National Association of

Women Organisations
in Uganda

Më am ör ön k ї nyar ї l
tama r ї lїny
Avoid eating immature or raw tamarind.

It will set your teeth on edge.

Plot 1 Coronation Road,

+256 (0) 414 258463 Email: nawou@nawouganda.ug
Bakuli Old Kampala, off Hoima +256 (0) 752 213203 Website: www. nawouganda.ug
Road. I
Contents

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

2.1. Purpose...............................................................................................................................................................................5

2.2. Methodology......................................................................................................................................................................5

2.3. Scope of Work....................................................................................................................................................................5

3. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

3.1. Whether the girls are still in school or have dropped out.............................................................................................6

3.2. Experiences of the parents...............................................................................................................................................7

3.3. Experiences of COMBATs..................................................................................................................................................7

3.4. Experiences of other Champions.....................................................................................................................................8

3.5. KAWUO/ AIDI experiences.................................................................................................................................................8

3.6. Girls who are out of school..............................................................................................................................................9

3.7. Girls who are in school......................................................................................................................................................9

4. A SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT WORK

4.1. How the project Runs......................................................................................................................................................10

4.2. Successes of the Project.................................................................................................................................................10

4.3. Factors that have contributed to the project success.................................................................................................11

4.4. Factors pausing a challenge or minimizing the project gains....................................................................................13

5. LESSONS LEARNED & RECOMMENDATIONS 14

6. CONCLUSION 15

Alice Millicent: knows that if she was not at school, she would be married.......................................................................16

Cheyech wants to make sure Karamoja has good social services......................................................................................18

Esther Chelimo handles the challenges she faces in school by just being patient...........................................................19

Evelyne Langoli : Pokot parents should raise boys who respect girls and women...........................................................20

Dorcas Chebet is one of the very few children who has both parents supporting her education.................................22

Natee: My school Kangole Girls’ believes in the girls’ dreams coming true.......................................................................24

Celina Nakali: I want to be an Accountant to manage public funds so that roads in Karamoja are fixed...................25

Chelimo Irene was disowned by her father for insisting on attending school..................................................................27

Christine Nayar: I want to be an ambassador, to speak for the girls of Karamoja.........................................................28

Celina Sikuku dropped out of school after she was sexually abused................................................................................30

Esther Chemakal dropped out of school because sponsorship ended..............................................................................31

Elizabeth Nadite was abducted for marriage and had a baby but she ran away from the forced marriage and re-
enrolled in school.......................................................................................................................................................................32

Pastor Christopher leads the COMBATs and gives shelter to women and girls at risk..................................................38

Chepkiror Mary the former cutter (komelkong) who turned in her blade and became an advocate against FGM....40

Penninah the Pastor’s wife is a COMBAT together with her husband, and a voice to mothers to believe in a better
life for their daughters.............................................................................................................................................................42

Nawot Rose Advocacy Champions Supporting Girls Remaining in School........................................................................43

 1 Introduction

Irene Chelimo is 14 years old this February 2020, and completed P.7 in November 2019 at Katikit Primary school. She
had been in the school shelter for two years without going home. Chelimo is one of ‘the girls’. The term ‘the girls’
is applied to girls who run away from home and walk for miles through the bushes, risking to fall into the hands of
warriors or teeth of wild animals, to reach the ‘safe shelters’ where those at high risk of female genital mutilation
(FGM) and consequently early marriage go to find safety. The girls are put into school, and provided with everything
because they usually run away with only the clothes they have on. They have no tuition, change of clothing, beddings
or other toiletries. Many of these girls often reside at the schools that double as safe spaces for two to three years
without going home, unless the Social Workers report that the family’s attitude to the girl’s education has changed,
and that she is safe from FGM and early marriage if she returned home. Some of the girls, like Chelimo are supported
to run away by their mothers who want them to attend school and avoid FGM and early marriage. By the time she
completed P.7, Chelimo was missing her family so much, and asked to be taken home for a visit to ‘test the waters’
to see if her father had changed and would allow her to pursue her education dream. Chelimo did not find her mother
at home. She was told that her mother was living with her uncle (mother’s brother) because her father was beating
her every day, demanding that she brings Chelimo back from school to get married, after FGM. Her mother had been
so miserable that she had attempted suicide twice before being ‘rescued’ by the sons and her brother.

