Educate 200 War & HIV/AIDS-Orphaned Ugandan Girl

From strength to strength!

Platform for labour action through the Global Giving Donors is providing support for a better future to 48 girls currently living in Lira district in Northern Uganda. The project provides support to war and HIV/AIDS  Orphaned girl  children and Children infected or affected by HIV/AIDs with school fees, counseling and scholastic materials such as books, pens, pencils, rulers, rubbers, school uniform, Toilet paper and mathematic set.

Home and school monitoring visit were made to the 48 girls homes and schools. Lira field office monitors the homes where all these beneficiaries are staying. This is done through checking their conditions with their guardians during holidays, their living condition during holidays and providing psychological support during holidays. The parents are further counseled to support the children both in and out of school.

In this quarter a number of activities were carried out that included payment of fees for the whole term, counseling, school and home and school visits to the beneficiaries. Below are therefore the activities carried out in-depth in the three months of April, May and June.

SCHOOL VISITS

There were a number of 10 school monitoring visits that were held in the quarter; the visits were made to V.H Public school, Lango Quran primary school, Sir Samuel Joe primary school, Lira police primary school, King James secondary school, Ireda Primary school, Lira primary school, Ojwina primary school, Adyel primary school, Railways primary school and Otim Tom Primary School.

The school monitoring visits are made to monitor on the beneficiaries’ well-being and performance in both class and in school. The children were further encouraged to

The school monitoring visits gives PLA a chance to interact with  the beneficiaries` teachers since in most cases they are the ones that see the girls while they at school and have one or two things to mention about their performances.

 The school teachers also play big roles in shaping the children`s future especially when they teach get to understand the children`s vulnerabilities. The children are able to share their challenges with the teachers and this in turn makes the teachers

It also helps the beneficiaries to share the challenges they facing from both schools and their home.

This further enables PLA to know what the children needs are and what psychological support needed. The visits have also been instrumental in enabling the guardians of these children to understand the importance of having the children attend school. We have had challenges of some guardian taking the scholastic materials given to the beneficiaries to their own biological children. This has made the guardians appreciate their roles in bringing up the children as responsible citizens. They have been able to hand back the scholastic materials after having talks and counseling sessions with them.

SCHOLASTIC MATERIAL

Scholastic materials were given to all 48 on-going beneficiaries’ in the north. Scholastic materials given were books, pens, rulers, mathematics set, Toilet papers and pencils. These scholastic materials are given to ensure because some they are un able to access scholastic materials. And organization found out that even if they provide them with fees only without scholastic materials, they will not be in position to study well since they will be having materials to put information learnt from school

CANDIDATES

This year we have 14 children all girls in candidate classes and these attend the government owned schools under the universal Primary education programme. The candidates attend the following schools (3) Ireda primary school,, (2)Railway Primary School with 2 candidates, Ojwina Primary School with 2 candidates, (2)Lira Police (1) Otim Tom primary school (3)Lango Quran Primary school and (1) V.H public school. These children in Prmary Seven are all candidates and are performing very well  in their studies and  They are sitting for their examinations taking them to secondary schools i(the Uganda national examination board exams) in November 2016. They are requesting PLA to continue supporting their studies up to their Secondary Education Level.

HOME VISITS

4 homes visits were made to the girls Sharon, Salume Marion and Jenifer during the school holidays.

The visit made to Salume was to ensure that the situation at home had changed since previously she had overcome mistreatment and having to do all the household chores during schools holidays. The meetings revealed that she was now better treated and was allowed to have time to play like other children. Salume during the holidays had developed shores on her private parts.she is  infected by HIV/AIDS was advised to see a gynecologist  and she needs medical care to help her get well. There is also need for help to follow a particular diet.

Sharon

3 Home Visits that were made to Sharon  since before putting her back into school her guardian used to ask help around  selling alcohol, a business her guardian does. Help. It was established that the guardian had been told to leave his rental house until he is in position to pay and the Sharon is currently living with the Local Council leader the secretary for women of Lira until the situation at home stabilize them she will go back home. PLA has continued to monitor her situation and render all the necessary help needed to see her settle and enjoy her childhood.

