Authors: Patience and Moses
Introduction
Agency for Community Health Empowerment (ACHE) is a Community Based Organization registered with the Government that seeks the improvement of health, alleviation of poverty and promotion of social and economic development in Rukungiri and Kanungu Districts of Southwest Uganda through integrated, comprehensive and sustainable initiatives focused on the improvement of sanitation facilities, and safe hygiene practices in Institutions.
The implementation of hygiene promotion and health education 2nd phase started 16th February 2021. The whole phase was initially supposed to take one month but due to Covid-19 lockdown especially in schools, so it was impossible to execute these activities and that’s why the implementation was put on hold and resumed this year when schools were opened again.
Aim of the promotion
To guide / train all pupils / women in safe and proper hygiene practices and other health related issues.
Objective(s)
- Increase in knowledge about the importance of safe sanitation and hygiene practices.
- Increase in school enrolment and attendance.
- Minimize chances of school drops out which to early pregnancies
Methodology
Discussion and Brain storming
Team of facilitators
i. Moses
ii. Patience
Registration and Introduction
In all the places the team visited, all the participants and the facilitators introduced themselves by mentioning their names and later participants were requested to register their names and phone contacts for follow-up purposes.
Activity 1: Nyarwimuka community
Agency for Community Health Empowerment (ACHE) team visited Nyarwimuka community on 16th February, 2021; Nyarwimuka is located in the Rift valley, Ruhinda Sub-county, Rukungiri District, 40km from Rukungiri Town. Women gathered at Nyarwimuka Health Centre II. A total number of 25 women (adult) attended and a health talk was done by ACHE team. The talked covered:
• Proper hygiene practices which included caring for their bodies as women
• HIV/AID awareness and prevention
• good sanitation to avoid contracting diseases which are caused by poor sanitation
• A need for Income Generating Activity at home for women to help them provide the basic care for their children
• Demonstration on how to use re-usable pads; distribution of pads
During the discussion, women explained to the team the pain they have been going through during menstruation period. Out of the 25 women that were present, only 2 said they would afford sanitary pads. Sometimes the remaining 23 were using old clothes and they further told the team that it’s the same case with their daughters (for those who had old daughters).
By the time the team was leaving the place, the number of women who had come around hoping to get pads had doubled those whom we could supply.
Activity 2: Kishonga Primary School
A team from ACHE visited Kishonga Primary School on 2nd March, 2021. Kishonga Primary School is located in Buyanja Sub-county, Rukungiri District 14km from Rukungiri Town. On reaching the school, the team toured around to see the facilities they have and were pleased to find that the school has a changing room for old girls which is a very important necessity for girls who have started their monthly period. It was well maintained and was being used. At Kishonga P/S, the team trained 35 girls (old girls), 6 female teachers and the Headteacher was in attendance. Pupils were requested to record their age on the attendance sheet. The training / talk included
- General body cleanliness
- Washing of clothes
- Proper body care especially during their menstrual periods and what they use e.g (Knickers, Pads)
- Proper use of a changing room
- HIV/AIDS
- challenges associated with early pregnancies
- Advantages of studying and challenges involved with drop out
- Demonstration on using re-usable pads
- Distribution of pads
- Pupils asked a number of questions and all were answered accordingly. The questions were in relation to the talk.
The Headteacher in his remarks thanked ACHE donor(s) for the good heart of thinking about the girl child and for considering his pupils. He further requested for more opportunities in future.
Activity 3: Kakonkoma Primary School
On 24th March, 2022 a team from ACHE visited the school and was welcomed by the deputy Headteacher. Kakonkoma P/S is located in Southern Division- Rukungiri Municipality. The whole school has a total population of 109 pupils. In regions close to town, pupils from families which can afford to pay some fees go to in-town schools and those who attend rural schools such as Kakonkoma are those from very poor families. A total number of 13 girls plus 2 teachers benefited from the training and received pads. When the team was discussing with the girls, they confessed missing school sometimes due to a number of challenges i.e:
• Fear of what might happen during their menstrual periods since they are using old clothes for pads and sometimes they have heavy flow. They have a term called “okutera map” literally meaning drawing a map; this is a situation that happens as a result of blood showing through the pad and the cloth especially when they sit for long. And sometimes it happens unknowingly and each girl fears that when she stands up, she will hear others shout she has drawn a map and everyone in school will know. She will end up fearing to come back to the same school, same class.
• Most of the girls come from a distant place which does not allow them go back for lunch, meaning when they are in their menstrual cycles they have to change, keep the used and unused cloth in the bag which sometimes might be seen or even smell because it’s not washed due to lack of changing room.
• These pieces of cloth sometimes burn their thighs because they use any material they come across.
The team led the discussion and shared with them information about the following;
- Proper caring for their bodies during menstrual and after.
- Washing clothes, knickers and pads properly and allowing them dry and keeping them safely in their safety bags.
- Best sanitation practices as many use scot bathrooms and toilets to avoid infections
- HIV/AIDS – methods of spread and prevention were discussed.
- challenges associated with early pregnancies
- Demonstration on using re-usable pads
And finally pads were distributed which they appreciated and saw the project as God sent.
The senior woman teacher thanked ACHE team and donor(s) for the good heart. The Teachers requested for pads so that they can use them out just in case of any challenge or more education about pads they will know how it works. They further wanted to know just in case they wanted to buy or those at home wanted to buy where they can get them.
