‘Hike For A Girl Child’ set for Mt. Muhavura
Hiking for a Girl child 2017 is set to take place this weekend on Mt. Muhavura. The hiking is aimed at raising awareness for breaking stigma around menstruation.
Hope Nankunda, one of the organizers said they also deliver sanitary pads and other items to the needy girls and teach about the monthly period. The hiking event is slated for 12th -14th May this weekend and everyone is free to join.
“#Hike4GirlsUg17 For the Vulnerable Girl Child, I will Hike Muhavura Ranges: Breaking Stigma Around Menstruation: Let’s do it for Her,” Hope Nankunda said.
Hope went on to appreciate those who have contributed to the cause and called on all Ugandans to join and help the needy girl child.
Hope Nankunda
“Feeling Thankful to God because his mercies are New every morning: I continue to appreciate everyone that is supporting our program of keeping Girls in school:
Friends who are donating sanitary Towels and Friends who are sending Contributions in different ways especially through Mobile money:
You mean a lot to me: Your kindness keeps me strong everyday: Atukunda Patience and Mbabazi Loyce May God Bless you more: I have received your contributions and even though you won’t join us for the #HikingForAgirlChild Event, You will be in my heart every step i take in Muhavura Ranges: God Bless you more for Me,” Hope posted.
ABOUT THE HIKE:
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How do you select the Beneficiaries?
We work closely with school administrators among the schools we support: The Vulnerable girls are identified by the School administrators and senior women teachers.
They know the girls who miss school some days every month due to #MenstruationMatters and they give us those names. We always look out for the most needy girls and Orphans:
- Which districts do you operate in?
Our programs are running in some schools in Wakiso, Mukono, Kayunga, Bushenyi, Sheema and we also support some girls in Northern Uganda through our partners organisations. We also support some schools in Kampala slum areas:
- What type of Sanitary Pads do you Give to the Girls?
We give out Reusable Sanitary pads from AFRIpads . These pads are designed to last for 12 months before they can be replaced:
The girls are trained on how to keep these pads clean in order to avoid infections:
- For how long have you been carrying out this program?
We have done this for 2 years and in these 2 years we have so far supported 1,345 girls with Reusable pads and they have been able to stay in school. They nolonger miss school some days every month because they are now able to manage their periods quite well.
- Do you do Follow up to ensure that the girls you have supported are indeed in school and are attending regularly?
Yes, we do follow ups. While giving out pads, we record the names, class, school of the girls. We also record the parent’s contacts so that even if they are nolonger in that school, we can be able to follow up through the parents. We make visits back to the schools and check with the classteachers to monitor the attendance of these girls:
6. What is your sustainability plan because you can’t keep giving out pads forever!!
Our plan is to train girls in rural schools on how to make the reusable pads so that they are able to make them on their own. Others will be able to earn a living from this skill because menstruation is here to stay: so by learning how to make the pads, they are economically empowered and are able to sustain themselves and those around them:
7. Who are your Donors?
We don’t have any specific donors. We only receive support from people who follow our work and are impressed by what we are doing. We have had individuals come up to support us with the little they can afford, we have had some organizations donate some pads to us such as AFRIpads Foundation LIFE Ministry Uganda Together Alive Health Innitiative-TAHI NOPE Uganda Lohana Schools of Kampala
With Support from these Organizations we have been able to keep 1,345 girls in school:
8.Who are your Partners?
Our partners in the work we do include Girls Not Brides Global partnership to End Child Marriage, Girls Not Brides – Uganda National Alliance consisting of 65 member organisations across the country~ where we coordinate the Central Region of Uganda,
Life Ministry Uganda, NOPE Kenya NOPE Uganda, AFRIPads Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development National Womens Council, Ministry Of Education and Sport, East Africa Child Rights Network, Lohana Community Kampala, Amani Initiative Against Teenage Pregnancy & Early Marriage, Joy For Children –Uganda and Steadfast Safaris.
Every day that passes, a big number of vulnerable girls begin their periods. Some of these are orphans and have no one to run to for help.
Many times they become victims of Child Marriage and teenage pregnancy because they find themselves going to men for help who always want to sleep with them before they can support them:
We believe that we can change this by doing the little we can:
This is why we organized for a ‘Hiking For A Girl Child’ Event to break the stigma around menstruation and support some vulnerable girls with pads:
Join us to make this possible:
We appreciate you and together we can create the change we want to see in society:
God Bless You
#Hike4GirlsUg17.
For any contribution to this cause, you can call +256772305742 or +256702 305 742.
