Kitgum district in northern Uganda has served as a battle ground for a 20 year war between the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan Government. During the course of the conflict, an estimated 1.7 million people have moved into over 180 Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps. These camps are overcrowded, with people living in poverty, vulnerable to disease.
Access to health care is scarce, and few students complete secondary school - even fewer meet the requirements to enter medical and nursing training programmes. While the peace process promises progress, AMREF recognises that a number of daunting health challenges remain.
Aims
AMREF recognises the promise of young girls in Kitgum district to act as agents of change in bringing improved health, well-being, and lasting peace to northern Uganda.
Specifically, AMREF’s education project aims to establish better health within the Kitgum community through the promotion of girls’ education.
Objectives
- To train girls to become agents of change in their communities
- To increase the number of girls enrolling in science subjects within the Acholi sub-region
- To strengthen and sustain health education in schools
- To inform the community of the benefits of sending girls to school
Key Achievements
- Training of girls in personal and community hygiene, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention and education.
- Improved self esteem among the girls and enabling them to make informed decisions concerning their education, health and well being.
- Girls supported to deliver health education in their schools and local IDP camps.
- Improved community attitude towards girls’ education, enabling a larger number to remain at school for longer
- Increased uptake of science subjects by girls in the region.
- Renovation of school dormitories and science laboratories to make schools more amenable to female education.
- Distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets to female students. This helps to minimalise absence from school due to malaria.
