TRAINING PARENTING GROUPS ON IGAs (SHOPPING BASKET WEAVING)

Parents in kasaali A and B villages were trained on IGA’s whereby they basically trained in the weaving of shopping baskets. The skill was to help them raise their incomes so as to improve the standards of living in their families and also increase on their saved incomes in their VSLA groups

. It was a three days training which took place on Tue 30th ,Wed 1st and Sat 4th 2021 in kasaali A and B villages .The training had a total number of 50 participates. 

 Parents were so impressed with the new skill gained and thanked RIC NET for granting the opportunity.

Parents showing results on the final day of training.

Some parents who found difficulties due to eye problem were allowed to come along with their children and grandchildren on the next day so that they can also learn and help them in case of difficulties back home.

 Parents were so much pleased .it is of great pleasure that we acquired this skill which will help us increase our incomes, keep us busy in our homes helping to reduce unnecessary quarrels and meet each other as a group for developmental ideas like on how to get market for our finished baskets instead of spreading rumors.

PTA AND SMC MEMBERS OF SCHOOLS IN KIBIITO TOWN COUNCIL PROMISE TO PROMOTE A SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

 

One-day training on safe school environment was carried out with 24 members of SMC and PTA from the 12 schools in Kibiito town council that RIC-NET is working with. It was in this training that these members promised to join hands with the teachers and the headteachers to create a safe school environment.

From the training it was learned that there are gaps in the implementation of schools policies, where the stakeholders do not communicate the same language, schools rules and regulations need to be reviewed to suit the current government policy of discipline and as an alternative to punishment, the school rules and policies can be communicated to the parents the learners and the community, learners’ behaviors are shaped by the homes where they come from. The managers realized that children have been left to the teachers and that is why these days as a result of the covid19 pandemic, the parents are complaining of poor behavior and high rate of teenage pregnancies, positive discipline shape behavior, educates the person as a whole, promote social responsibility, and generate learning among the learners.The challenge in the schools is about mindset change amongst all the stakeholders the managers, the local leaders can work on mindset change by sensitizing the key stakeholders to adopt the changes in the learning process and the state of ownership is lacking among the managers and the parents, managers are there just to fill the posts as per government requirement to have PTA and management committees in schools and there is the need to improve the relationship between the schools and local government in the implementation of policies, regulations, and suggestions the parents put in place to create and improve a safe schools environment. These included for example policies in regards to midday meals, support to the infrastructure development where parents agree to contribute. Local leaders and security need to understand that communities have a responsibility to define their schools.

It was agreed from the training that these committees should review the school rules and regulations to suit the current learning environment in the schools, sensitize the parents on mindset changes to continue supporting the schools and her policies, support the infrastructure development in the schools to create better classroom environment suitable for learning.

Continuous monitoring and supervision of the school to ensure the teachers are in schools and performing their roles and duties as provided for in the teacher code of conduct, to create and adopt the lunch policy and disseminate it to all the stakeholders before its full implementation and that there should be shared decision making and implementation plan of the decision reached.  This is a result of interference by the politicians in decisions reached in schools.

Continuous community and parent’s sensitization on the rights and responsibilities of; parents, teachers, and the learners in the schools. Management should not be excluded from this and the purpose is to change the mindset.Creation of the motivation plan for the teaching and non-teaching staff in the schools to improve retention in school for the teachers and improve their performance, adaptations of measures that can help the community come out of poverty like supporting the community with skill development as well as proper use of government programs.

 

And finally it was agreed that the district should set a certain level of excellence the inspector can follow to ensure the schools comply with.

RIC-NET CARRIES OUT MONITORING AND SUPPORT VISITS TO ITS PROJECT AREA.

 

ED RIC-NET during monitoring visit in Kagoma C

There was a support and monitoring Visit to the areas where RIC-NET is implementing its activities in Kibiito town council Bunyangabu district. This was done to document project progress, challenges and provide technical support to areas that need improvement, assess progress, and document observable impact as well as document change stories from the beneficiaries.

