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.