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.