Visiting Kasaali A

session for men alone in the parenting sessions

It was observed that the parenting groups are carrying out the lending and saving process in their groups and using the materials that were provided to them. Support was given during the parenting sessions in this visit and the idea of making groups of 5 business people was sold to them. These people were to choose an amount to be saving weekly and this was going to be happening alongside the VSLA in the parenting groups. These people were to register at the offices of RIC-NET in Kibiito town council and also meet there for their weekly savings as one member takes the money and returns it with interest. The people bought the idea and they were willing to start on it.

Group work during the sessions

The members thanked RIC-NET for the work and said that they have received changes in their homes and encouraged us not to stop from only the selected villages but also to move to others so that they can learn too. The chairperson LC1 Kagoma B thanked the director of RIC-NET for coming to check on them and sharing the idea of making more money through the group of five people.

KAGOMA PARENTING GROUPS TRAINED IN INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITY.

 

Poverty exacerbates the risk for violence, abuse, and exploitation of children. Children who lack basic needs are often left vulnerable, fending for themselves. Perpetrators of violence prey on these marginalized children. They use the child's desperation to their advantage. It is on this that RIC-NET embarked on increasing the income of the households through training the parents on the hands-on skill that is making baskets. The four groups trained in this basket-making included the united family group, Ihunde family, Muhumuza group, and Eka eyobwesigwa group in Kagoma A and b respectively.

During the training

“We are excited and happy for this initiative and thank RIC-NET for the good work and the change it has brought in our community, I have been selling pancakes and in a day I earn like ten thousand shillings am so happy that I have gained some other skill that is going to increase on my income so that I can sustain providing for my children and my family “ a member of the Eka eyobwesigwa group said. 

“We are so grateful for this opportunity and we pray that God gives you more blessings and opportunities as RIC-NET and we promise to keep our group as united family members and we are going to be making baskets as a group, sell and add to our VSLA group to increase our incomes.” Said a member of the united family.

The parents promised to always provide all the basic needs that are needed by their children so that violence is prevented in these households since most of the time they violate their children’s rights because they do not have the money to provide for their needs.

            

 

 

 

RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND CULTURAL LEADERS TRAINED AS CHANGE AGENTS FOR VAC.

 

As one of the activities of the project RIC-NET trained the cultural and religious leaders about parenting and prevention of Violence against Children (VAC) on 25^th and 26^th October, 2021. The training was attended by 30 (12M, 8F) people and these included reverends and lay leaders from the Anglican Church, reverend sisters from the Catholic Church, Imams from mosques, pastors from the sevenths Adventist church,  born again churches and the parish chiefs and sub county chief of Toro kingdom and the CDO from Kibiito town council.

The Ed RIC-NET explaining the different forms of violence

during group work in the training

Religious leaders and cultural leaders were trained on different topics like positive discipline of children, transparency and communication between parents and bonding and attachment with the children. The leaders impressed the training and were sharing their experiences and lessons learnt and these were need for trust with each other for effective communication in a family, and that homes with two religions have difficulty in communication with their children. It was also learnt that father should know their responsibilities in their families, plan for their families and should know the personality of their wives to avoid quarrels with their spouses.

It was agreed from the training that sharing what has been trained on in the sermons during the services in the churches and mosques, provide the modules to the participants and at the district, involve all stakeholders in the planning process of the training that is the district people, share the outcomes of the training to other members of the denominations that did not attend the training, Continuous radio programs on Mondays on Ngabu Fm to share the critical issues and inviting some of the participants to share experiences and the CDO to organize with the cultural leaders to ensure the message is diffused in the community through the meetings in villages and parish wards. 

during the presentations in the training

The CDO thanked Bunyangabu cluster for help for fighting VAC in Kibiito town council. He cautioned the participants to be champions in fighting violence against children and encouraged the organizations to pick the OVC MIS reporting template so that the work we are doing can be reflected on the ministry of Gender website and also invite the LC 3 mayor for the trainings. A reverend sister thanked the organizations for calling them for the training because they have changed and are going to change the way they treat their children. She told the participants to protect their children because there is a car that is passing around Kibiito kidnapping the children.

