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Author Archives: African

Empowered to become an Entrepreneur

Empowered to become an Entrepreneur

Meet Munyunyu Brenda, a senior 3 student at St. Johns Namuyenje, in 2020 she moved from Busia where her parents are based, and came to live with her elder brother in Mukono District where she met the opportunity to obtain baking skills that she is currently practicing.

“ At the beginning of the AGE  project, we were invited for dialogues together with our parents, guardians, and peers and told the objectives of the project among which was to help skill the vulnerable girls for socio-economic transformation in the face of Covid-19 in Mukono district, I was among the many girls who participated in the on-going skilling sessions and was able to benefit in various ways, given that we have been in the lockdown and we have been staying home for a while, I would always allocate my time well and make sure that I seek permission from my brother to come to attend the skilling sessions at the safe space in Namuyenje.

I always practice what we would be taught at the safe space and that’s how a few months back I started my small business of baking, I make snacks and sell to people within our trading center and that is how I manage to purchase scholastic materials that I use at school. At the resumption of school learning, all I asked my brother to do was pay school fees since I had saved some money that would help in meeting other school-related costs from my snacks business.

And as I speak today my business venture is growing since, I have continued baking and selling the snacks at the school canteen something that has earned me the nickname “Munyunyu snacks” among my peers in school funny it is but not deterrent of my goal which is to be the largest baker in our trading center here. I am happy though that I have been able to inspire many young girls in our community and school who have also embraced the idea of engaging in income-generating practices as I do, now that we are being trained in various skills courtesy of this intervention.

Munyunyu and her peer are among the many girls who have and are currently benefiting out of the AGE project interventions being implemented by APPCO and cluster partners in the Mukono district as a response to the COVID-19 inflicted challenges and aims at contributing to the empowerment of girls in and out of school with SRHR and socio-economic friendly services

End of GBV Project Review Meeting in Gulu District

Appco alongside its stakeholders and partners within Gulu city came together for the closing meeting on the project “combating stigma against survivors of SGBV and their children”. The project that was funded by the UN Women’s trust fund ran for 4 years since 2018 came to an end. The project’s target group was SGBV survivors and children who were located in 5 locations of Unyama, Bungatira, Paicho, Layibi, and Bardege.

During the meeting, which was attended by a variety of stakeholders, numerous reviews and resolutions to end gender-based violence were made. Diverse stakeholders, including CDOs, SPWO, OC, structures, survivors, and staff, attended a one-day review meeting. As the GBV project came to an end, participants believed that the APPO’s operations in Gulu as an organization—including the SPWO in her opening remarks—would also come to a stop. However, Mr. Osuwat Martin the ERM APPCO came up and clarified this saying “The project coming to an end is not there or APPCO has ended. The project is not ending but we are checking on how far we have reached and how we can improve on how to do better if the structures can stand and do things alone. Today we are here to do a review that is impact-based (2018-2021). We are to review what has been done, and what can be done better. Even without guidance, we can move alone. It remains with red light; the project has not ended because the structures who understand what to be done are there”.

highlights of the project.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

  • To Increase public support from faith Leaders in promoting positive attitudes among GBV survivors
  • To Increase number of youth and children participating in advocacy and action to end stigmatization linked to sexual violence
  • To Improved capacity of community prevention and response systems to support survivors and COVID-19 prevention and response.

KEY PROJECT MILESTONES

  • Advocacy (High participation of youth in the Use of drama acts to push the message of Ending GBV in the communities, Integrating GBV messages into church summons by Faith leaders)
  • Assistance: Home visits for GBV survivors and offering psychosocial support. Promoting positive living for GBV survivors)
  • Build Capacities (Strengthened GBV case referral pathways, Forming women groups that engaged in Village Savings and Loan Association)
Youth from Unyama sub-county in gulu district performing a DRAMA kit advocating to end GBV.
APPCO staff engaged with Women groups in a community dialogue in Bungatira sub-county, Gulu district.

APPCO supports refugee and host community children with scholastic materials

APPCO supports refugee and host community children with scholastic materials

APPCO is supporting over 8,600 refugee and host community children with scholastic materials to support keep them in school. Over 12 refugee and host community primary schools have been supported in Yumbe and Lamwo districts in Westnile supported by Education Can Not Wait (ECW)

Community Mapping- Children With Disabilities in Post Conflict Uganda

Effects of wars on CWD in Uganda:

There have been several political unrests, including the recent Lord Resistance Army-led conflict in northern Uganda, which lasted from 1987 to 2007 and created almost a million internally displaced persons who were subsequently constantly raided by rebels.

One of the greatest effects of this war was the increase in the number of CWD. Many victims suffered physical, sensory, psychological and emotional trauma, including loss of limbs, sight and hearing, due to attacks with weapons and land mines. Physical trauma is often addressed first; however, mental trauma, if untreated, may lead to mental illnesses and post-traumatic stress syndrome disorders. Unfortunately, people with mental illness aren’t often deemed victims of war because their scars aren’t visible.

Health, Education, and Nutrition for Child Wellbeing

Health, Education, and Nutrition for Child Wellbeing

APPCO interventions have been shown to improve children’s health and nutrition and their learning potential and life choices both in the short and long term. APPCO interventions particularly benefit poor and disadvantaged children, who have the most to gain both nutritionally and educationally. Also, by focusing on the special needs for girls – for example through Menstrual Health Management (MHM) – our Health programs are helping reduce barriers to learning for girls and enhance their overall health including increased chances of girls completing their education.

What Our Programs Do:

  • Increase access to health and nutrition services including deworming, control of malaria, as well as vision and hearing screening at schools.
  • Provide children with increased access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in schools.
  • Help children develop life-long health behaviors through life skills-based health education, including HIV and AIDS prevention.
  • Ensure basic health-related school policies and support from individual schools and communities to the national level.
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