Raise your hand and support vulnerable Girls and Children

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/skilling-200-conflict-affected-girls-in-uganda/

Summary

RIC-NET provides psycho social, educational and livelihood support to 200 abused and traumatized girls(12-22 years old) who are struggling to recover from ADF civil war and conflict in Rwenzori region. specifically focuses on supporting young women with babies by enrolling their children in nursery schools, while helping the mothers to either go back to school or attain vocational skills ( ICT, tailoring, hair dressing, cloth design) and reproductive health. provides girls with start up fund.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Over 27,500 girls were affected by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) civil war in Rwenzori. Most girls were subjected to raids and abuse by the rebels, including sexual violence, physical abuse and high exposure to traumatic experiences. Major visible vulnerabilities are young women (and their children) who are out of school or born in captivity, living in slums and with no skills, employment, infected with HIV/AIDS and forced into marriage. The project will support skilling 200 girls in the region

How will this project solve this problem?

Facilitate education, skilling and apprenticeship to conflict affected girls; carry out psycho social, reproductive health, and livelihood support for school-going and out-of-school youth, especially girls, who are struggling to recover from conflict situations; Use ICT, social media, and community theater to break down barriers such as poverty and stigmatization and enable abused and traumatized girls to overcome challenges and achieve their full potential.

Potential Long Term Impact

The project will enable 200 conflict affected girls' access to school, and ensures they complete school will make these girls productive members of society; the girls will attain practical employment skills through vocational training, mentorship and apprenticeship that enables them to change their mindset and attitude, and get decent work, earn income and improve their livelihood hence reducing their vulnerability and restore self-confidence among themselves.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $120
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $49,880
Total Funding Goal: $50,000

REGIONAL & DISTRICT NETWORKS CONVENE TO REFLECT ON THEIR JOURNEY BEYOND 2014

The Regional & District based Networks  from Uganda  convened at Esella country resort in kampala to a   two days convention organised by the Uganda National NGO Forum on  1st -2nd December 2014 to reflect on their  annual achievements work and beyond . among the participants was the Rwenzori information Centres Network (RIC-NET), Rwenzori Forum for  peace and Justice, 34 District Networks from the central, Western , eastern and  Northern regions  and representatives of Donors, NDI USAID, DGAP.
while opening the meeting, the Executive Director National NGO Forum,Mr Richard Sewakiryanga challenged the participants  to study History of CSOs uganda noting that the CSOs started in the country  very organisationed as cooperatives , trade unions, leisure as the uganda travelling threatre, football associations that were spread upcountry as the  kilembe mines, relligious  as the pentecostal , Youth Assembly, Girl guides and scouts.
He called the CSOs to reposition ourselves through respect inergrity documentation of the history, He  cautioned that its only in the CSOs where people work to develop others and yet less is done on their future, while calculating the Human Resource of 34 Districts Networks it was possible to influence 13 million people  with out much strive. CSOs should be  able to save for the future after retirement.
During the convention the participants shared areas where they had excelled as joint monitoring, budgeting,  AGMs, Advocacy,QUAM &  Networking.
The members shared their plans beyond 2014 to conduct Civic Education, monitoring  education performance .
Fundraising was key  at the this convention as the different Donors presented on funding modalities.
Jackson kaguri the founder of nyakaschool in kanungu shared that:
Donors give because they have been asked
Creating a relationship with the Donors is critical
Resource mobilisation is an act of every individual in the organisation
Always find out the passion of the giver before approaching   them  for support.
The convetion ended with a coktail.  

RIC-NET PARTICIPATES IN U-REPORT CONFRENCE AT NAMIREMBE GUEST HOUSE

The U- reporters and partners conference started on 12^th /November/2014 as it was the arriving day for all participants at Namirembe Guest House where all participants enjoyed a decent and comfortable accommodation. 
On Thursday13th November was the real day for the conference which started with u-reporters sharing stories on how u-report has contributed to their community. 

