An update from the Child Protection Teams in Jinja

Child Protection Teams make great progress despite the heavy rains

10/3/2020

Despite heavy rain interrupting a number of workshops and activities in the last few months, the five Child Protection Teams have had a great impact on their respective communities. Here are a few highlights from what they have achieved:

Wandago

Thanks to awareness workshops and home visits from the CPT in Wandago, parents no longer send their children to fetch water at night.

There has also been a reduction in the number of children involved in child labour. Some community members used to employ children in the alcohol factories, but through community workshops about child labour, its consequences and the legal penalties associated with it, the practice has greatly reduced.

Masese II

The number of people attending community workshops in Masese II increased from 79 last quarter to 142 this quarter, meaning not only an increase of people learning, but an increase in imparted information being disseminated throughout the area.

Masese II are our original Child Protection Team and, as such, consistently provide a wealth of experience for the newer teams. They hosted a joint sharing meeting for all the CPTs which, amongst other subjects, addressed how to share work equally on the small loans programme.

Some of Masese II CPT Members

Masese III

One of the main achievements in Masese III was an increase in the number of male participants attending workshops, which is now relatively higher in this area compared to the other communities. In this quarter, a family planning workshop was attended by 30 male participants which is a significant statement in a patriarchal culture. Their involvement of male ‘household heads’ is likely to have a strong influence on attitudes regarding good family planning.

Masese I
Many Masese I residents had a negative attitude towards family planning, leading to a large number of unplanned children who are often especially vulnerable in the community. However, after the community workshop in this area, the 42 participants asked Children on the Edge Africa to organise family planning services in their village.

Children in Wandago are particularly vulnerable to child labour through the alcohol breweries.

Loco

According to local government leaders, there has been improved sanitation in the Loco area, which has reduced the rate of preventable diseases. This is largely attributed to the health and hygiene workshops organised by Loco CPT.

With support from the CPT, community members petitioned their Local Council Chairperson to address problems with an aggressive individual in the area who regularly behaved inappropriately in front of local children.

At first the Chairperson made no response, so the CPT invited him to a community meeting to discuss the way forward. The issue was addressed and as the individual in question refused to amend their behaviour, they were asked to relocate. This process has been an example to local people about what can be achieved through the community working together, and has also set a better standard for responsible behaviour in front of children.

Recently there has been a spate of early pregnancies in Loco. A total of six school girls aged 13 to 17 years dropped out of school last term after falling pregnant. In response, the CPT has held two community sensitization meetings and COTE Africa also plans to hold a Child Rights Club outreach event at Loco primary school on the subject.