Adjumani District, Kureku East village, Bacere Parish, Ofua Sub County
Caption: AFOD staff, teachers, parents of the girl and boy in a negotiation meeting for the girl to return to school
Raleo Kevin, a 16 year old who was studying in Kureku primary school in primary seven got married to man in Ukusijoni Sub County in Guliya village. This attracted AFOD’s interest and community leaders. A follow up with the parents, teachers and local leaders in the village where she got married was conducted. When the team reached Guliya village, they found that she was re-located to another village so that it becomes difficult to trace her. The team took all the initiative to trace her and she was found. She told the team that the reason why she got married was that her step mother doesn’t like her and whenever she requests for basic needs like pads and stationaries, she tells her that she can get them from Men.
AFOD staff educated the family members of both the girl and the boy about the importance of education, this inspired the girl to go back to school and resume studies. Kevin sat for her primary leaving examination on 2-3/11/2017″.
After her exams she remarked “school is key to my future because after AFOD staff gave me knowledge and support during the difficult moment, I realized the best future lies in being in school, I nurture the ambition of joining a vocational school which can provide life skills for me.”
The AFOD team continues to monitor her progress on a monthly basis. Kevin is now engaged in sexual reproductive health activities in the communities empowering the youth.
However, the challenges still faced by the girl-child in the region are; limited parental support, cultural belief that girls are a source of bride wealth, limited knowledge on Adolescent sexual reproductive health in the community and schools, high Poverty level in the communities, ignorance of the community about the importance of girl child education and lack of sex education from parents.
AFOD continues with its efforts in a bid to empower the youth on sexual reproductive health in the West Nile Region.
Caption: AFOD staff providing psychosocial support to Kevin
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