The CDO giving his remarks

RIC-NET PROVIDES VSLA BOXES AND MATERIALS TO THEIR PARENTING GROUPS.

members of kagoma  B

 

It was after the training of the community Based facilitators on the VSLA methodology that they went to their different groups in their respective villages of Kahogo, Kagoma B and c, Kasaali A and B to train the parents about VSLA.

The parents were trained in different topics of VSLA and these were group formation and general assembly, VSLA concepts, leadership and election of association leaders, development of internal rules and regulations, introduction to written record keeping, meeting procedures, conflict resolution and share out.

Much emphasis was put on the child Emergency fund concept that is used to support vulnerable children with temporary consumption support and health insurance concept that will be used to improve access to health services and health outcomes.

members of kahogo

  It was after this training that RIC-NET visited all the ten groups in the villages they are operating in in Kibiito town council and provided all the materials needed for the groups to start the saving and lending process and this included the VSLA boxes, the rulers, pens, passbooks and bowls among others.

All the groups were excited about the materials and started the saving and lending process immediately in their respective groups.

Members of Kasaali saving group

HAND SKILL TRAINING FOR THE OUT OF SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS.

                        

Out of school adolescents after the training

After the training of the peer educators that later went and trained their fellow out of school adolescents in the learning forums about personal development and business management, RIC-NET  organized a training for the out of school adolescents from Kasaali, kagoma and Kahogo in the hands on skill (Income generating activity)

The training was attended by 23 (11M, 13F) out of school adolescents at Destiny school from 25^th to 27^th October 2021.This was done to equip the out of school adolescents with the skill that will support them to be self-reliant and start their own business and earn income hence improving their standards of living and preventing different forms of violence against them for example early pregnancies and marriages

The out of school adolescents were happy and grateful   with the new knowledge acquired, they were so grateful and also promised to help those who were unable to make it. Some parents were also happy with what they saw and requested to allow their own children join the group.

 

TOP UP TRAINING OF THE COMMUNITY BASED FACILITATORS (CBFS) ON THE PARENTING FOR RESPECTABILITY PROGRAM (PFR).

 

During role play in the training

RIC-NET carried out a top up training on the parenting for respectability program to finalize the modules of the program. The training was carried out on 21^st to 24^th September, 2021 at Travellers nest in Kibiito town council. In attendance for the training were 15 people (6M, 9F) inclusive of the staff and the community Based facilitators. The PFR program is composed of five modules that is  Bonding and attachment, Positive discipline,  Gender, Spousal relationships and Fathers/ male involvement in Parenting. RIC-NET had earlier carried out the training of the first three modules of the PFR program and so were finalizing with the last two modules that is spousal relationships and male involvement in parenting.

project coordinator facilitating the sessions

The CBFs were trained on the impact of parenting and spousal conflict, healthy marital relationships, sexuality, alcohol and communication and reducing parental conflict in the spousal relationships module. By the end of the training of this module the CBFs had attained skills and knowledge on improved communication between spouses, reduced incidences of violence between spouses, reduced excessive use of alcohol/drugs, improved constructive ways of resolving disputes among spouses and improved hygiene among spouses. In the fifth module of Fathers involvement in parenting they were trained on men as heads of family, fatherhood and care giving and on the impact of power dynamics on parents. The CBFs had gained knowledge and improved skills on father’s understanding of the ‘power to parent’ and be responsible for their children and families, fathers engaging with children at family level, lightened fathers /male caregivers burden in taking care of their families and women’s economic empowerment and reduced gender based violence and violence against children and improvement in maternal related outcome at the end of the training.

During the session of practice makes perfect for men in care giving 

From the training it was agreed that CBFs were to carry out training in their respective groups on the two modules trained on.

FOCAL TEACHERS TRAINED IN SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

    

focal teachers after the training

A two days training of focal teachers was conducted on Safe School Environment and was attended by 24 teachers (11m, 13f) in Kibiito town council at Travellers nest. The training was attended by the DEO, DIS and other experts in safe school environment as facilitators.

