Muslim leaders trained in good parenting and prevention of violence against children

As one of the activities of the community driven approaches to prevent violence against children and adolsocents in Kasese district project as implemented by the four RWECO member organizations (RIC-NET , KALI, GOOD HOPE &RIDE-AFRICA )in partenership with Kasese guide radio that aims at creating violence free environment for children  ,RIC-NET conducted a training with Muslim religious leaders to equip them with knowledge about violence against children ,how it can be prevented and about good parenting .

The CDO Karambi facilitating

The one day training was attended by 14 (m-9, f-5) Muslim leaders from mosques in Karambi, Kitholhu sub counties and Mpondwe-Lhubiriha town council (imams, Amir (chairperson of the mosques),Amirat (women leaders). The training was held on 24^th august 2017 at Mpondwe primary school.  The training was facilitated by the CDO Karambi sub county Mr. Bwambale Douglas Moses and 2 RIC-NET staff focused on the different forms of violence against children and good parenting. The facilitators explained how good parenting goes beyond providing for the children’s basic needs but to love them ,be close to them ,provide encouragement all times to the child ,respect and trust them as much as possible ,understand the uniqueness of every child, be a role model to your children, discipline your children in a positive way among other ways . They further explained the four major parenting styles which include: very strict, firm but fair, permissive and indifferent /un involved.

At the end of the training the leaders pledged to share the information they acquired with their congregations in mosques and conferences of Muslim mothers’ union with the major aim of ending violence against children .

Psychosocial support and mentoring can change attitude towards life

Conflicts and natural disasters significantly impact  on children’s psycho social well-being and development. Exposure to violence, disaster, loss of or separation from family members and friends, deterioration in living conditions, inability to provide for one’s self and family, and lack of access to services can all have immediate and long-term consequences for children, families and communities and impair their ability to function and be fulfilled.

 RIC-NET with support from Global Fund for Children(GFC) conducts psycho social support sessions and mentor ship for conflict affected in and out of school young girls to help them recover from traumatic events that they experienced.

During a psycho social support session at semuliki high school

This support is in form of sharing different experiences , counseling,encouraging victims to cope among others .Specifically for the girls we work with this has  enabled  them to have a positive  attitude towards life, improve on their self esteem and confidence , concentrate on their studies and stay in school to complete their studies .

Some of the girls who attend the psycho social sessions pose for a photo at Semuliki high school

FOOT PEACE AMBASSADORS CONDUCT RADIO TALK SHOW

FPAs conduct a radio talk show to sensitize the community on the international day of peace and how to keep peace in the community.  The talk show was one of the events in the International peace week events. The theme for the event is "together for peace,respect,safety and dignity".The radio talk show was conducted on Development FM in Bundibugyo and attended by 3 FPAs. There were 17 callers 13 men and 4 women, according to the callers. Rwenzori region has witnessed series of conflicts since 1960, later into the current bloodshed in Kanyamwirima,Ngamba and attack on the palace in 2016

FPAs in the studio of Development FM

During the discussion Mr. Agulika Julius from Bubukwanga highlighted the role of each stake holders in the peace process. He mentioned that the Key stakeholders are; politicians, leaders from cultural institutions, religious leaders and the community. That community has to be honest to each desist from being used. Religious leaders to continue preaching peace, cultural leaders to engage the people into reconciliation while politicians find solutions into dialogue with others.

According to the callers, the peace process is being destroyed by the leaders who practice divide and rule or are segregate in nature. Mr. Isebaswagha from Ngamba mentioned that security people MUST also be sensitized on the way they handle victims Ms Baruba Jane from Buunga narrated that OBB and OBR must come clear and not hiding the truth, “tell those leaders to cooperate with the chairman”.

Two groups were later supported to attend the international day of peace in Bwesumbu sub county Kasese district. The group was led by youth wing of the Bandimagwara cultural group.

BUNDIBUGYO YOUTH MARATHON BUILT ANOTHER BLOCK FOR PEACE.

RIC-NET together with Bundibugyo students association (BUSA) organized a peace Marathon under the theme Youth building peace. The peace marathon was part of the youth week activities organized and support by RIC-NET under the code supporting youth organize youth caravan. This action was building block on the role of the youth in the peace process by designing community driven mechanism to management and prevent conflicts and human right violations. We had assumption that if the youth from different tribes can ran and play together they can as well plan together for development.

The youth marathon was attended by the LCV, RDC, DPC, CAO, DISO, many other district officials, and ministers from the Obudingiya bwa Bwamba and Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu, Youth leaders at national and District level and many more youth. Members from other CSOs like save the children,REDCROSS,KALI,RIDEAfrica.

Over 200 youth participated in the event and area MP Hon Richard Mujungera and OBB PM Mubulya Wilson

At the marathon, awareness on the role of youth and peace process in Bundibugyo District, the youth demonstrated to the leaders that the they can co-existence and work together for the common goal and engage the leaders in support youth activities for peaceful co-existence such as youth support to children affected by the post election conflicts. A fund was launched by Hon Richard to support children that was affected by the post election conflicts at community level. Participants agreed to contribute towards this fund.1m was raised as cash on that day. Leaders and youth leaders who had never met were able to do so.

 The message of peace was equally shared inform of drama and poem to the members who gathered for the event. The event was marked as District Youth day event for peace. Thus youth must preserve the generation to come, take use of the available natural resources for development, develop goals and planning that yield income and youth divergent skills should be enhanced for economic transformation. The youth must resist bad advice of hatred from the elders. This was a call from the PM OBB. Thus CSOs presents agreed to market the day and ensure resources are available for the Running for Peace. Members from the Batwa Minority group were able to share and laugh with other participants.

