By Aloyo Innocent Jessie | Project Leader
Project: Supporting Families of Children suffering from Nodding Syndrome.
Report compiled by Aloyo Innocent Jessie, Project Leader: River Fund HIV/AIDs Family Support Women Association, Kitgum.
Report period: May -July 2017
Background.
The River Fund HIV/AIDs Family Support Association is a Community Based Organization (CBO) founded in 2007 by committed and motivated women to contribute towards improving the quality of life of persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and life threatening diseases, through educating and empowering the women and girls on HIV/AIDs Long Term Survival Skills, sponsorship and mentorship of girls in schools, economic empowerment and livelihood enhancement for self-reliance through seeds provision, training in kitchen gardening andsupport to malnourished children through provision of trainings in nutrition, and provision of basic items like soap, sugar, cooking oil, salt.
The organisation envisions a just and caring society where people yearn to help one another and realize that every human being is connected to one another for a change in the world with values such as: sharing, Love, Non-Discrimination, Humility, Peace, Non Violence, Justice, Inclusiveness, Service, Dedication, Honesty, Transparency, and Compassion.
Activities carried out this quarter.
1. Distribution of both food and non food items.
A total of 11 households received these packages (5kgs-Sugar, 4pkts-Salt, 3ltrs-cooking oil, 5kgs-beans, 1basin-fish, 10kgs-Posho, and 4bars-washing Soap each).
This package is planned to complement their households’ meals for two months until the next distribution scheduled for May 2017.
2. Provision of Sanitary Towels.
To promote hygiene for the girl child, the distribution also provided the teenage girls with sanitary towels. Together with the package, the girls and their mothers were taken through a learning session on the importance of proper care during menstrual period.
3. Psychosocial support to NS Caregivers.
Counseling was given to the NS caregivers and parents. This was done through one on one discussion and through songs. The mothers and the children are being taken through traditional songs learning and singing sessions. This is meant to provide a healing effect to the parents who are weighed down with the thoughts of having to loss their children to the syndrome.
4. Meeting with the NS care givers
A meeting was held with the NS care givers. In that meeting, the parents asked for a center to be established in which the children can be taught some skills that can enhance their lives during the day and cared for while their parents go on fending for the family needs.
In that meeting, Mr.Languna testified that, the food provision has greatly improved on the children’s health and much as they still get seizers, the children are more strong physically than before when they had to feed them on what the family can provide. The food provision also means that the children do not go hungry because their parents or care givers are still out fending for what the family should have as a meal.
Achievements.
11 households received both food and non food items
15 teenage girls received 3 packets of sanitary pads each.
5 sessions of counseling and song practices held with parents and NS patients.
Challenges.
Increase in food prices and limited fund made it impossible to acquire more than the quantities given.
With low food production last year, the families are failing to provide more than a meal a day making the intention of supporting these households to provide more than a meal and a nutritious meal difficult.
Way forward.
1. Provide monthly food distribution to the families.
2. Increase the quantity of food provided
3. Continue with the psychosocial support session
4. Engage the NS patients on activities that can make them busy and productive like sawing table clothes, bead making and other skills that they can do without moving away from home.
5. Increase the number of households from 11 -25 for support with food items.
Conclusion.
We are so thankful to global Giving and the River Fund for this support. We could not have done this without all of your support and big hearts for the suffering in our community!
By Aloyo Innocent Jessie | Project Leader
By Aloyo Innocent Jessie | Project Leader
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