 

focal teachers during training

On the first day, the DEO presented about the components of a safe school environment and the facilitator of the day kaliba Charles presented about the corporal punishment description and effects, government position on corporal punishment and understanding children behavior. Participants were tasked to identify the negative and positive consequences of corporal punishments Consequences of corporal (physical, social and emotional ) Physical harm, increased dropout, trauma, hatred, law performance, aggressiveness, death, indiscipline, social misfit/lack of sense of belonging were some of the negative consequences of punishment given. From the discussions on negative and positive consequences of corporal punishments members realized that corporal is bad and this was based on the points of negative consequences that overshadowed the positive consequences.

 Followed by the Remarks from the inspector of schools on the second day of the training who highlighted about the positive teaching and learning environment to the focal teachers, the district’s effort to promote good school environment by providing enough classrooms, paying teachers, orienting committees on their roles and responsibilities, recruiting qualified personnel in the education department. The facilitator the day Ms Harriet Masika trained about positive discipline within safer school, steps for creating a safe and violence free school, alternative techniques to corporal punishment. It was agreed from the training that the focal teachers are to train the non-teaching and teaching staff, form clubs, guide children to develop talking compound messages and hold VAC sessions in their respective schools.

focal teachers presenting their specific action points

RADIO TALK SHOW ABOUT STATUS AND REFERRAL PATHWAYS OF VAC IN BUNYANGABU.

 

It all started with the project staff informing the target community how the project is progressing. The activities so far carried out were identified and these were baseline survey, training the CBFs in the PFR model, Training of the peer educators about safe spaces, the orientation of the head teachers about the safe school environment, and the quarterly meeting with the key stakeholders. The activities that were to be implemented were also suggested.

During the talk show

The DCDO Bunyangabu gave the statistics of the boys and girls that are being affected by different forms of violence from July 2020 to April 2021 and these were sexual violence (10M, 43F), Physical violence (20M, 33F), Neglect (34M, 44F), Emotional violence (4M, 10F) adding up to 68 boys and 130 girls hence 198 children being affected by violence in Bunyangabu district. She further added that there is a free toll line of 116 to call in case of any form of violence happening in the villages. The community people were advised to always get psycho-social support from the CDOs, VHTs, and the government structures like the labor probation officer. She added that the sub-counties mostly affected by early marriages and defilement are Kateebwa, Kabonero, and Kyamukube and rwimi sub-county affected by child labor.

The CFPU Bunyangabu shared the linkage and networking people to run to in case of any forms of violence for example the police surgeon working with police for sexual harassment and encouraged the people to always take the victims of sexual violence to the hospital because no changes are made. She said the police is very ready to work with the people but the witnesses are not willing to give evidence and this makes helping the survivors of VAC hard. She further added that the survivors should not fear to report because they are attended to privately and if they report they will be helped easily.

from Left to Right The Project Officer, DCDO, CFPU, Project coordinator and the moderator

TRAINING HEADTEACHERS IN A SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

 

ED RIC-NET explaining the outcomes of the project

The head teachers of secondary and primary schools in Kibiito town council agreed to create a safe school environment for the students and pupils upon embarking on a safe school environment training from Rwenzori Information Centers Network (RIC-NET) and RIDE AFRICA (Bunyangabu cluster) to prevent violence against children/adolescents in schools. This was pointed out during a one-day orientation meeting at Travellers nest hotel in Kibiito town council, Bunyangabu district. Regardless of the many existing laws concerning the rights of children and their upbringing, violence against children in all its forms has continued to prevail in society and schools leaving the children at the Centre stage of vulnerability.

A headteacher giving her view about safe school environment

The project was introduced to the head teachers by the ED RIC-NET John Silco and all the outcomes of the project were explained and especially outcome three which is “A safe school environment that enables children to complete their primary and secondary education cycle strengthened.” The activities under this outcome were further explained to the head teachers and these were Conducting an orientation meeting for head teachers on the creation of a safe school environment in the selected primary and secondary schools in Kibiito TC, Conducting training of 2 days for focal teachers in a safe school, Focal teachers organizing learning and reflection sessions on safe school environment targeting teaching and non-teaching staff, Supporting schools to form children clubs and train children leaders as platforms of learning and peer support, Holding 2 days training of SMC/PTA in developing and enforcing school rules and policies that promote safe school environment,  Supporting Schools to organize learning forums, sessions such as debates, MDD, discussion groups, School Management committees organizing meetings to develop and popularize policies. The head teachers appreciated the program and were willing to work with the Bunyangabu cluster to create safe school environments in Kibiito town council.

