help orphaned girls in lwamata subcountry uganda
In Lwamata sub county, there is a significant number of PHAS seeking HIV treatment from the government HCIII situated in the town Centre. The other PHAS either travel to Kiboga hospital or to health units in Kampala for HIV treatment. The HIV/AIDS care services in some of these health units in Kiboga district are inadequate, coupled with stigma associated with HIV disease. The HIV clinic at Lwamata HCIII runs twice a month on Wednesdays. These clinic days are too few, should a PHA encounter health problems before the clinic day, then they have difficulty in having their health issues addressed. There are about 600PHAs in lwamata receiving HIV services 423women, 177men each PHA having 6-8children on average.
Lwamata sub county is predominantly rural, therefore the population living within this subcounty are prone to high poverty levels. A number of children in this sub county have been either partially orphaned(one parent dead) or doubly(both parents) orphaned as a result of AIDS. Worse still, orphaned girls in Lwamata are more disadvantaged and therefore vulnerable!! We are seeing girls as young as 10 years starting menstruation, a process which is extremely private in this rural community. We have clearly noted that menstruation is a key factor that negatively affects these OVCs in accessing education as a result of regularly missing school due to lack of sanitary wear. This is indeed a big problem for orphaned girls in this community and this problem cannot be over stated!
We have noted during our meetings that all these young girls have had no one to go over the basics of menstruation with them. The few who go to school have had to learn from fellow students and for that matter, if an accident happens and their uniforms get stained with blood, they do not expect any sympathy from colleagues. We also noted that all schools in this sub county are mixed schools, a number of girls are therefore” laughed out of schools” by their male peers when they accidentally stain their uniforms! We have noted that these poor girls continue to suffer discrimination in accessing education and yet the government of Uganda is emphasizing retention of girls in schools! Another challenge we have noted is that these orphaned girls lack under wears which are essential for menstruation. Their guardians are not in position to buy sanitary towels for them in addition to meeting their other physical needs such as food and clothing. This situation is made worse if the caregiver is a man or an elderly grand parent. Girls in this sub county are greatly affected! We discovered that many of these girls are using items such as old exercise books, banana leaves and strips of clothes from old dresses for padding during menstruation which have several limitations, these materials wet easily and do not give them the protection and confidence that they need.
Lwamata sub county is predominantly rural, therefore the population living within this subcounty are prone to high poverty levels. A number of children in this sub county have been either partially orphaned(one parent dead) or doubly(both parents) orphaned as a result of AIDS. Worse still, orphaned girls in Lwamata are more disadvantaged and therefore vulnerable!! We are seeing girls as young as 10 years starting menstruation, a process which is extremely private in this rural community. We have clearly noted that menstruation is a key factor that negatively affects these OVCs in accessing education as a result of regularly missing school due to lack of sanitary wear. This is indeed a big problem for orphaned girls in this community and this problem cannot be over stated!
We have noted during our meetings that all these young girls have had no one to go over the basics of menstruation with them. The few who go to school have had to learn from fellow students and for that matter, if an accident happens and their uniforms get stained with blood, they do not expect any sympathy from colleagues. We also noted that all schools in this sub county are mixed schools, a number of girls are therefore” laughed out of schools” by their male peers when they accidentally stain their uniforms! We have noted that these poor girls continue to suffer discrimination in accessing education and yet the government of Uganda is emphasizing retention of girls in schools! Another challenge we have noted is that these orphaned girls lack under wears which are essential for menstruation. Their guardians are not in position to buy sanitary towels for them in addition to meeting their other physical needs such as food and clothing. This situation is made worse if the caregiver is a man or an elderly grand parent. Girls in this sub county are greatly affected! We discovered that many of these girls are using items such as old exercise books, banana leaves and strips of clothes from old dresses for padding during menstruation which have several limitations, these materials wet easily and do not give them the protection and confidence that they need.