COUNSELLING SESSIONS

47 children all girls were counseled during the reporting period.  They had experienced challenges including loss of the parents, mistreatment at home and lack of scholastic materials and uniforms. They were advised on how to deal the problems and the scholastic materials and school lunches were provided to enable them settle concentrate at school. Those whose guardians were mistreating them the guardians were approved and advised and all report a better living environment at home since the intervention.

HOILDAY EVENT 

During the first term holidays in May 16^th 2016,PLA staff met with the beneficiaries to share ideas with the beneficiaries, Life experiences and their future dreams.

47 girls attended the holiday event and interacted with each other. The girls were able to play games like cricket, dodge ball and share ideas as they also promised to help each other out during the holidays in subjects that challenge them in class.

The primary girls agreed to meet and always revise their books and past papers during the holidays, this was after they had each shared the subjects that challenged them and they realized that at least one of them knew the subject better. These meetings enabled them to also form friendships from different schools and have appreciated their situations and learn that they can change their life situations.

They further requested PLA to avail them with clothes for after school since their precedence had ever been given clothes.

They also said that before their friends were being given clothes, they are requesting PLA to support them with clothes since it is their major challenges

The girls were able to share their dreams, one of the girls Akello from Adyel Primary School she aspires to work with the organization who helps children “since I have  suffered a lot before PLA intervened in my situation, I will also work hard to ensure that the children I am  helping feel good ”Thank you PLA for enabling me to finally go to school. “Please thank the sponsors for us.” Said  Akello.

During the school holiday, children girls will continue to have holiday events with more games and receive living materials such as sanitary pads from the organization. This helps in building the children`s self-esteem and confidence

ACHIEVEMENTS

The reporting period saw 48 beneficiaries having their school dues paid for the first quarter of the year. They were further provided with scholastic materials, all received home and school monitoring visits and 47 out of the 48 participated in the holiday events where games were played and friendships born.

The children further received counseling and psycho-social support.

Furthermore the 14 candidates were able to do their Mock exams in preparations for the Primary living exams and they all performed well in their exams.

CHALLENGES

Below are some sof the challenges faced by the beneciaries.

• Some guardians are not providing meals for dinner forthe children when they go back from school. There was an incidence of Auma who had been denied food for three days and fainted on getting to school on Monday; this was so  because the guardian had travelled to their village leaving behind Auma who was not able to feed for her. The guardian was cautioned and she pledged to always respect the child and to take good care of her.
• Whenever some children are sick, they are not being given medical care by theirto guardians. This is worsening by the older persons accusaing them of telling lies to escape help ou with house work. Some were sill  facing a lot of abuse from their guardians: For examples the guardians could teel them that I didn kill your mom, you are filling my toilet, and you need to marry since you have breast. This makes it hard for the children to concentrate at school due worries

CONCLUSION

 A number of activities were carried out in the three months of April, May and June that included provision of scholastic materials, counseling, school and home monitoring visits. They were given hope of a better future and they are also appreciative that PLA still supports them in school.

The primary seven beneficiaries have agreed to meet during the holidays to study as a team and further explain to explain the subjects and topics that they never understood while in class.

In the next quarter, the beneficiaries will continue to receive counseling; there will be school and home visits made and a holiday event where the girls will get to share their life experiences.

The children`s guardians will also be visited and encouraged to continue supporting the children. The children have continued to appreciate the donors and PLA for the support in enabling them attend an education. They are now more responsive in class and have improved concentration levels due to the food availed at school and also having their school fees paid so they don’t  sent home for school fees for  long periods of time due to non payments.

They children thank global giving for the opportunity to enable their donors support them. Thank you enabling us to have our childhoods’ reports Salome.

• Picture of the Children at holiday event (DOCX)