The DEO making his presentation

The DEO Bunyangabu district Mr. Rubalema Moses Sunday as the chief guest made a presentation about a safe school environment according to the ministry of Education and called upon the head teachers to avoid violence against children because it dehumanizes them. He further encouraged the head teachers to have idea boxes to track the problems the pupils and students are experiencing in the school and there should be specific teachers with the key to this idea box so that the children and students can express themselves freely. He sounded a warning to everybody who mistreats a child and condemned violence in all its forms.

 

 

TRAINING OF COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITATORS IN THE PFR PROGRAM AND VSLA METHODOLOGY.

 

PFR training discussion group

It was in March 2021 that the community-based facilitators were trained in the Parenting for Respectability program (PFR) program that contains 12-16 sessions designed to help parents acquire skills they need to prevent child abuse and to reduce partner violence. The meeting was attended by 21 people (10 M, 11F) from the selected villages of Kibiito.

“The PFR modules are bonding and attachment, positive discipline, Gender socialization, spousal relationships and father involvement that are taught in sessions where some sessions are taught men and women mixed and others single-sex, “ said the project officer as she was training. Participants shared their experiences in their homes and this helped more in the learning and understanding of the PFR modules. It was after this training that the community-Based facilitators started training the parents in Kasaali A, Kasaali B, Kagoma b, Kagoma C, and Kahogo about parenting for respectability.

After a baseline survey conducted in Kibiito town council, it was found out that the main cause of violence in homes is poverty. RIC-NET introduced the VSLA methodology to fight this poverty through the parents saving and borrowing money to help them to meet the needs of their children thus preventing violence against the children.

Roleplay during the PFR training

The VSLA methodology was introduced to the community-based facilitators to train their group members so that there is saving and lending of money at the lowest rates and so increasing the levels of household income. Different members shared their experiences in the VSLA and other saving groups they are in and this helped other members in learning through examples. It was later advised that the VSLAs in different villages should start after the PFR modules are completed so that they can start saving with a specific aim of providing for their children’s needs.

VSLA training on how to divide a record book

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LOCAL COUNCIL ONE CHAIRPERSONS OF KIBIITO TOWN COUNCIL TRAINED IN VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN /ADOLESCENTS PREVENTION.

 

Local council one leaders are the first contact person in the community and play a big role in case management and prevention of violence against children. However local council leaders seem to have slept on this role, hence need to reawaken them. RIC-NET organized training on the prevention of violence against children and adolescents for the local council one chairpersons that took place at Travellers nest hotel in Kibiito town council on 26^th -27^th /04/2021. The training was attended by 17 (M-14, F-4).

ED RIC-NET explaining different forms of violence

The training was carried out to strengthen the skills of the LCs and mandate on prevention of violence against children. The key areas of the training were identification of hot spots of violence, deliberate promoting of parenting skills and practices as well as proper responding to cases of violence against children. The trained local leaders are to be instrumental in sharing with communities in their respective areas for example during council village meetings and their routine interactions with families.

CDO addressing the Local council one chairpersons

The CDO Kibiito town council encouraged the LC1s to use the opportunity from RIC-NET that has come to create a change and an impact in their villages so that the cases of violence can reduce in Kibiito. The LC1 chairpersons thanked RIC-NET for the training and confessed that they are very many cases of violence in their villages and promised to do their part since they have received the training.

RIC-NET INTRODUCES PVAC/A PROJECT TO THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN BUNYANGABU DISTRICT.

 

         

The key stakeholders after the meeting

District leaders of Bunyangabu and the civil society organizations operating in the district participated in the quarterly multi-sectoral meeting organized by RIC-NET. The meeting was held on the 30^th March 2021 and attended by 13 people 9 male and 3 female participants were DPC, CFPU, DCDO, CDO, CSOs, and media. The agenda of the meeting was on the introduction of the project, creating an information-sharing forum, sharing strategies for the prevention of VAC, and creating referral pathways for working together as stakeholders.