Ms. Joy Kiiza  Morgan  from RIC-NET ( on front row) with some other u-reporters

 Opening remarks were made by U-report chief of communication Mr Jaya Murthy. We had a presentation from Mildmay on how peer educators have benefited from u-report

 U-reporters broke into 4 groups to discuss the 4 pillars of the convention of the rights of the children; participation, health, education and survival then presented the highlights of these discussions. 
Three invited guest members of parliament Hon Haji  Isabirye Idi Mp mayuge District in his remarks said “Information is power that you cannot decide without information” emphasized that U-report has helped the youth in the country to raise their voices about issues happening in their communities

Lastly u-reporters practiced the song titled “Imagine” by John Lennon with some of the artist that were invited like Navio,Mun G,peter miles,Jackie chandiru & Lilian Mbabazi

Ugandan Celebs celebrating with u-reporters

“The chorus of the song” 
‘Imagine all the people living   Life in peace………………. Yohooooooooooooooooo!

You may say iam a dreamer. But iam not the only one

I hope someday you will join us, And the world be as one”

In conclusion, on behalf of all U-reporters in Uganda I would like to thank UNICEF for the health information that is directly responsible for the well being of children in Uganda.
 Lastly for empowering the youth with a furor of developmental ideas!

RIC-NET JOINS CSOS IN THE REGION TO REACH OUT TO THE FLOOD AFFECTED COMMUNITIES IN NTOROKO DISTRICT

In an effort to contribute to the welfare of people of Ntoroko, a team of CSOs namely RIC-NET, RIDE-Africa, RWECO, KALI, and Good Hope Foundation for Rural Development set out on the 11^th November 2014 to reach out to the communities that were severely affected by the floods early November. The team had a meeting first with the District Vice chairman and the ACAO at the kibuuku District headquarters where they were informed that the Disaster that hit the area was caused by climatic changes, lack of channels for the water to flow when river semliki is full to capacity, the team learnt that such a flood had last hit in 1930s and as a result the communities had relaxed.

CSOs in a meeting at Ntoroko DLG

In terms of the way forward the District has been reached by the OPM, minister of Disaster to assess the extent of the flood destruction and also to   design mitigation measures for the future.

Giving out clothes to Children who lost their clothes during the flaods

The Districts leaders also guided the CSOs that the severely hit communities were in Budiiba Parish (Villages of Budiiba 1, Budiiba II, Kinyamwobe and Kakatorogo) in Butungama Sub county. The team moved to Budiiba primary school and worked with the school administration and the Local council leaders to receive the donations to the community.

RIC-NET staff Joselyne on the Right, Jimmy Odyek, RWECO Coordinator in the middle with Eunice  RIDE -Africa

 Among the items donated were 10 boxes of soap, 10 Bags of Rice, a small water Tank, and clothes to the children of Budiiba primary school

The staff that participated in the Activity was kyomuhendo Joselyne, Program Manager RIC-NET, Shaban Mugume ICT officer Ntoroko DLG, Odyek Jimmy Coordinator RWECO, Sheila kenjingo, M& E officer RWECO, Sam from Good Hope Foundation and kabugho Jovia- KALI.

Distibuting Clothes to the Children

At Budiiba Primary school

33 million children out of school in Africa, 3 out of 10 Children aged 6-9 years have never attended school in Uganda

About 61 million children of primary school age were out of school in the world. 
More than half of them (33 million) were in sub-Saharan Africa and a further one fifth (13 million) in Southern Asia.\

 [Graphic via Women Deliver]

adapted from 

  https://plus.google.com/+onedayswages/posts  http://www.onedayswages.org/ 

The Uganda context:

The population is very young with 51.6% below the age of 15 years and 56.1% below 18 years[1]. 

19% of children (2.3 million) are orphans[2] and 1.1million households have at least one orphan. This presents a high age dependency ratio. 

