Go to School, Back to School, Stay in School Campaign in Soroti, Uganda

These three young people have returned to Primary School as part of the Go to School, Back to School, Stay in School (GBS) Campaign. This aims to identify children out of school who wish to complete their Primary School education.

This area around Tubur in Soroti was badly affected by the conflict with the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) in 2003. Many chldren were abducted and trained by the rebels, with boys becoming child soldiers and the girls taken as 'wives' of the commanders. Parents were killed protecting their children and the lucky ones fled to the IDP camps that formed nearer towns.

Even in the IDP camps problems for the girls continued, with many getting pregnant. One girl we met returned to school with her small two year old girl; while another young mother's child was taken away by the father after being born.

Early pregnancy is a real problem in Primary Schools in these post conflict areas. The girls tend to be overage (14-18 yrs) and vulnerable. In one school we found five girls were pregnant, and one by a teacher who had run away.



You can see some more photographs from Soroti and the Back to School Campaign by looking at my slideshow on Flickr.

Soroti, Uganda Slideshow

I have been working with members of the Girls Education Movement (GEM) on documenting the GBS Campaign taking place in northern Uganda from March-August 2007. We will then make a film of the campaign for UNICEF.

The GBS Campaign is targetting conflict affected areas in the north of the country. GEM members are working on the ground with children in Primary Schools to identify out of school children, then go into the communities and encourage them to come back to school and complete their primary education.

There are other campaigns being launched in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader. In these places many of the communities remain living in IDP camps.

At least in Soroti, many people are returning to start rebuilding their lives.

Virginity is Healthy

Virginity is Healthy
Originally uploaded by Ina's Pics.

Abstinence is the main message given in many schools to children to combat AIDS in northern Uganda. Abstinence is promoted by mainstream NGOs as well as faith based organisations. Condom use hardly gets a mention nowadays, a big change from the 1990s.

Many of the girls in Primary schools have had their education interrupted because of early pregnancies, conflict and poverty. They return when they are older, and suffer a greater risk of early pregnancy and dropping out of school.

The status of women in society remains low, with few having control over the sexual or reproductive rights.

Children's Voices: Creative Paths to Learning

We completed the film for UNICEF Uganda this week. I am very pleased with it. The interface for the dvd is shown here. The film is called Children's Voices:Creative Paths to Learning'. It is a great film, with an apt title, as songs devised and sung by the children are used as the background music for the film. We produced two versions, a full film (just over 20 minutes long) and a short film (about ten minutes long) along with some discussion points.

It was a gruelling couple of weeks, but it was a good to do the field and face to face work in such a short space of time and then also edit and complete the film as well. It was less than a month and half for the entire project. Not bad, considering part of the editing process involved ensuring the film was on track with UNICEF in Kampala. We had to find easy ways for them to view the project online and give feedback and comments, Thank you Youtube. And of course Melvyn, my editor.

You can watch the whole film in parts in my youtube site. See link at the side of how to get there.




My recent project with UNICEF Uganda used creative media and participatory techniques in Karamoja. One of the aims of the project was to test the methodology and see if creative media can be used in Primary schools in Uganda to improve learning outcomes, especially among girls. I worked with members from the Girls Education Movement (GEM). The GEM members facilitated the workshops with the children.

You can read more about the launch of GEM in Uganda in October 2001 on the UNICEF website by following the url below:
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_10450.html

It was a real pleasure to work with the people from GEM. They were committed and intelligent young people, who provided excellent role models to the children in the schools.

UNICEF-Uganda: Using Creative Media in Abim, Karamoja

I have just been working on a test project with UNICEF Uganda, in Abim district in Karamoja in northeastern Uganda. I trained a group of Girls Education Movement (GEM) members in basic audio-visual technology and then they in turn trained some children and young people from two primary schools in Abim District, Karamoja in northeastern Uganda. We worked with the children to film, record and dramatise issues of importance to them around schooling, village life and girls traditional roles in society. One of the aims of the project is to see how involving children at risk from dropping out in creative methodology can improve learning outcomes in schools.

We learnt alot about the situation facing children in this remote area of Uganda, and we were also surprised and encouraged by the real enthusiasm we received from the children, but also the local community and district officials.

It is hoped that this project can be refined and rolled out to enable children's active participation in improving education in Uganda.

To see some more pictures you can check out my Flickr site (http://www.flickr.com/photos/35387190@N00/), and watch for further films and updates on my website (www.vanishingrites.com).

Primary Schools in Karamoja, Uganda

The aim of this project was to see if creative multimedia methodologies could be used to improve learning outcomes in Primary schools in Uganda. Two Primary schools in Abim district, Karamoja were selected. Members of the Girls Education Movement (GEM) facilitated conversations and role plays with the school children.

Walking back after first training session with video camera.