In Uganda 40% of girls are forced into marriage by their parents before the age of 18 in return for dowry and monetary gifts from the groom's family that have resulted into school dropout, illiteracy,vicious cycle of poverty. Life Concern is helping to address this by providing learning materials, boarding facilities,addressing gender base violence, educating parents on value of girl child education, sexual reproductive health rights and mentorship that will empower girls with employable skills.
Currently,Uganda is nearly 3,000,000 child marriage with 49%of 20-49 years older women married before the age of 18 as a result of poverty according to the national strategy to end child marriage.Although the government of Uganda and its partner like UNICEF, civil society is working to educate girls and end child marriage, these girls are at a risk of school dropout, limited life skills,teenage pregnancy, mortality rate,health risks .This project affect 600,000 girls annually if not addressed.
Life concern provides learning materials, boarding facilitation,mentor-ship program in schools, sanitary pads,educate parents on value of girl child education and sexual reproductive health rights to the girls, empower them with livelihood skills, address violence against girls, parents are taught to support their girls in achieving quality life and share the knowledge/experiences on responsible parenting with neighbors.
The project will educate 100 needy girls, create job opportunities,be role model in the community, which will enable them to provide for their families and their dependents good health,well-being.The longer a girl stays in school,the lesser likely she is to be married before the age of 18 and she can decide on whom, when to marry hence reduction in the vicious cycle of poverty and development in the community.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
