Mass Sensitisation Gathers Steam In Schools

There has been a deliberate mission by Aliguma Foundation (AF) to act as a go-between community elders, leaders and their under-privileged natives to ensure that the latter enjoy better livelihoods since the foundation was initiated in 2017.

Responsibility For All: Local community elders were joined by government and Aliguma Foundation officials at the recent visit of Luteete Church of Uganda Primary School.

That mentality bore unheralded fruit and certainly yielded dividends across the nation with each of the communities that the Aliguma Foundation visited starting to live with renewed optimism, thereafter, about what the future holds – something that had not been the case before.

From positively impacting the lives of many less-privileged ones – especially during the tough coronavirus pandemic era – the Aliguma Foundation (AF) have got in on the act of preaching the gospel of healthy living habits to the younger ones currently attending school at the primary, secondary and tertiary school level.

Boy-Child taken care of, too

With the school curriculum now in flow, the Foundation’s officials have been trekking from one school to another. And as a back-up to the ‘Ndi Mwana – The Cry Of A Girl Child’ project, AF have been careful not to leave behind the 'Boy Child’s needs' under the new theme; ‘Save A Boy Child To Save A Girl Child.”

“It is all about teaching the young ones all the good habits,” disclosed Aliguma Foundation’s proprietor Ritah Aliguma.

“We are literally doing the same things that we have been doing with the ‘Girl-Child’ only that this time round we have not left behind the ‘Boy Child’. We have continued to give the girls sanitary pads and knickers. We have also stepped it a notch further by teaching both sexes about menstrual hygiene and spiced it up by donating balls to all the schools we have gone to so that they also realise their talents.”

Young & Alert: The Foundation's Logistics and Operations Manager Ivan Tugume (R) found the 'Boy-Child' in Nsimbe Primary School, Wakiso - Ngogolo very knowledgeable about sex.

Ivan Tugume, Aliguma Foundation’s Logistics & Operations Manager, intimated that what they had embarked on was a tiresome but equally exciting experience.

“Through empowering the ‘Boy Child’ with knowledge about menstrual hygiene and adolescence amongst other topics, they will be able to protect the ‘Girl Child’,” revealed Tugume.

“When they boys have this knowledge, they will no longer laugh at the girls when they see their school uniforms stained during their periods. They will be their protectors, report to the matron and will defend them like their sisters from bullies.”

Backing from authorities

The Foundation officials have already visited 23 schools in under six weeks. But it was at Nsimbi Primary School in Ngongolo Parish, Ssisa Subcounty, Wakiso District and Kinuuma Primary School in Bigando Parish, Miirya subcounty, Masindi District that left an indelible mark on the AF officials, who were in the great company of State Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Kabuye Kyofatogabye and Dr. Karen Jacobson, an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Section of Infectious Diseases, from Tufts University, Boston.

“For the girls, knowledge has been passed on to those from the age of eight years. The boys between 10-12 years have also taken interest in our engaging and interactive sessions.

“We taught the boys about the reproductive system as well, asked them to abstain from early sex and advised them on how they can focus on formal education in the aftermath of the heart-wrenching Covid-19 pandemic.

Stay Healthy: Aliguma Foundation Chief Executive Officer Ritah Aliguma (white) is flanked by the head teacher of Katale Kammese Modern Secondary School to distribute sanitary pads.

“The boys were eager to learn more about sexual education. They freely spoke and have openly asked us to visit them every school term,” Tugume explained in detail.

Foundation’s goal

At each of the schools, each of the girls received four packets of sanitary pads with the more behind handed over to the senior woman teacher for the emergency situations as the Foundation continues to push and ensure at least TWO MILLION girls and young mothers receive sanitary pads and learn how to make reusable pads by the end of this year.

We have so far reached out to only 450,000 girls and young mothers hence our plea for more. A pack of pads costs between UGX2,500-3,500 (less than a dollar) in Uganda.

Wise Words: Hon. Kabuye Kyofatogabye, the State Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, offer counselling to the students of The Secondary School in Nakaseke.

The United Nations Refugee Agency, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UEFA Foundation For Children through the Sports For Resilience and Empowerment (SREP) project have already showed their allegiance to the Foundation’s campaign and we call upon YOU, well-wishers and more partners to help us make the lives of many less-advantaged communities and societies better.

To support this initiative, please contact us on either aligumafoundation@yahoo.com or www.aligumafoundation.org Or donate through our donate button on website or mobile on +256774235155 /+256704235155

Elite Backing: Former Uganda Olympic Committee president William Blick has added his voice to the 'Ndi Mwana - The Cry Of A Girl-Child' campaign that started last year.

Please partner with us as we continue to CHANGE LIVES THROUGH SPORTS & ENTERPRISE