When she heard that Chelimo was back home, she came home too, and all appeared well until the Tracer study
community meeting. Chelimo’s father stormed the meeting, demanding that if Chelimo even thinks of going back to
school, he was going to kill her. He was extremely violent. The Community Based Action Team members (COMBATs)
present established that the reason he was so furious and violent was because he had been planning to secretly have
Chelimo married off and then forced into FGM in marriage. The COMBATs tried to placate him, reminding him of
the law and Chelimo’s rights, which he knew very well, but he was adamant and extremely angry and abusive. All he
cared about was the cows he was to gain as bride wealth. He said if Chelimo does not listen to him as her father and
agree to get married immediately, he was disowning her, and neither does he want to see her mother again as long
as he lived.

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 In the end, the authorities (COMBATS and Police) used their power to protect Chelimo and the mother, but also
advised the NAWOU Social Worker to immediately take her back to the safe shelter. Her mother was also advised to
go to her brother’s home, because they could not guarantee her protection. Chelimo was taken by the NAWOU Social
Worker while her mother went crying all the way, broken, her body depicting a huge sense of defeat. Her parting
words to Chelimo were, “Work hard my daughter. Study and make something of yourself. As you can see, you have
left me homeless and destitute.”

Irene Chelimo is one of the girls in Amudat Karamoja, and a beneficiary of the “Rising to Protect Tipin and Kor’s Rights
in Amudat and Moroto” a project implemented by the National Association of Women’s Organisations in Uganda
(NAWOU) and local partners, funded by Irish Aid. Chelimo and her mother’s story provides a clear picture of the
extent of human rights violations in Amudat, in relation to FGM. Often when FGM is referred to, the picture provided
is about the violation of cutting off part of the female genitalia. People external to these communities do not know
the deep intricacies and the other related violation of girls and women’s rights. This Tracer Study highlights most of
these violations. NAWOU designed the project in 2017 to address the rights violations faced by the girls and women
in Karamoja.

NAWOU is the umbrella organization of women-founded and women-led organizations in Uganda consisting of
District Networks, Faith-Based Organizations, NGOs, and Women’s Professional Bodies. NAWOU has implemented
special programs in the Karamoja region for many years because it is home to some of the most marginalized
and disadvantaged women and girls in Uganda. NAWOU’s thematic areas of focus are gender and human rights;
economic empowerment and /for sustainable livelihoods; governance and leadership; peace and security, gender and
the environment.

The “Rising to protect Tipin and Kor rights” project is funded by the government of Ireland through Irish Aid. Irish Aid
is the Government of Ireland’s official international development aid programme. It is managed by the Development
Co-operation and Africa Division of the Ireland Department of Foreign Affairs. The Irish Aid programme is an integral
part of Ireland’s foreign policy.

Rights advocacy and access to key social services for the poor and marginalized is a significant part of Irish Aid’s
work in the nation, in support of Uganda’s National Development Plan. The Social Protection outcome, as outlined in
the Irish Aid Country Strategic Paper 2016- 2020 includes access to quality education as intermediate outcome three.
Irish Aid has supported the government of Uganda through investing in education, particularly at the primary level
where the quality is low and the dropout rates are high, with the greatest negative impact. Irish Aid has significantly
invested in Karamoja region where the need is greatest.

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“The population of Karamoja is young with the average age being 15 years (Census 2014). Out of the total population
of 1.2 million people, half are females. The region has the highest total fertility rate (TFR), with women of reproductive
age (15-49 years) giving birth to an average of 8 children, higher than Uganda’s average of 5, and three times above
the average of 3 children per woman in Kampala (UDHS, 2016).”

“All districts in Karamoja except Abim have a very high

proportion of children aged 6 to 12 years who are not in
school compared to the national average of 10 percent.
Only 0.9 percent of children aged 6-12 years are enrolled in
primary school. Primary Seven enrolment is also far lower
at three percent compared to the rest of the country, thus
affecting both secondary and tertiary enrolment rates.
The Karamoja secondary and tertiary Net Enrollment
Ratios (NER) are at the lowest 19 and 2.6 percent among all
sub regions and Kampala at 67 and 13 percent. In terms of
completion, only 3.5 percent of children complete primary seven, way below Kampala at 40 percent. Over 70 percent
of the population aged 10+ in Karamoja has never been to school, of whom majority are women. The overall literacy
rate for Karamoja stands at only 25 percent, compared to 94 percent in Kampala. 60 percent of women are unable
to read and write. These issues undermine the efforts to achieve gender parity at all levels of education as envisaged
in the SDG4. While the NERs at the secondary school level have remained low at 41 percent for Uganda, the observed
rates for Karamoja are far lower at 17 percent, with girls being more affected. Karamoja suffers from a low transition
rate from primary to secondary education. With poor education, the region loses the opportunity for its girls and
young people to delay on-set of child bearing, get skilled and positioned to contribute to the region’s and national
development.”1

Irish Aid has promoted a conducive learning environment for girls at local level by supporting the implementation of
the relevant national strategies like the Violence against Children Strategy and the Strategy to end child marriage
and teenage pregnancy. Irish Aid also provides bursaries for transition to secondary level from Senior 1 up to Senior 4,
with an option of continuing to A-level, vocational training institute school, or university at both degree and diploma
level. Priority for vocational and university or college training is to address identified skills gaps in the Karamoja
region, including teachers and health workers.

