The pandemic has had a lasting effect on the life of many. In the first five months of the lockdown, thirty girls between the ages of eleven and fourteen became pregnant. Two years into the lockdown began, during which time schools and businesses that were not essential to survival were shut down. People lived in extreme poverty, but this has had a greater impact on girls, particularly those who have disabilities.
Because even a person with a disability is capable of cultivating vegetables and selling them at the local market, and because vegetables grow so quickly, we have been instructing young women in efficient farming techniques and donating seeds and other agricultural inputs to them.
In addition, instruction in the preparation of cakes and other basic snacks for the bakery was also done. Because this initiative is so costly and we were unable to get money for it, it did not have as large of an effect on as many girls as we had hoped. After training just 15 girls, we chose to put it on pause, although those girls have since taught other girls as well.
Providing counselling and assistance, education on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality awareness and rights, and sexual and reproductive health education Providing assistance to young women who have been victims of violence since many of these young women have been raped by family members or neighbours and need both legal and medical care was also part of our initiative.
The initiative has had an effect on fifty girls in the Namayina village of Uganda, ranging in age from five to seventeen years. To support this initiative please send us a mail at: phionah2015@gmail.com
