CONFLICT AFFECTED GIRLS IN RWAMWANJA FINISH TRAINING IN VOCATIONAL SKILLS

With support from the Global Fund for Children, RIC-NET has been implementing a project titled “Advancing the dignity of vulnerable children and youth”. The project has been targeting vulnerable conflict affected girls in and out school by providing reproductive health knowledge ,psychosocial support ,sanitary and scholastic /training material ,equip girls out of school with vocational skills and provide them with startup kits to enable them start their own businesses ,support babies of the young mothers with funds for baby sitters as the mothers attend training, conduct home visits to interact with parents /guardians of the girls to sensitize them about the importance of girl child education among other interventions .     
10 conflict affected girls were trained  in vocational skills of hair dressing tailoring and  for a period of six months in Rwamwanja refugee settlement. The girls have been undergoing intense hands on training at Community Empowerment Agency –Kamwenge (CEA-KA) to enable them acquire skills that are marketable in the competitive job market but also to be able to manage their own small businesses they will start up after they will be provided with startup kits.

The girls graduated amidst happiness and celebrations form their parents /guardians, local leaders and instructors at CEA-KA offices on 20^th April 2017.The girls were handed over their certificates of completion by the LC3 chairperson  Nkoma sub county Mr Kabuye Abel in the presence of the sub county chief   Mr. Ndagiriye Karemera Alfred and LC1 Chair person of Katalyeba village Mr. Bigogo Aston.  The girls were excited as some of them said they never imagined if they would ever get any certificate in their life

Below are the girls who graduated and the courses they offered:

Vumiria Kakuze –Hairdressing

Mukeshimana Maombi-Tailoring

Ketya Bosco –Hairdressing

Uwayezu Maria –Tailoring

Furaha Judith –Hairdressing

Mwamini Jeanine –Hairdressing

Nyiramugisha Kamucho-Hair dressing

Aliance Tuombe –Tailoring

Oltance Salama- Hairdressing

Anita Kakure –Hairdressing

Some of the girls at the graduation

HUMAN RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT- THE BATWA KING NZITO

In an effort to ensure the Batwa understand that they posses rights that have to be protected and promoted by the state, RIC-NET conducted a consultative meeting with the King Nzito of the Batwa and the entire leadership of the minority group as part of a follow-up on the community meeting held on 24^th March 2017. The meeting was held at the Batwa Palace on 20^th April 2017. The meeting was attended by the RWECO coordinator Jimmy Odyek and the chairperson of Yesu Atubaliye women group a CBO that is promoting the rights of women in the area. 

The Batwa were sensitized on their constitutional rights such as; the right to peace, stability and security, the right to equality, freedom of peaceful assembly and demonstration, the right of citizens to a demand accountability, transparency of the leaders, the right to food and food security, rights to ownership of property, rights to belong to culture and cultural institution, rights of orphans, widows and widowers, rights of women and children. All these were towards the economic empowerment of the Minority community.

King Nzito was delighted on the realization that the Batwa people have rights just like any other citizen and ethnic group to demand and benefit from government programs like others. He noted that, the leaders had branded the Batwa as people who only need survival intervention. The Batwa identified economic empowerment through building capacities(skills and knowledge) as away to help them realize other rights and freedoms as highlighted.

“In order for our identity to be respected we need to  empower ourselves and demand for it from others” said Dangora Grace Leader of women.

They agreed to start marketing their handcraft products, Lutwa language, continue supporting their children with education to prepare them for the future. They re-affirmed their commitment to the Bye-laws against Alcohol drinking before evening time to ensure their youth participate in productive activities.

FIRST TIME HAVING THE BALL.

   RIC-NET has observed a high level of school dropout among the Batwa.  In supporting the children's right to education especially retention in school, RIC-NET supported the children of the Batwa minority community with leisure materials (balls and other playing Items) to catch the interest of the children and keep them coming to school.

 Dongiyas dream became a reality on april13 2017 when he touch a real ball. he is a son to one of the Btwa chief. Dongiya i a 12 year old in P.2 class and other children from this community have been facing the challenge of Retention in school, as part out promotion the rights to education, we gave out items that can help the children spend their time after class. “…will be playing football to promote my skills..”said the boy.  These items also are intended to promote the right of association among the school children. By playing football, the children are interacting with other and can copy some good behaviors from the trainers.

On the other hand, games kill boredom, develop skills and talents, and increase social interaction. Children are also able to express themselves. In supporting the children with playing items, we promoting the right to equality, right to non discrimination, right to free and compulsory primary education. 

Sr. Angelica the animator of the children’s rights at our lady of Annunciation Bugombwa parish who had been nicknamed Nalongo because of her care for children, expressed happiness for the items provided. She said her children are always bored especially after classes that end at 2:00pm and this make them to think about home and those other dirt acts they had been doing at home.