Educate 200 War & HIV/AIDS-Orphaned Ugandan Girl

Platform for Labour Action with support from GlobalGiving is implementing a project entitled “Educate 100 War and HIV/AIDS Orphaned Ugandan Girls”whose overall goal is to empower female children through education in Lango Sub region. This project was started as a response to the 21-year-old LRA war that left many children orphaned and destitute. There is a pressing need for rehabilitation and empowerment of female children through education. Whereas Lira district is no longer affected by war and the communities are in rehabilitation, there remains a need to better the future for all children especially the female through girl child education.

Platform for Labour Action (PLA) through the GlobalGiving partners are providing support for a better future to eight girls in primary schools (5 in primary six and 3 in primary seven) in Lira District. Ajwang in Primary 7, Anyango in Primary 7,  Akullu in primary 6, Auma also in Primary 6,  Adongo in Primary 6, Linda in primary 6 ,  Amoo  in Primary 6 and Atim in Primay 7. The all attend V.H Public school, Otim Tom Primary School, Omito Primary School, Lira Army primary School

Adyel Boarding Primary School, Adyel Boarding School, Ober Primary School and Sir Samuel Joe Primary School respectively.

SCHOOL MONITORING VISITS

Due to the current situation of COVID 19, Excellence of the President of Uganda addressed the nation on 18^th March 2020 on how to deal with the Corona virus pandemic and one of the measures included; all Educational Institutions which accounted for 15 million Young Ugandans. As you are aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in global uncertainty and unprecedented challenges impacting most businesses adversely. The global economy has been disrupted and many companies have either shut down or substantially scaled down operations due to the drastic decline in revenue.

As result all the schools were closed from 18^th  March 2020 to date, they are opening for the candidate classes in October 2010 as a way of preventing pupils from being infected by COVID-19  hence there were no school monitoring visits but rather home visits and support had to given availed to our beneficiaries home to ensure their safety and survival during the long period of schools shut down which school in a way provided a safe haven for our beneficiaries.

HOME MONITORING VISITS

Home monitoring visits were meant to check on the beneficiaries’ condition during COVID- 19 holidays with their guardians. It also gives the organization time to meet with the guardians to beneficiaries and share with them the situation of these children at home as well as advising them on how best to carter for the welfare of these children. Further PLA provides the children with psychosocial counseling in addition to sanitary pad and food parcels.

Eight (8) home monitoring visits were made

Many of the children (5) had been taken to different villages for farming by their care givers to ensure that they contribute to the household survival.

Testimony from Brenda

I am pleased with PLA for paying my fees and also visiting me at home God Bless you. Thank you so much for the sanitary pads and the food parcel which will help me improve on personal hygiene instead of the cotton I was using. I am also requesting PLA if possible, they provide us with more food as since getting home we only have one meal a day and some times only porridge. We are unable to meet our basic needs since my sister who is our care taker lost her Job at the Hotel during the Lock down due to the outbreak of Covid 19. I appreciate you for your continued Support.

My name is Omara,I am very happy to see you people of PLA. I am the neighbour  to Brenda and her sisters. Brenda is a disciplined Child and I am open to giving her any assistance she needs,  however I am also poor, I can’t do much expect to watch over their safety together with my other family members., I really appreciate the organisation for suporting these children. Thank you for giving them pads and it has been a challage to them however some time I tell my children to give them theirs. I am requesting your organisation kindly to also suport the children more regularly  with food at least on a monthly basis. Kevin the sister to Brenda used to go to work in a hotel ,but since corona, she is nolonger going however I only see them every day harvesting greens from within and they prepare for their food.

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Please continue supporting their education together with Kevin who I think is more vulnerable than Brenda because she is deaf.  If possible she can be taken to a deaf school to enable her gets some basic education.

Challenges faced by children

Some guardians are making these children to work for very long periods in their gardens utilizing them for manual labour as a result of the Long Holidays occasioned by COVID-19.

Action taken by PLA

• Children were taken through counseling to strengthen them psychologically in attaining self-confidence to deal with life challenges.
• Care takers/ Guardians are being counseled and re- sensitized on how to stay with these children as well as sharing with them best practices to improve their welfare and to share with them some food parcels and also refer them to the government departments which may help to provide food for the families where PLA can not. PLA as well appreciated the Care takers for keeping custody of the Children as well as watching over their welfare.

Recommendation

• PLA needs to monthly give the Children Sanitary pads as well as food to reduce on the cost burden felt by the Care takers of Children as well to ensure the welfare of the children isn’t affected due to starvation.

Conclusion

• The project has help these children to continue attain basic  education in primary schools
• It has also helps children to get psychosocial support  especially those in child headed families and  those affected by HIAV/AIDS

• Picture of PLA staff with Brenda (DOCX)