Project location
The project will take place at UPA arua branch, Ezoova village, Driwala parish, Pajulu sub-county, Arua district. Arua town the administrative and commercial head quarters of the district and is located 520 km from Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.
Project back ground
Generally, many women in our sub region still face a series of challenges like; gender discrimination, low social status. Lack of economic independence and are at high risk or more vulnerable of contracting HIV/ AIDS.
Unlike other parts of Uganda, in west Nile sub region, gender inequality is still an issue since culture still requires or dictates on women to be submissive to men who are highly respected big daddies.
Women also are discriminated on getting education; many do not have the chance to attend formal education as compared to their male partners. As a result, women continue to develop a syndrome that exposes them to the dangers of dependence.
It is still a common practice for many parents to force young girls out of school into early/forced marriages or throwing them out of homes to relatives in urban areas where experience shows that many are eventually sexually abused or harassed, many become commercial sex workers for a livelihood or become a soft target for the arrogant and abusive older men (Sugar daddies). In the process however, many of these young girls end up infected with HIV.
In some places in our district HIV prevalence rate among 13-19 years old girls is at least 10 times higher than in male of the same age.
In 2011UPA Arua branch participated in a project organized by UPA and CCIVS on promoting gender sensitivity in youth activities. This offered our branch an opportunity to host gender training workshops in which Gender Peer educators were trained and Youth and women gender clubs formed.
To follow up from the earlier interventions, the work camp therefore aims at further promoting gender equality in the peri-urban and the rural setting of Pajulu and Oluko sub county, Arua district, targeting mostly the youth at school and school drop outs.
Project objectives
- To equip 100 youths and women with skills in forum theatre.
- To mobilize and sensitize 1,000 community members in Pajulu and Oluko on gender equality.
- To advocate for youth friendly approaches in handling gender issue.
- Train 30 Gender peer educators in the different schools
- To highlight or streamline the dangers and impact of gender inequality on the rampant spread of HIV/AIDS.
Activities
- Small focus group discussions on gender issues
- Plenary work shop on gender issues
- Visiting gender youth club in selected schools
- Quizzes on gender
- Forming gender youth clubs at schools where they don’t exist.
- Forum theatre presentations on gender inequality
- Gender sports and games activities(football, net ball etc)
- Visits to District leaders and gender focal persons
Expected outcome
- 30 Gender peer educators trained
- 100 youths trained in theatre
- 1000 people sensitized
- Behaviour change of public attitude on gender issues
- One workshop conducted on gender
- 5 forum theatre presentation and out reaches for schools
- Gender empowerment games e.g. play foot ball and net ball conducted
- Confirmation of gender youth clubs at schools
Cultural and educational visits
Visits to historical sites, i.e. WANGLEI PUVUNGU and EMIN PASHAS tomb WADRLAI and tourist places like Murchison falls, hot and cool Amor Pii (Panyimur), Lendu forest, Nyagak power dam project. but at own cost
Beneficiaries
- Arua branch members
- Work camp participants
- Arua community.
Participation
- The project expects 15 participants maximum with a composition of people from Uganda, regional and International volunteer organisations.
- Participants will work 6 hours daily from Monday to Friday.
- Weekends are for social interaction and/ or excursions unless if the official camp programme has an activity.
Who qualifies to participate
- One with Positive attitude, willing to interact with a diversity of cultures
- Willingness to take up tasks as peer educators
- Ability to Adopt and enjoy living in simple conditions.
- One with ambition to learn about gender in equality and understand how to stop gender in equality, ability to adopt and enjoy living in simple conditions
- Willing to taste a variety of local foods and rural accommodation
NB: No special or particular expertise/skills required, however Participants with skills in creative and interactive games are welcome to participate.
The host community
The project is situated at Ezoova village, 3 km from Arua town. The camp shall be hosted by community members of UPA Arua branch and affiliate groups. The project is predominantly Lugbara and Alur speaking people but with majority fluent in English.
Accommodation.
- The project will provide simple rooms with closed doors and windows.
- Accommodation will be in UPA Arua branch office.
- Average but not luxury.
- The camp site have simple bathrooms with no showers
- The camp sites have latrines not toilets
- And a simple cooking shelter (kitchen)
Therefore participants are required to carry along with them working shoes, gloves, working cloth, sleeping mats and bags, mosquito nets, their national flags, pictures and different games if possible.
Meals.
- There are several local foods to choose from e.g. millet, simsim, matooke, cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkin and also rice, spaghetti, meat, fish, ground nuts, beans, peas and different types green vegetables
- Fruits can also be easily bought from local markets, mangoes, sweet bananas, water melon, pineapples etc
- Participants will chose food to prepare depending on the availability. Participants will divide themselves in groups to prepare own meals using charcoal or firewood.
Health services
Arua regional referral hospital is 3km from the site and there are other private health services near the site e.g. Ediofe St. Asunta health centre, star medical clinics, St Francis clinic in Nsambya etc
Water source.
Participants use wheelbarrow and carry Jeri cans by the head and on head from the nearby wells protected spring water and borehole from camp site. The water source is 300 meters away from the campsite.
Weather and climate.
July is normally humid, dry and sunny. Aura temperatures may raise to 25 to 30 degrees centigrade. It may also have rain intervals. Carry working boots or big shoes.
What to bring.
- Participants shall be required to bring own sleeping bags, mat, pillow, mosquito nets, sun/mosquito creams/repellants, working gloves and boots, shoes. light working clothes during working hours and worm clothes at night hours as it may get cold or chilly. Musical instruments optional; such as flash light; water purifiers optional; personal effects i.e. soap tooth paste toiletries.
- Bring your national flag, common art facts of your country, story books/novels games, pictures and local recipes for cultural presentations from your country is advisable too for cultural interaction.
- Please carry along anything that you feel can as well introduce you and your culture to make it enjoyable. Above all do not forget a happy and positive attitude and energy
NB Very short, hot pants; skirt and dresses will not be culturally welcomed especially for females. Smoking in public is illegal engagement in drug/harsh carries a life prison sentence