Feed, Educate, Empower Acholi Women and Girls

ACTIVITIES REPORT OF GIRLS EDUCATION SPONSORSHIP 2021, PATIENTS WITH NODDING SYNDROME AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

REPORTING PERIOD 7TH OCT. 2021

The project aims to help dropouts of secondary schools girls through provision of school fees, sanitary towels and mentoring.

As in previous report the girls who are in the project were 20 (twenty). Five (05) of the girls sat for their Ordinary Level Examination in 2020 leaving us with fifteen (15) girls in number but we managed to get another five to replace those who sat “O” Level in 2020 making a total of 20 girls in 2021.

Re-opening of the Schools:

The president declared that the schools will re-open in January 2022. He has given this period for all teachers and students above 18 years to be vaccinated. Therefore, I hope next year things will be normal since there is positive response by the citizens on vaccination.

Gender Based Violence:

As far as GBV is concerned, the lockdown has given a lot of problems such that people are in total poverty as a result there are rampant fighting and divorce in many homes. The group members are rendering door to door counselling in order to address it.

People with Nodding Syndrome:

The patients suffering with nodding syndrome are in total poverty and we lost one of them who passed on in June 2021.

Feeding:

We could not do much about feeding to the nodding patients for all the money sent was finished as captured in the report sent to you.

Challenges:

1. With the pandemic, there is fear that not all the girls may return back to school for some of them might have been impregnated.

2. Pandemic has made home visit very difficult, however those girls who live within the municipal, the mentors could visit theme and give counselling services.

3. GBV being very rampant has created child neglect and divorce in many homes.

4. It has become very difficult to help those patients with nodding syndrome with food since due to funding.

5. Some citizens are still negative on getting vaccination.

 Recommendations:

1. The schools should open so as to address teenage pregnancy.

2. All citizens should positively accept vaccination in order to reduce death levels which are now becoming high.

3. Donor to give more funds to address issues of school fees, feeding for nodding patients and giving support to victims of gender based violence so that issues of poverty is addressed through giving small capital as start-up capital for small businesses.

 Conclusion:

We wish to extend our appreciation to River Fund Team in the USA and our donors on GlobalGiving who are helping the River Fund in Kitgum District to make it possible to help the needy girls’ education, nodding patients and victims of Gender Based Violence.