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| The projects manager rising awareness about what needs to be done to ensure proper MHM in schools and sensitizing the community about the components of MHM during the second radio talk show |
Promotion Center, Radio Talk Show,
and Schools Facilities’ Task Check
<Activity
conducted>
1.
Establish a happy pad promotion center in Wakiso
2.
Conduct radio talk shows about girls’ education and use of a reusable
sanitary pad (happy pad).
3.
Make schools facilities’ task list (assessment tool to renovate)
4.
Check facilities of 30 schools in three project districts
1.
Establish a happy pad promotion center in Wakiso
A suitable place to work as the happy pad promotion center was identified
at Katalemwa Secondary School-Matugga. The Executive Director concluded with
signing the tenant’s agreement with the land lord of the place and paid rent
for one month. The place is being improved in order to start using.
2.
Conducted radio talk shows about girls’ education and use of happy
pad
These have been conducted with the help of a talking point document. This
was developed by SORAK and shared in all districts. It indicated what each one
of the participating staff would mention during the radio talk show. A radio
spot message script has been developed and it is being developed into an audio
before starting to air.
In Mubende The radio talk shows were conducted on 25th
January 2022 respectively at Heart FM in Mubende town for one hour starting at
7:00pm to 8:00pm. The talk shows were attended by the Executive Director,
project manager, project officer for Mubende, and project volunteer. Issues
talked about by each one of the above are outlined in the talking point/concept
note.
In Wakiso
The radio talk
shows will start in February.
The radio talk
shows were conducted on community radios. These were conducted on Voice of
Kikambwe and Voice of Butende community radios on 29th and 30th
January 2022 respectively. These were
attended by the executive Director, project
officer, and subcounty women councilor of Butende subcounty- one of the project sub-counties.
3.
Development of school facilities’ task list
It is noted that this project will
undertake physical improvement in the MHM facilities in each of the 30 target
schools across the three districts. It was found necessary to get back to each
of the schools and with school leaders exactly identify what needs to be done
in each of the schools. SORAK project manager hence developed a checklist to be
used by project officers in their listing of what needs to be done.
4. Check
facilities of ten schools in all the three project districts
Project
officers across the 3 districts visited each of the 3 districts and in all the
30 schools in order to identify tasks. It took 3 days to check all the schools
Mubende and Wakiso (26-28th January 2022). Schools in Butambala were
visited from 25th to 27th January 2022.
<Positive
influences/ Changes>
The radio
programs had the following influences in all the 2 districts;
Ø
Introduced the project to both the targeted and a wider audience. This
was illustrated by the call-ins from various listenership including those not
targeted in the project.
Ø
Listeners appreciated the project targeted issues of MHM and hoped
that the project would do a lot towards improving girls’ education.
Ø
Some listeners requested for project expansion to their respective
schools and communities while others requested to be allowed learn reusable
sanitary pad making with schools to be supported in their respective areas.
Ø
Improved working relationship between NGOs and the political
leaders as it was the case with Butambala where subcounty political leader (woman
councilor) volunteered to participate in talk show. This means that the project
was well received, has garnered political support and will be popular in the
community and districts served.
The task
finding visits had the following influences;
Ø
Prepared school teachers to accept the project and what is
proposed to be done. And high hopes have been generated in all the schools.
Ø
Identified actual sites and what to do on each of the desired
facilities (washroom/change rooms/ provision of water tanks).
<Problems /
Challenges>
Ø
Long distances to transport between schools during this dusty hot
and dry season of the year.
Ø
All schools visited are over expecting to receive a lot of
supports from this project due to JICA related. We demonstrated that we need to
work well with this first project and make sure that we achieve many bigger
interventions.
Ø
The head teacher of Kanyange Mixed primary school -Nabweru
division Wakiso district was afraid of anyone taking pictures in school and
instructed the deputy to check and ensure the project officer wasn’t a
journalist. The project officer had to produce the introduction letter from the
municipality to win their trust and later permission to take photos was granted
to him.
Ø
Learners’ presence at school. Children were inconvenienced when
they wanted to use toilets while we were assessing them and to this, the team
was patient and also tried to visit the different schools during the time when
they all in class and not for lunch and breakfast.
<Lessons
Learnt>
Ø
It was discovered that all schools needed to be provided with a
changing room as none of them had one yet it is so important when it comes to
ensuring a conducive MHM environment in schools.
Ø
General hygiene was very poor in all the schools visited with none
having a functioning water point/tank at the washroom/toilet.
Ø
Most schools still have shared WASH facilities (girls and boys). This
interferes with each other’s privacy.
Ø
Evening hours are the best to air a talk show for greater impact.
Ø
Community awareness is instrumental for the success of the MHM
project.
Ø
Engagement with leadership from village to district level was good
and must be maintained for acceptance and sustainability of the project.
＜Comments from related parties＞
<Activity Photos>
Appendix 3: School facilities
