HIV/AIDS Response Programs
This program works to address drivers of the HIV infections by using community leaders and volunteers to address the social and cultural norms that influence risky behavior around the landing site such as early marriages, gender norms, and gender-based violence. This is done through small group dialogues, interpersonal communication, community mobilization campaign, and life skills training with the most at-risk populations (i.e. married couples, boda boda riders, etc.).
At the same time, we are working to strengthen referrals for HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, increase treatment of STI’s, increase access and promotion of condom-use, among others, this is done through the Community Based Facilitators (CBFS) and Field extension workers
By utilizing a targeted approach that address underlying social and cultural drivers of HIV while promoting the uptake of HIV prevention services, KAWODA will be actively contributing a reduction in HIV prevalence.
Orphans and Vulnerable Children
With over one million children in Uganda orphaned as a result of AIDS, the country is facing a generation of young people who lack access to basic entitlements and suffer psychosocial trauma of losing family members at formative stages in their development.
The Orphans and other Vulnerable Children (OVC) program advocates and promotes rights and high-quality care for clients. The program supports economic strengthening, food and nutrition to vulnerable households, education and child protection. We majorly work with the office of community-based services at both district and sub county level
Economic strengthening targets improving livelihoods of vulnerable households by providing opportunities for livelihood improvement through IGA training to boast house hold incomes. The most at-risk households have not been provided with short term supplementary food rations and agricultural inputs such as improved seeds and tools as long term means to create their own food security.
KAWODA aims to support these young people and their caregivers, providing basic entitlements like scholastic materials, school uniforms, food supplements, and safe, stable housing. This enables the children to access education and proper nutrition, simple but critical components to early development that they would otherwise be unable to afford.
At the same time, we recognize we cannot just mitigate the immediate needs of these children, but must develop long-term and sustainable support structures.
We therefore train caregivers in kitchen gardening techniques to grow their own food in order to supplement their existing diet and ensure adequate nutrition without requiring food supplements, Train them to start savings and loan association (VSLA) for increased incomes
Equally, we link vulnerable children to a vocational training center that trains vulnerable children in marketable skills like hair-dressing, tailoring, mechanics, etc, as we continue offering business literacy training and apprenticeships in addition to skills training for their care givers
Menstrual Hygiene Management for Adolescent girls
Although menstruation is an integral and normal part of human life, indeed of human existence, the subject is however too often a taboo and has met many negative cultural hindrances and attitudes due to the perceptions among especially men and boys, including the idea that menstruating women and girls are „contaminated‟, „dirty‟ and „impure‟. Women and girls in rural setting and in particular girls in schools suffer most from stigma and lack of services and facilities to help them cope with the physical and psychological pains they undergo during their menstrual periods; inadequate preparations for the young girls not yet experiencing menstrual hygiene, lack of or inadequate water to clean and wash the body, lack of materials managing menstrual hygiene, private space and wash rooms and inappropriate facilities for disposal of materials for those who have used pads
More school menstruating girls in school experience isolation and rejection from their fellow pupils who regard them as „contaminated‟, „dirty‟ and „impure‟. Women and girls in rural setting and in particular girls in school suffer most from stigma and lack of services and facilities to help them cope with the physical and psychological pains they undergo during their menstrual periods; inadequate preparations for the young girls not yet experiencing menstrual hygiene, lack of or inadequate water to clean and wash the body, lack of materials managing menstrual hygiene, private space and wash rooms and inappropriate facilities for disposal of materials for those who have used pads. In spite of these issues, menstrual hygiene has been routinely ignored by professionals in the water, health and education sectors.
Our surveys have shown that a total of 70% of the girl pupils report to miss 1-3 days of primary schools per month, which translates to a loss of 8 to 24 school days per year. This means per term a girl pupil may miss up to 8 days of study. This represents around 10% of a girl pupil‟ attendance missed due to menstruation; a majority of these girls note that they are physically sick and weak, cannot concentrate, or feel psychologically effects. In addition, 60% of the head teachers note that the girl’s absentee themselves from school during their menstrual cycle; Head and senior teachers further noted that they calculate around 10% of the total number of girls dropping out of school due to menstrual management and their schools do not have satisfying menstrual facilities. Over 50% of the senior women teacher affirmed the provision of menstrual pads to girls at school is not available and another 60% of the girl pupils stated that they need better facilities (hardware aspects). In addition, issues around sensitization of boy pupils, and the role of the senior woman teacher were also cited. Currently the means of copying for girl pupils is the use of old cloth, dirty napkins and other un-hygienic materials.
Kyenjojo Association of Women Development Actors (KAWODA) responds to the needs of building capacity of school girls and teachers in improving and upholding menstrual hygiene and sanitation girls, offer direct in-kind support to school and selected girls, train them in menstrual hygiene and sanitation practices and encourage the replication of acquired knowledge at household levels. At the same time focus on increasing awareness and capacity of young girls to deal with menstrual hygiene, train parents of girls and girls to make sanitary pads, construct ventilated improved toilet with wash rooms/changing rooms for girls and harvest water for use by girls and school and formation of school clubs