STOP INVOLVING YOUTH IN WAR BATTLES - LEADERS ASKED.

Senior 1 Pupil of Kabango SS asked leaders to stop involving the children and the youth in their battle for fame that leads to bloodshed.
This was mentioned during the youth Conference and debate that was held on 10^th/8/2017 at Bundibugyo Teacher Training College. The theme for the conference was “Youth in peace building and co-existence”. The conference was organized by RIC-NET together with District youth council with support from RWECO.

RDC, LC V, and UPDF spokesman 2rd Division Mbarara

The conference attracted leader leaders from the sub counties and pupils and students from Kabango SS, Three Angels SS, and Goodhope SS, and Student Teachers from Bundibugyo PTC. Key district leaders that attended was the RDC,DISO,LCV,District Speaker, District Youth councilors, district youth Council, Hon. Mutoro Yeremia of OBB and Major Peter Mugisa the Public relations officer of UPDF 2^nd Division and members from CSOs supporting the youth Agenda.

Key issues shared during the conference was on; information sharing and conflict management presented by RIC-NET, causes analysis and role of the youth in development by Major Mugisa PRO of army. During these debates, youth accepted that for the past period they have been led based on deceit information, running battles who causes are not Youth Agenda, following leaders without proper ideology for development and economic empowerment. 

In his remarks Major Mugisa called on the youth to put a line and develop a plan of action to be achieved, share the plan with the leaders and let the two works out how the plan can be achieved. In her words Ms Jane Bainomugisha from the National Youth Council, emphasized the need for proper information sharing and “only that information that will contribute to economic well being of the young people”.

It was resolved that youth must starting thinking and engaging in business investment , marketing what is available, tap the potentials and skills available , value addition to the little that is produced.

These can help the youth move away from the conflicts of patronage leading to bloodshed to a more productive conflict of investment in business which is productive, lead to employment and remove ignorance from the community. The conference was closed by the LCV chairperson Hon Mutegeki Ronald.

Conflict affected girls trained in basket weaving

RIC-NET with support from the Global fund for children has been implementing a project “advancing the dignity of vulnerable children and youth in the Rwenzori region .The project targets both in and out of school conflict affected girls by providing psycho social support sessions, reproductive health knowledge ,scholastic and sanitary material ,home visits to encourage parents and guardians to support conflict affected girls education , engagements with school  management ,teachers and parents about supporting conflict affected girls for in school conflict affected girls but also trains  girls in vocational hands on skills , reproductive health knowledge , sanitary material , support to babies of the conflict affected girls , entrepreneurship skills and providing with startup kits for conflict affected girls out of school .

RIC-NET supported training of 5 conflicts affected girls from (Bwesumbu) one the most affected sub counties by the recent conflict in the Rwenzori region. The girls were trained in weaving of baskets that will enable them earn an income that will help them provide for their siblings and families  that were affected by conflict that claimed the lives of the family bread winners .The girls are trained how to weave but also how to market, save and manage their incomes.

The girls during training as the instructor looks on

The girls are training at Rural focus initiative a community based organization that aims at giving skills to the youth in Kasese  .

Sensitization of parents Conflict affected Girls in Bwesumbu and Buhuria in Kasese

conflict affected girls and windows at Kyatoka

On  1^st August 2017 RIC-NET team, local CBOs,  community Development officer and LC111 Chair person Visited  Kyatoka, Kasangali, and Bwesumbu Peas high school all in Bwesumbu and kithoma in Buhuhira sub counties to meet 12 conflict affected  girls (orphans) and 34 windows of the November 2016 armed attack  in to the Rwenzururu kingdom palace in Kasese.
At Kyatoka (sub county head quarters), majority of the affected families attended. The Executive director RICNET Mr. John Silco explained to them what all about the project and the expected beneficiaries.

meeting conflict affected girls and windows at Kyatoka Bwesumbu S/C Kasese.

Women especially widows who had attended the meeting requested to be supported as they were affected. John told them that the project was not for the widows but quickly advised them to form associations for them to be helped pledging his total support once an association is formed and he did mention his support to be in form of vocational skills training. A resolution was made to meet again on 22^ndaugust 2017. And the objective of the meeting will be identifying the skills these groups need to train in.

meeting at Kasangali

In Kasangali and kithoma, it was the same discussion of meetings on the date mentioned above but different time as 10:00 am for Kasangali and Kyatoka groups and 2:00pm for kithoma - Buhuhira group. During the kithoma meeting more two girls were identified as directly affected adding the number to seven. However, two girls and sisters were removed from the list of those to be trained as they were in school though chased for fees and they were advised to go back to school and complete school.

Mr. John promised to meet their mother and lay strategies of supporting them. these girls were Nyakato Rose and Asiimwe mackline and were replaced by Biira Nadia and Zuena Flavia who both lost their fathers in the last years attacks on the Rwenzururu palace meaning that the number of girls to train in saloon remains five as earlier identified.

Recommendations:

•   Support need to be more than material or training but also psycho-social support, sanitation, entrepreneurship skills training sensitization on diseases be integrated in the support.
•  A serious back ground check be made on families to really know those that need more support than others.
•   Families have to be encouraged to support their children in school as the support may not be continuous.
• There is need to design other projects to address the challenges other groups that are not part of the current project.