Pallisa , (UG):- Over 100 School girls from various institutions currently on vacation in Agule county and surrounding subcounties of Kaukura, and Apopong in neighbouring Gogonyo County have been equipped with knowledge and skills of being productive and safe in this festive season.
These girl children who are teenagers from different Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions in Pallisa gained hands on skills in specialties such as knitting, embroidery to keep them busy with productive work on top of routine domestic chores.
The one-day workshop was organized by a community based non-profit-making organization called Woman of Purpose a local NGO in Palisa District established by remarkable Jane Opolot as the Executive Director.
Grace Opeero the deputy director of the organization said the set aims of calling these girls was to address challenges which always surround and affect the girl child leading to their massive drop out from school.
Opeero during aside interview DailyExpress disclosed that majority of girls drop out of school during holidays because of numerous factors that the victims needed to know and how to overcome them.
“We have started our program with these participants but the intention to reach to all of them as some parents have run away from their prime responsibility of providing girls with the basics needs such as pads jelly pants makes them vulnerable and men who lure them disguising to be caring and filling the gap with exchange of sex take advantage”, Opeero said.
She added that they have given them tips on controlling themselves being adolescents and repel of boys and men who approach them leading to their dropping out school hence blocking the opportunities God destined for them.
What girls had to say!
Grace Acam a student of Kameke SS said what she has benefited from the engagement is being contented with what one has. “The problem we have as girls is competition we want to rival our friends in dressing , jellies and perfumes used and this forces us to get men to provide which i have seen as a danger”, Acam said.
Immaculate Agadi from Chelekura primary school said how to become a self-confident teenager and being open to parents is a big achievement. “I have been fearing to address my menstruation problems to my father but i have been guided how to initiate being free to him by doing what pleases him so that we get closer to each other”,
Agote Grace a student from Agule Institute of health science and management said the interaction was so timely but should be extended to other girls as well who did not make it
Simon Okia the Agule town council chairperson said the relationship between the fathers and their daughters especially in the rural areas is poor and is causing huge problem.
Okia urged men to create enabling environment which draws girls closer to them and openly share challenges. “This poor relationship of girls using their mothers as connectors to their fathers is looked as minor but a serious issue which needs to be addressed. The question why are these girls find it easy to request what they lack from other men than their fathers?” he asked.
Hon. David Ochwa the Agule county member of parliament commends the intervention of woman of purpose in its endeavours to support vulnerable groups especially widows, orphans and disadvantaged should not be underrated.
The area MP said Woman of Purpose has empowered many people by constructing for them houses, giving heifers, goats which have multiplied and have changed the lives of many families.
Ephraim Opolot said it should be noted that Woman of Purpose opened started a vocational school that has turned many into job creators than being idle and some of them have excelled and upgraded in tailoring, carpentry, brick laying mechanics among others that is the reason we implore this organization.
“Before the establishment of Woman of Purpose 20 years ago in 2004 with the aims at empowering and helping women to achieve their purpose in life, the marginalization and land grabbing from widows and orphans were high but as time went by through various engagements with stakeholders, the graph came down and now the vulnerable are also engaged in decision making”, he said.
However, Jane Opolot the Women of purpose executive director said upon the establishment of her organization in 2004, she was identified to represent Uganda in the international widow’s day conference commonwealth in 2006 that was held in London.
“I took advantage to highlight the plight of widows and orphans in developing countries. This touched some members who gave me financial aid to start projects, so far over 160 women have got heifers and over 120 received goats which have multiplied steadily under project funded by UK based charity organization called Access 4 headed by her partner in development called Sue Wates,” Opolot said.
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