrations (DAC) celebrations that took place at Itojo Primary school in Ntoroko district on Thursday 16^th June 2016 which was organized under the theme ‘conflicts and crisis in Rwenzori region, protect all children’s rights’.

Prior to the celebrations, on Wednesday15^th June 2016, a community dialogue meeting was held at Karugutu Town Council hall. This involved local leaders, religious and cultural leaders, local government representatives, children and community members. The leaders resolved to work with all the relevant stakeholders in order to eliminate all forms of violence against children in schools, communities and homes.

On Thursday 16^th June 2016 the regional DAC celebrations took place at Itojo Primary school, Karugutu Sub-County, Ntoroko district. Organized under the auspices of Ntoroko district local government, the celebrations attracted the participation of RIDE AFRICA, RICNET, Good Hope Foundation, KALI, SOS Children’s Village, World Vision among others.

The celebrations offered an opportunity to children and other stakeholders to develop strategies for addressing the rampant conflict in the area like tribal conflicts, land related conflicts between the cultivators and pastoralists, rape and defilement. It was noted that due to these conflicts and crises, children’s rights have been ignored in homes, schools and communities at large.  Emphasis was put on the importance of creating and maintaining a safe and conducive environment for children to grow, develop and mature properly during the period of childhood by the parents, teachers, local leaders and community at large. “…if not now, then when....?”

Prepared by:
Asiimwe Pamella
Project Officer
VAC Project
16th June 2016

Seventh Day Adventist Leaders Pledge to End Violence Against Children

The Bishop of Seventh Day Adventist Church, Rwenzori Field Area has asked all leaders of the SDA faith to work towards ending violence against children in the area. This was at a colorful education conference on 23^rd June 2016 that took place at the SDA headquarters in Kasese. The Bishop and 40 other field church leaders participated in the conference and were drawn from different districts of Bundibujyo, Kasese, Kabarole and Ntoroko. 

The leaders discussed the various issues covering the causes of violence in the religious context, forms of violence and the SDA church’s approach on the prevention of violence against children in homes, schools and communities. The field leaders from different districts shared their experiences on issues of domestic violence, poverty, ignorance about child rights and responsibilities (education & laws) and myth leading to violence and how they have handled these issues. 

Thereafter, the Bishop emphasized counseling, use of alternatives measures of punishing children, involvement of religious morals in the up bring of the child, use of the probation officer  to solve domestic challenges and encouraged a strong relationships between the parents and the children in order to prevent violence against children in different districts.

Prepared by:
Asiimwe Pamella
Project Officer
VAC Project
23^rd June 2016

CHILD ABUSE COMING TO AN END IN KYENJOJO DISTRICT

RIDE AFRICA held a 04 days training of 26 Human Rights Ambassadors in basic legal practices and human rights. The training was held from 24^th-29^th April 2016 at Impression One in Kyenjojo District.  The HRAs were drawn from the sub counties of Bugaaki and Nyantungo Kyenjojo District.

1. The training was meant to equip the Human Rights Ambassadors with knowledge and skills in human rights promotion and protection with emphasis on children’s rights.
2. It was further meant to orient HRAs on their roles and responsibilities in human rights promotion with emphasis on children’s rights.

The four days training ended with participants coming up with a way forward and some of the action points therein included; HRASs introducing themselves to the LC I chair persons, school head teachers, visiting homes with school drop outs and ensure they go back to school, community sensitization on children’s rights and responsibilities, reporting any cases of child abuse to relevant authorities, counselling and guidance, mediation and referral among others.

Prepared by

Kahunde Erina

Program Officer/Dep ED

RIDE AFRICA

Teachers Sensitized on Violence against Children

On 12th April 2016, RIDE AFRICA conducted a sensitization meeting on violence against Children for teachers from four target schools of Kitswamba, Kyanya, Nkaiga and Ibuga. This aimed at building capacity of teachers in prevention of violence against children skills in line with their continuous capacity development.

The sensitization targeted all the teachers in each of the project schools and the discussions were based on the baseline survey report findings that were conducted by the project at its inception in November 2015.

Reference was also made to the National Guidelines on prevention of Violence against Children in Schools as well as the Children’s Act and Domestic Violence Act.

This also offered an opportunity to highlight the increasing acts of violence against children in schools, particularly bullying, administration of corporal punishment (caning), sexual abuse such as defilement and rape, use of and distribution of pornographic materials, sexual harassment, emotional violence, neglect and negligent treatment.

It was further noted that violence against children undermines the security and safety of children in schools, inflicts pain and fear among children in schools, reduces children’s retention and performance in schools, undermines their right to educations, right to protection and a right to development.

The schools resolved to utilize alternative disciplinary methods and do away with any form of violence against children.