About three in ten girls and boys aged 6-9 years have never attended school despite Uganda’s push towards MDG number 2, “Universal Primary Education”;[3] 

About 80% of the cases of child abuse reported by media and annual crime report from the Uganda Police are of sexual assault by nature i.e. mostly defilement; 

1.76 million Children are engaged in child labour with majority being the orphans and school drop-out;

Early marriages, early unwanted pregnancies; unsafe abortions, STDs, HIV/AIDS and low contraceptive use are common with the youth; 

The rate of contracting AIDS is six times higher among Girls (15-19 years) than their male counterparts.

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[1]  http://www.popsec.org/key_facts.php accessed on 29th July 2012

[2] http://www.ids.ac.uk/files/ UgandaCh3.pdf

[3] http://savethechildren.ug/publications/brief-write-ups

NTOROKO DISTRICT HIT HARD BY FLOODS AGAIN

NTOROKO DISTRICT HIT HARD BY FLOODS AGAIN

Ntoroko District suffers another flood disaster. Yesterday the people of Ntoroko mostly from the areas of Masaka, Buyenje, Makindye, Budiba and Kiranga- the Greater Rwebisengo Zone (Bweramule, Butungama and Rwebisengo Sub-counties). 

 
 
Roads are cut off, Schools are not accessible, heath facilities out of reach, houses, Pit latrines, farms and gardens all submerged and every body is stuck about what happens next.

The Primary Seven Candidates have a briefing on Friday, 31st October, 2014 and P.L.E on Monday, 3rd November, 2014 but the Schools cannot be accessed what next ? how can they be helped? The patients are helpless, and as if that is not enough there can be cholera out break any minute from now.

Roads are destroyed, impassable.

we call upon all the stakeholder to act immediately since this is an emergency that needs quick response from every corner. the CSO's community like the Red cross, Save the Children, World Vision, UNICEF, the District leadership, the OPM (Office of the Prime Minister) and many others, let us help our Brothers and sisters in Ntoroko. The photos below show it all. BY THE ICT OFFICER-NTOROKO

RIC-NET RECRUITS MORE CONFLICT AFFECTED GIRLS FOR SKILLS TRAINING.

As part of the global fund for children project that aims at skilling School dropout girls Conflict affected Girls in School or vulnerable needy conflict affected girls who need to be in School

and unlock the potentials of Poor Bright Girls through offering a range of capacity development services or tailor-made training for youth between   15-30; especially young women in and out of school, RIC-NET conducted interviews in Bundibugyo and Ntoroko districts on the 29^th 0ct.2014.

The interviews brought up a number of 8 girls in Bundibugyo who included: Kabugho Gloria, Kahero Rosette, Kabugho Immaculate, Biira Immaculate, Nsungwa Kevin, Kabugho Oliver, Masika Evers, and Kahiimba Rominah

 The  team also conducted another interview in Kubuku, Ntoroko District. Up to 10 girls from Ntoroko district who included: Nyakato Maureen, Kabatuku Brenda, Kabugho Jackleen, Kabenda Kezia, Kabarwani Bridget, Kemigisa Rose, Kiiza Elizabeth, Kabugho Godiven, Birungi Mary and Kakyo Rosette bringing to a total of 18 girls in the two districts.

The interviews at Ntoroko

 The interviews aimed at selecting girls to benefit from the project and these girls were supposed to be vulnerable in way or affected by conflict or a bright girl who has dropped out of school due to conflict and other vulnerability.
Among those in Bundibugyo and Ntoroko, three girls got pregnant during the time their lived and internally displaced persons camps (IDP)  and  dropped out of school. one girls was also pregnant becuase os the recent inter tribal conflict and attack on military installation in Bundibugyo in May 2014 which left over 90 civilians dead and thousands displaced in schools and camps. http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/-Police-disclose-three-mass-graves/-/1840340/2394100/-/wur4orz/-/index.html

This young girls has been disowned by the parents and discontinued in form 3 (senior secondary class 3). This girls now requires skill that will enable earn some income and mangage to care for the child after birth.
So, Global Fund for Children Support though RIc-NET will support these grils in different ways and their babies.