RICNET REACHES OUT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH RADIO TALKSHOWS.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

during talk show

 As one of the thematic areas for RICNET is knowledge sharing and advocacy where communities are built by facilitating access to reliable , timely and relevant information, knowledge and skills in different fields, radio talk shows have been held on KRC Fm in fort portal City to share information on child safeguarding to the community. This was done to help the community to reinforce their community measures on child safeguarding through parenting and identifying hot spots to act as safe spaces for the out of school adolescents.

These talk shows have been attended by different stakeholders that is the cultural and religious

leaders, the community based facilitators and the peer educators. About parenting, the discussion was about the needs of children in different developmental stages where at physical development a child needs proper nutrition, shelter, play, protection from violence; Cognitive development involves simulation, colorful pictures, education, interactive play ,good nutrition, time for rest ;Emotional development  where a child needs supportive family, love, feelings secure, protection from neglect and emotional abuse ; Social development which involves good behavior  and positive role models. The four kinds of parenting were discussed that is firm, strict, permissive and non involved parenting.

The peer educators shared on the knowledge received from the sessions about life skills, building self esteem and confidence through their safe spaces, skills in business management, solving conflicts with their peers and being resilient from practices that lead them to be violent to themselves and to others in their communities.

WE HAVE NOT ONLY GAINED PARENTING SKILLS BUT ALSO AN INCREASE IN PRODUCTION AT HOUSEHOLD LEVEL.

 

discussing with the group members

RICNET and RIDE-AFRICA carried out a monitoring visit to their project area to check on the progress of the project work especially the parenting and VSLA groups formed in the one and a half years in Kibiito town council, Bunyangabu District.

Information from all the groups visited showed that all the sessions in the modules were held and there is a positive response about parenting in Kibiito town council. From the responses of the members about what they learnt it was found out that positive discipline, Gender and spousal relationship were the most understood modules by the people. Money borrowed from the VSLA groups has been used to create and boost businesses and from this money has been got to provide necessities and school fees to children.

‘‘We have not only gained parenting and saving skills but there has been an increase in production of food at household level, we as a group we have decided to always visit each member and spend a day in his or her garden digging or planting crops and with this idea last season I and my wife harvested 5 sacks of maize and we sold them and got money to pay fees for children and provide other necessities.” Said Mr. Kamuhanda David.

It has been learnt that the Community Based Facilitators have been involved in the village meetings by the LC1 to solve the cases of violence in homes against the children and domestic violence as they have been seen to have the knowledge and the skills. There has been a reduction in the violence cases being reported at the LC1 due to the people changing after attending the parenting sessions. The Local Council chairpersons have also been trained in child protection by the cluster and they have helped in teaching other people through the village meetings, burials and other ceremonies hence helping in preventing violence against children.

David giving his testimony