Tuesday 4 November 2014

Primary school girls and the challenges of menstrual periods in Kaliro district




As the primary leaving   examinations draw to a close, all is not well at various schools in Kaliro district following the increasing school dropout rates in the district due to failure to manage menstrual hygiene challenges. District data shows that 87% of girls are failing to finish their studies. Statistics from last year�s examination finals show that of the 170 pupils who missed exams, 108 of these were girls.

InDirect Infants School in Gadumire sub county Kaliro district, the girls mostlythose in puberty are often isolated in small groups away from the boys, buthappy to keep to themselves. During my interactions, they struggle to last along smile. Only laugh faintly
To some of them, puberty stage has become a night mare. The menstrual periods are individually unmanageable, yet shameful at school. Soiling their uniforms with blood stains leaves the boys in buckets of laughter.

The red days have bred untold stigma at school, and unbearable to sustain school practice, many have   chosen to abscond from school. Some brave are turn, but the faint hearted go for good. With the poverty levels biting deep,many of these don�t have essentials to use during this time.

The school director of direct infant�s primary school Patrick Daire says the situation is beyond what the institution can contain. Even the senior woman teacher cannot salvage it either. From the start of this term, the school has lost four pupils after they stained their clothes while in class and failed to return to school due to the shame.

The repercussion of these dropout rates is also felt at the district level.  Kamaga Edward, the district inspector of schools in Kaliro says, even the number of female teachers enrolled in the education profession is worrying. Out of the 1000 teachers in the district only 354 are women.

Kamaga notes that after these girls drop out of school, Marriage proposals flood in,in less than 3 months, these young  girls have become wives.

Hope Nakalema is a senior woman teacher at Mpambwa orphans care, another school in Gadumire Sub County; she is overwhelmed by the numbers that come for her rescue.  All she can do is allow girls in their periods to go home and return after. The few girls, who maneuver through the situation,have only been helped by partnering NGO �S and donors.
The ministry of education and sports, ministry of health is set to partner with service providers to avail reusable pads to these children.

By Thembo Joshua
KM THETA Team

Monday 3 November 2014

INVEST IN CHILDREN

Extract from http://www.nbs.ug/details.php?option=acat&a=4156#.VFiBiSKUfm5


Investment in a child�s initial stages of development is a long term venture into human capital and a formidable source of labor for the future generations. Given Uganda�s high poverty levels, child brain development is usually affected by their experiences in circumstances of extreme poverty,chronic hunger, neglect, repeated abuse and lack.

Such experiences leave the children prone to various retardation challenges that affect their performance at a later stage when they are supposed to contribute to national development.
The government has embarked on various interventions to foster child growth mainly focusing on ensuring health pregnancies, proper nutrition, immunization and growth monitoring.

However the minister of finance hon. Maria Kiwanuka says health child development should be everyone�s concern because government efforts alone are not enough.
The Executive Director PSFU Gideon Badagawa says despite several efforts to support social transformation through corporate social re responsibilities,there is still more that needs to be done to influence future development.

Private sector foundation has partnered with Bernard Van Leer Foundation in a child care project rolled out in the three districts of Apac, Nakapiripiti,Kumi to improve child well fare. 

By Thembo Joshua
THETA KM Team


Keep An Orphane In school


Provide 225 girls with sustainable menstrual kits that provide effective sanitary hygiene












Summary
Eight years ago, orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in a slum community in Lubowa, Kampala, and Gadumire a rural sub-county in Kaliro district had a chance to be enrolled in primary school. Through THETA, 1094 children are currently supported by SIDECOLE a Geneva based charity. 225 girls have reached of age when they experience menstruation.
According to a mini-survey conducted by THETA in July 2014, 87.6% of these girls do not have the ability to pay for their menstrual sanitary pads and thus miss classes during the days.  They also keep way from the public when they have a flow to avoid embarrassment. According to Afripads girls miss up to 20% of a school year due to menstruation. By the end of primary school, this can equate to a whole year of school missed.
Their hygiene practices during this period was rated as poor. This predisposes these young adolescent girls to diseases such as urinary tract infections; and affects their social and emotional well-being

Our solution
In order to keep the 225 girls in school, we propose that we provide the girls with sustainable menstrual kits that provide effective, comfortable sanitary hygiene that are environment-friendly and could be used for up to 12 menstrual cycles. We shall partner with Afripads which apparently produces these Kits in Uganda.
We shall also provide training of school teachers in the proper use of the menstrual kits; and health education on hygiene practices during menstruation. These will later teach the students.

What We Need & What You Get
This intervention requires:
-  Purchase of 225 kits menstrual kits at  15,500Ugx each totaling to 3,487,500Ugx $ 1395
-  Transport charges to distribute the pads to the 4 schools totaling to 750,000Ugx - $ 300
-  TOT Training for 4 THETA staff costing 1,291,800Ugx - $ 516
-  Two days training the school teachers on menstrual management and use of the kits 3,756,400Ugx - $ 1502
-  Other administration costs (Staff stipend) 50,000Ugx - $ 20

What we already have
-  TOT training for 5 staff costing 1,291,800Ugx - $ 516
-  Technical persons to oversee program implementation
Our funding gap
-  8043900Ugx - $ 3217

The Impact
This simple intervention will:
-  Enable the girl-child enjoy their right to education, health; and safe and clean environment
-  Enable 225 girls to complete primary education 

Other Ways You Can Help
How to donate
Cash, Cheque, EFT transfers and deposits can be made to:
A/C No: 0341419824
MSF- THETA Pool
Barclays Bank Uganda
Kampala road Branch

Mobile Money transfers can also sent to:
Airtel/Warid: 0757235777
MTN: 0783650100
Please indicate reason for sending as “PADS”

You can also deliver cash to THETA Finance offices on address below;
Plot 724/725 Mawanda Road Kamwokya Kampala
P.o. box 21175 Kampala Uganda
+256414532930
If in Kampala, and you are unable to use any of the above donation strategies please feel free to call THETA office on +256414532930

What you could also do for us
Please help us spread the word in reaching this goal: post, like, share, e-mail, send, tweet,

How to reach us
Contact Person
THEMBO JOSHUA
Program Asistant  - THETA Uganda
Plot 724/725 Mawanda Road Kamwokya
P.o. box 21175 Kampala Uganda
+256414532930
jthembo@thetaug.org
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