This Tracer Study Report highlights some of the results and outcomes of the ‘Rising to protect Tipin and Kor’s Rights’
project. It is very exciting to know that the advocacy strategies employed in this project have had a remarkable
impact, and that there are promising beginnings of change in attitudes, beliefs and practices towards girls’ education

3
 at community level. Everything possible should be done to maintain the momentum gained so that more positive
change results into more girls enjoying their rights. Chelimo Irene’s story is one of these testimonies. Most of the
change is amongst women. The way forward should strategically aim at more change amongst men.

The Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) programme funded by Irish Aid, through which the elderly
receive financial benefits has indirectly positively impacted the ‘Rising to Protect Tipin and Kor’s Rights’ project. SAGE
beneficiaries have played a key role in advocating for girls’ education, especially by protecting them from FGM and
early marriage. Some SAGE beneficiaries use the money they receive to pay school fees for their grandchildren who
are vulnerable due to orphanhood, or the lack of support from parents who are still fighting girl education.

Community Based Action Teams (COMBATs) are responsible for educating the community on rights and monitoring
compliance. They are volunteer members of the community specially identified and trained by NAWOU to promote
the observation of the most commonly violated rights. They are available to rescue those at risk, and to report
violations to the police, Community Development Officers, and the NAWOU field Social Worker. They also counsel
parents about upholding rights, help girls at high risk to reach safe shelters, and liaise with police and government to
protect them. NAWOU works in partnership with Karamoja Women’s Umbrella Organization (KAWUO) and Amudat
Interreligious Development Initiative (AIDI) to scale- up rights advocacy throughout the Karamoja region. KAWUO is
a regional network member of NAWOU. AIDI is one of the KAWUO member organizations. KAWUO is directly involved
in rights awareness and advocacy on key issues affecting women, amongst which are girl education, FGM, women
economic empowerment and access to services through its 617 grassroots women groups and member structures.

AIDI has worked alongside NAWOU in this rights advocacy work as a co- implementer. AIDI is a member of KAWUO
and thus a member of NAWOU. AIDI is comprised of Christian and Muslim religious faith based organisations in
Amudat district. It is a not-for-profit, non-partisan Community-Based Organisation working to promote the
respect of human rights, harmonious society, attainment of holistic development and alleviation of human suffering
in communities in Amudat.

Katikit primary school

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2 Purpose and Objectives

2.1. Purpose 2.3. Scope of Work

The purpose of the Tracer Study is to document stories
of some of the girls who benefited from the project
through education with support from Irish Aid. It
seeks to document the experiences of these girls and
to amplify their voices. It seeks to establish whether
some girls have dropped out of school, stayed home,
or been married off due to lack of school fees or other
reasons; and whether they would like to continue with
their education. This report will serve to inform decision
makers and stakeholders on programming.
The study was limited to the project areas of Looro,
Karita and Amudat Town Council. It covered girls who
have interfaced with the project in the period 2017 to
2020 as well as experiences of COMBATs who have been
instrumental in promoting efforts for realising girls’
education.

2.2. Methodology
The methodology for the tracer study was to interview
and document stories of some of the girls who have
been beneficiaries of this project since 2017. It is a
documentation of key information about the well-being
of the girls, whether or not they are in school, if they
are not, reasons why they are not, and the experiences
of the girls, whether or not they have succumbed
to FGM. The documentation includes stories of girl
beneficiaries, parents of the girls, COMBATs, Champions
of girl education, which includes school administrators,
community leaders; and KAWOU and AIDI as partner
implementers.

