Update from Touch Africa Now July 2024

PROJECT: STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITY OF MANAGING MENSTRUAL HYGIENE IN SCHOOLS

Touch Africa Now is implementing the above project in primary schools to help improve the lives of girls who struggle in managing their periods and also prepare those that haven’t started. This is to enable them to stay in schools, improve their health and achieve their potential. These activities happened in two schools which are quite far apart. Nyakagando School is about 2 hours drive from Kampala and is very near a large refugee camp. Peace Yumbe School is in the very far north of Uganda in a largely Muslim area of the country.  

Recent Events

1) Procurement of training/learning materials
Training materials i.e. cotton cloth, mackintosh (plastic), light cotton towels, thread, hand needles, tape measures, buttons, tailor’s pins etc. were procured.

2) Trainings
Pupils of 9 years and above with their teachers from schools in Nyakagando and Peace Yumbe primary were trained in measuring, drafting, cutting out and joining the different parts to make reusable sanitary pads. They stitched them together using hand needles and thread.

It was so heart-warming to see the pupils being so happy and actively engaged in this activity. All those that participated formed Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) school clubs in their respective schools 

Ideas for the Future

1) Train pupils and teachers at Sky View Junior School (this is another school that Touch Africa Now is involved with in the far north of Uganda). They will be trained also in making reusable sanitary pads.
2) Train pupils on how to add buttonholes and buttons on the sanitary pads made.
3) Conduct monitoring and follow up visits on the Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) school clubs formed

Comments

Thank you for providing the opportunity to the pupils and teachers to learn about menstrual health and hygiene. The hands-on training on making reusable sanitary pads is still on going and it is amazing to see both girls and boys with their teachers actively participating and learning. 

We believe that Bright Hope World’s support is a manifestation of God’s plan to give hope to the girl pupils and teachers. (Jer 29:11)

Menstrual hygiene is especially important for young woman and girls in the schools. Without it they miss a lot of their education, and then become very vulnerable to dropping out early, which then leads to early marriage and the resulting social problems that come from that. It is extremely important to address this issue to keep the young women in schools and finishing their education. This project reduces a very well-known barrier to ongoing education.

PROJECT: GIRLS/WOMEN SUSTAINABLE SKILLS AND EMPOWERMENT    

Touch Africa Now in partnership with Bright Hope World is implementing a girls’/women’s sustainable skills and empowerment project for the people of Kinyomozi. These people are being trained in tailoring garments/clothes for income generation.

The overall purpose of this project is to provide quality entrepreneurial development skills for adolescent girls/women and in the long run reduce dependency and vulnerability.

Recent Events

1) Community mobilization
Girls and women between 15-30yrs who registered for the trainings were mobilized to come and participate in the training.

2) Trainings in tailoring
When they started, the girls and women were trained in basic skills of operating and maintaining the sewing machines that is, managing the sewing machine, peddling and threading.

A series of skills like measuring, drafting, cutting and joining fabric were accomplished where trainees were able to practice the skills with the guidance with their trainers.

Making clothes: Trainees were equipped with skills of drafting and sewing round dresses, round skirts, gathered dresses, gathered skirts, pleated dresses and skirts, v neck shirts, kids’ shorts and trousers, short sleeved kids’ shirts and other skirts and dresses.

3) Follow up visitations
Several follow up visits by the TAN team were carried out to ensure trainers are delivering as expected and machines are well managed.

Plans for the Future

- Conduct assessments
- Graduation, award of certificates and distribution of startup kits 

Comments

We thank you for supporting and funding this project to empower women and girls through tailoring skills training. We are grateful this partnership is already empowering the women of Kinyomozi to create a better future for themselves and their community. [Mathew 25:40]

BHW Uganda Partnership Facilitator Comments

This is a very impressive report, and Bright Hope World is grateful for the calibre of partners who are able to achieve such wonderful results.