Keeping Girls in School

"Defiling pupil is a crime"

This is not a blog I would have thought of writing earlier, but a lot of topics we would consider taboo in the States are just part of the fabric of life here. Even though it's OK to show Milie Cyrus gyrating on stage and we think nothing of violence on TV or making sexist jokes about PMS - we are still squeamish about having the talk with our kids, mentioning menstrual issues in mixed company except derisively, offering honest sex-education in schools and allowing pictures of breast feeding on FB and TV.  Here, such conversations are necessary:  HIV prevention, HIV testing and how to put a condom on a 9" wooden penis are de rigueur, as is the posting of school signs about avoiding sexual predators.  These are a FEW posted around the school we went to.  Keep in mind that this is an elementary school.

 

"Avoid sugar mummies and sugar daddies"

In a country where education is so dramatically impacted by HIV/Aids (both teachers and children), the forced marriage of barely pubescent girls and a 50% school drop out rate for girls who don’t have the money to buy menstrual products,  well … the rules change.

"Virginity is healthy"

Working with LABE has given me an inside view of the sorry state of education – or the lack thereof – here.  Since I’ve been invited to and have written a few articles on the impact of all of the above topics for a Human Rights magazine, I’ve had to do some interesting research.  One of the figures that comes up repeatedly has to do with catalysts that cause young girls to drop out of school.  The greatest toll comes when girls hit puberty - as early as 4^th grade.  The first hit is taken because there are not separate facilities for girls and boys at school.  This is not like some countries where you have unisex bathrooms (and that would not usually occur in schools);  here it translates into filthy latrines with no doors. So one push in schools that receive any outside funding for projects is to require separate facilities.

The other precipitous drop in attendance comes when girls quit school because they have no feminine hygiene supplies and while the conservative rate is 50%, it ranges upwards to 75%.  At the very least they miss one week/month and at worst, drop out of school all together because they are embarrassed.  This exposes them to even more serious issues, because they will have no skills to earn survival money except to sell their bodies or fall victim to early marriage. 

A good road to the village

So, last week, Joy (LABE) and I drove out to one of the schools to teach the girls  how to make re-usable menstrual pads or RUMPS. Reusable? Huh?  Something you never thought of in the States - right?   Although there are commercially made kits (AfriPads - factory near Kampala))  that sell for about $5 wholesale for a set that will last a girl about a year, they are only recently reaching the north and even that cost is out of reach for most families. It is especially so young girls who have no way to earn any money.

   
At some schools, supplies are given to the girls on an emergency basis, but that’s rare.  So we are teaching them how to make them from old clothing, towels and sheets.  Often, in the village,  there are no sheets, because there are no beds – people sleep on papyrus mats on the floor.

Cleaning the classroom

So far, we've we taught about 150 girls and some parents.  I made kits for about half of those using the supplies you all have sent and old materials I had on hand. We’ve given the others the patterns and instruction and have convinced some hotels to give us old sheets we can make into supplies.   I doubt if American girls have ever given this much thought, but these  girls and their families were excited because  this ONE thing has such a huge impact on their staying in school.

Joy teaching on the mat.

Here are some pictures from the class we taught at a school in the village.   As with so many things, the class was taught under a tree, this one a huge fig tree though the fruit wasn't edible.  The girls had to clean the ground under the tree before they would set up the “class room.”  They moved their solid bench seat-desks that accommodate 4-5 girls under the tree and Joy and I sat on papyrus mats to teach the class.

Busy sewing

We had to chase away a gaggle of younger girls and boys to keep some order in the "classroom" but the girls were serious and good students, arranged in their circle of mahogany desks and sharing kits.  Obviously these are hand stitched so there was some sewing instruction too.  An interesting note, when they first moved the desks, they were practically sitting on top of each other - their accustomed practice.  They had to be encouraged to sit farther apart to have room to work.  And yes - this IS farther apart.

Finished product

One  perk of going to the field is that there are always other sights and insights, i.e. this very business-like little girl with the jerry-can on her head. Kids start hauling water at a very young age and when you see women balancing huge loads on their heads, you know those neck muscles and the ability to walk straight and balance these loads comes with a lifetime of practice.   Below, this little girl can't be older than about three and she's already an expert.  In the villages, it's not the least bit unusual to see a five year old carrying an infant on his/her back or something atop the head and walking on the road alone, often at night, jumping into the grass when cars come barreling along.

Tiny girl carrying her jerry can

 And then there's the teacher's "lounge" or staff room, here complete with a young chicken trying to get away from the chaos of kids waiting for the end of term assembly    The kids will have until mid September, then be released again in November.

A chicken seeking refuge?

Staff room

And finally, a game of checkers on a locally made checker board. This one is pretty fancy.  Checkers is a popular game, usually using beers bottle caps for checkers.  This one is definitely high end.

A serious game of checkers

This was a fine wrap up to the week before heading to Kampala to train some staff and meet the kids on Wednesday in Entebbe.  Can hardly contain myself I'm so excited to see them. It will be a kick to experience Uganda through their eyes!