Global Bridge Network’s blog: 【Educational Environment】 Monthly Report Jul 2022 "Awareness meetings to communities, establishment of MHM clubs and Inspection of school washroom facilities"

MHM clubs at St Mary’s Gwanika Primary School

<Activities conducted>

1. Awareness meetings to communities including parents of students in order to introduce the project and the importance of girls’ education in a safe MHM environment

2. Establishment of MHM clubs and conducting child-to-child approach on sanitary pads making, MHM training, mentoring on issues of MHM and maintenance of school facilities with supervision by school teachers. (Mubende and Wakiso)

3. Play Spot Messages to raise awareness on support for girls’ education and increase on reusable sanitary pad users

4. Conducted pad training at the happy pad promotional centre in Wakiso

5. Conducted Radio talk shows (Butambala)

6. Inspection of school washroom facilities

1. Community Awareness Meeting including parents of students in order to introduce the project and the importance of girls’ education and a safe MHM environment.

The activity targeted 50 members (men and women) per each of the supported school. A total of 30 meetings were planned in the 3 districts to reach a total target of 1,500 community members. 2 meetings were held in June and, 28 meetings were conducted targeting 1,400 in this month. The objective of the activity was to create awareness on responsibilities of different stake holders on issues related to MHM, Gender Awareness, Sexual and Reproductive Health and importance of educating a girl child. The meetings aimed at reminding and teaching stakeholders including both male and female parents, community leaders and teachers of their responsibilities on issues regarding Menstrual Hygiene Management and the importance of keeping children at school especially the girl child.

Below is the district specific implementation progress;

Mubende

8 Community awareness Meetings were held reaching 300 members out of 400 target number of the PTA (Parents Teachers Associations) and SMC (School Management Committees) from each of the 8 schools.

These meetings consisted of 154 Male and 146 Female.

· Kaabowa Primary School (6^th/07/2022)

· Kiyiita Primary School and St. Mary’s Gwanika P/S (7^th/07/2022)

· Ikula and Dyangoma Primary Schools (8^th/07/2022)

· Kasasa Primary School(11^th/07/2022)

· CAWODISA Primary School (12^th/07/2022)

· Kasaana Church of Uganda Primary School(13^th/07/2022)

Wakiso

10 Community awareness meetings were held reaching 454 members out of 500 target number of the PTA (Parents Teachers Associations) and SMC (School Management Committees) from each of the 10 schools. These meetings consisted of 165 Male and 289 Female.

· Ssayi Bright and Kitanda C/U Primary Schools (4^th/07/2022)

· Ssanga C/U Primary School (5^th/07/2022)

· Lwadda C/U Primary School (6^th/07/2022)

· Kitungwa C/U P/S, Kirolo Umea P/S and Kanyange Mixed P/S (7^th/07/2022)

· Buwambo C/U P/S, Jinja Karoli P/S and Maganjo Umea P/S(8^th/07/2022)

Butambala

10 Community awareness meetings were held and a total of 225 were reached this July, in addition to the 180 reached in June 2022 to make a grand total of 405 participants reached

· Lwamasaka Primary school, and Butende primary school (14^th/07/2022)

· Kitagobwa, Nkokoma, Ntolomwe and Bule primary schools (16^th /07/2022)

· Kiwala, Nawango, Kayenje and Butalunga primary schools (21^st /07/2022)

Mubende Pictorial

Wakiso

Butambala

2. Establishment of MHM clubs to conduct child-to-child approach on sanitary pads making, MHM training, mentoring on issues of MHM and maintenance of school facilities with supervision by school teachers. (Mubende and Wakiso)

This has been conducted in 2 districts (Mubende and Wakiso) where a total of 20 MHM clubs have been formed during community sensitization meetings. (In Butambala, clubs were established in June). About the formation of the MHM clubs for Christ the King and Katega Primary schools in Mubende, the project team engaged the schools regarding the club formation which was done successfully. Teachers assisted students to select the MHM club members including 10 girls and 5 boys where one girl is selected as the President and a boy as the assistant to spearhead the implementation of the MHM activities at school. A total of 300MHM club members (200 girls and 100 boys) in both districts was attained. The club members would be reminded of their roles and responsibilities after which photos of the members would be taken.

Mubende

Wakiso

3. Air Spot Messages to raise awareness on support for girls’ education and increase on reusable sanitary pad users

Spot messages about Menstrual Hygiene management, girls’ education and reusable sanitary pad are aired as follows;

· Mubende via Luna FM 6 times a day

· Wakiso via Voice Kiryagonja two times a day

· Butambala via Voice of Butende and Voice of Kikambwe where 10 and 11 spot messages are plaid on a daily basis respectively.

Impact;

· Messages on MHM continues to be in the ears of the community listeners which imparts knowledge and information on proper MHM to the listeners

· Community members especially females urged that these messages have helped them to remind men that they also have a role to play in matters related to MHM and not to leave them to only females (Mubende and Wakiso)

4. Conduct pad training at the happy pad promotional centre

This training is ongoing. So far, a total of 92 students (33 boys and 59 girls) aged between 13-17 years for S.1, S.2 and S.3 have been trained this month. These are conducted on a weekly basis from Monday to Saturday at Happy pad promotion Centre Katalemwa SSS with a total of 122 reusable pads produced. Sensitizations about the pad making activity were conducted in the community and 68 community members were reached (41 Females and 27 Males).

Impact;

· Boys and men are changing their attitude towards supporting girls rather than neglecting them when they are in their menstrual periods.

· Both boys and girls have shown positive interest and says that the venture is cost effective compared to the costly non reusable pads.

· Both females and males have been enlightened on the kind of materials they ought to use to make a smart, soft and comfortable re-usable sanitary pad.

Happy-Pad Promotion Center/ training pictorial

5. Conducted Radio Talk shows (Butambala)

Two radio talk shows were held in Butambala at Voice of Butende and Voice of Kikambwe on 10^th July 2022 to sensitize communities about proper MHM and each one’s responsibilities.

Talking points included;

· Reminding parents and guardians of their responsibilities over their children’s MHM affairs.

· Responsibilities and involvement of religious and school leaders on menstruation matters to improve the environment for girls to thrive in a stigma free environment

6. Inspection of school washroom facilities

This activity was conducted in Mubende and Wakiso in July during community sensitizations. Some facilities were still in good conditions and sanitation improved in the respective schools. On 20^th July 2022, 7 out of 10 schools were inspected in Butambala district including, Bule, Nkokoma, Kiwala, Ntolomwe, Nawango, Kayenje and Kitagobwa primary schools. The inspection was done randomly without notice. Facilities were still in good condition and general hygiene was well maintained. 6 out of the 10 inspected schools had fully functional MHM clubs. 2 were average while 2 schools had dormant MHM clubs. Monitoring and reporting tools were not well adopted. Only 4 out of 10 schools used the tools.

Mubende