       

  

ED RIC-NET introducing the project

The project was introduced and the outcomes and actions were presented to the participants which were Parents and caregivers’ parenting skills, practices and spousal relationships improved to nurture a safe home environment for children and adolescent’s growth and development, household income for the parents and caregivers increased to minimize violence against children and adolescents that is driven by low household income, A safe school environment that enables children to complete their primary education cycle strengthened, Out of school adolescents are overcoming the negative effects of risk exposure, coping successfully with traumatic experiences, and avoiding the negative trajectories associated with risks and Community structures and systems that provides a safe and enabling environment free from violence for children and adolescents strengthened.

The CSOs invited presented the work they do and linkages were suggested of how they will be working together with RIC-NET to create a safe and nurturing environment for children in Bunyangabu district.

Police sharing their experiences

 

 

 

RIC-NET SUPPORTS OUT-OF-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS.

youth of kagoma c

Life is tough for out-of-school adolescents who have been home for close to a year with restricted movements due to coronavirus pandemic, causing them a lot of suffering. With uncertainty and stress ahead, many adolescents are traumatized and stressed which may have a significant and long-term impact on their mental health.

Rwenzori Information Centers Network (RIC-NET) through the PVAC/A project carried out orientation meetings with the out-of-school adolescents to enroll them on the project through groups in the cells of Kahogo, Kasaali and Kagoma . The project orients the adolescents about the risk factors and how to become resilient to Violence through weekly learning forums and engaging them with income-generating activities so that they overcome stress caused by being idle.

Youth of Kasaali after orientation meeting

 Out-of-school adolescents have formed groups in these villages and two peer educators a male and female have been chosen from among them to be trained in the different topics that had been researched by RIC-NET to help these adolescents fight the risk factors of violence and overcoming the COVID 19 effects.

The training for the peer educators has been carried out at Travellers nest hotel in Kibiito town council. The adolescents appreciated the program and could not wait to meet their fellow adolescents in their groups and to share with them what they have been taught. The training ended and the weekly learning forums commenced in the adolescent groups in the targeted cells of Kahogo, Kasaali and Kahogo.  

A team of the peer educators after the training.

KIBIITO TOWN COUNCIL WELCOMES PVAC/A PROJECT.

 

The finance officer explaining what RIC-NET is

Residents of Kibiito town council in Bunyangabu district have welcomed the Prevention of Violence against Children /Adolescents (PVAC/A) project by Rwenzori Information Centers Network (RIC-NET) that sensitizes the community on ways of preventing violence against their children. The project will implement programs such as Parenting for Respectability (PFR), IGA and VSLAs at the household level to increase income, enhance capacities of schools to create a safe environment that supports learners to complete school, empower adolescents (out of schools) with the capacity to become resilient to VAC and Strengthen the capacity of the community leaders in catalyzing grassroots transformation against harmful cultural and religious norms and practices that perpetuate VAC.RIC-NET in partnership with RIDE-Africa started with 10 cells of Kahogo, Kasaali A, Kasaali B, Kagoma B and Kagoma C within Kibiito town council for implementation of the PVAC/A project. These cells held community meetings as inception meetings on the project and enroll the parents /caregivers/guardians into parenting groups at the level of the cell which holds weekly sessions on the PFR modules.

The project officer explaining about the PVAC/A project

“The Parenting for Respectability is a program that enrolls parents and caregivers of children in weekly sessions of about 1hr 30 minutes on positive parenting. it consists of four modules: bonding and attachment, positive discipline, gender and spousal relationships. These sessions are taught by a community-based facilitator (CBF) chosen from the cells and trained as TOT for the groups.” said the project officer.

The chairpersons’ LC 1 of the cells thanked RIC-NET for coming and choosing their cells to be among the first ones. He further said that the timing is right because there is a lot of violence in homes moved in homes.

Two groups were formed in each cell thus twenty groups and 12 CBF were chosen in each to be trained in the PFR modules. The community members appreciated the PFR program and were ready to start immediately.