Map of the Karamoja region in Uganda

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 3 Summary of the Findings of the study
3.1. Whether the girls are still in school or
have dropped out
A total of 280 girls have gone through this program, and
learned about their rights through the schools’ rights
clubs. They have been given protection to remain in
school, and avoid FGM and early marriage. At least 257
girls are still in school, the majority of them in primary
school. This is 91.8% of the original group. The number
could change due to schools closing down because of
COVID-19.
In 2018 and 2019, a total of 32 and 47 girls joined
secondary school, respectively. This is a total of 30.7%
in secondary school and 69.3% in primary.
• A total of 23 are known to have dropped-out of
school (8.2%).
• 16 of the 32 which is (50%) who joined secondary
school in 2018 got sponsorship, while 18 of the 47
who joined in 2019 (32.3%) got sponsorship.
• A good number who have joined secondary school
are out of the Karamoja region because they
have access to better quality education in other
districts.
• At least 96% of the girls who are in school are
supported by their mothers with tuition and
6
scholastic materials, though most mothers
cannot afford much. Only 4% of the respondents
said their fathers made some contribution to their
school tuition or scholastic materials.
• All the girls who are in boarding school feel safe
from FGM and forced marriage when they are
at school, but some feel at high risk when they
go back home for holidays because the warriors
can abduct them for marriage. They have to be
careful while looking for firewood or fetching
water because of this.
• The challenges that most of the in- school girls
face include:
o Those in school in other districts never
get visited by their parents.
o The parents (mainly mothers) of those
who are not sponsored struggle to
raise the school fees, and usually pay in
instalments, so the schools are always
pressuring the girls for unpaid school
fees.
o Most mothers struggle to pay fees
(fathers rarely support) yet they do
not have access to strong sources of
livelihood or property like livestock. The
women gather firewood, make charcoal,
sell aloe vera sap, and such activities to
raise the tuition, raising only 3,000 to
 5,000 at a time, which is about 1.8% of 3.3. Experiences of COMBATs
the full tuition.
The COMBATs are increasing in effectiveness and are
o The girls rarely have most of what they
able to share some lessons learned. The majority are
need. This is because the mothers are
educating their children. They are the main community
usually only able to raise tuition, and
advocates who give awareness and counselling. Here are
even then, in instalments. Most girls
lessons learned that they shared:
lack basics items such as soap, sanitary
materials, scholastic materials, uniforms • The girls are safer in boarding school than day
and beddings. schools, even if the day schools are cheaper.
• The girls who have fallen pregnant have done so
3.2 Experiences of parents
due to being trapped, set-up, or tricked. They are
Apart from the COMBATs, most of the parents of usually raped and made pregnant so that they can
Pokot girls do not support the girls’ education. A few be forcefully married off.
mothers are supportive, but most of them are not able • When a woman is a widow it is harder for her to
to afford the boarding school tuition and requirements, protect her children to be married- off by the clan
so the girls drop out when there is no sponsorship. Most members / uncles (husband’s relatives).
adolescent girls are at very high risk if they attend day- • Police support and vigilance is increasing as more
school. Mothers whose daughters are at very high risk and more cases are reported. This is especially
yet out of school due to lack of school fees appealed to so in communities where the Sub County
NAWOU to find sponsors for the girls so they do not get CDO(Community Development Officer) is active
married off by their fathers. Very few fathers finance a and supportive of the program.
child’s education, especially girls. There are bitter fights • Including cutters (komelkong) who have given up
and quarrels in the homes when a mother supports the the trade among the COMBATs has been effective.
education of a girl old enough for FGM and marriage. At first, they were always invited to community
Some of these result in broken marriages, with the wife dialogues in order to influence them to change
chased away and the daughter disowned. their thinking. Those who publicly denounced the
practice were trained, and those of influence were
then included as COMBATs. Through this process
one former cutter has been able to influence 6
others to stop cutting and publicly renounce the
practice.
• The Kenyan government should tighten surveillance
on their side of the border. This is because, due to
extra vigilance by the COMBATs, police and other
advocates like teachers and local leaders it has
7
 become very hard to force a girl to be cut (FGM)
in Uganda without being arrested. Most Ugandans
have resorted to taking the girls to Kenya which
is less than 3 miles away. That is where they are
being cut now. Pokot as a tribe is on both sides
of the border, so this makes it easy because they
have relatives in both countries. If Kenyan side
tightened their vigilance, it would be the most
effective way of reducing the FGM practice.
• The faith-based institutions have been an
effective voice in educating the community about
the vices of FGM. This should be scaled-up and
more religious leaders brought on board because
the members of the community listen to them.
3.4 Experiences of other Champions
The school leaders (head teachers) have been main
partners and advocates, and have supported the
girls in extraordinary ways. The school partners have
worked with organizations like ZOA and Diakonia who
sponsor some tuition, with World Food Programme that
provides food, and NAWOU that provides basic support
of food and toiletries, and provides training in tailoring
through support from Irish Aid. NAWOU, KAWUO and
AIDI implement approaches designed to promote
abandonment of FGM.
The challenges experienced by these champions are:
i. The girls come to them in large numbers
with no clothing or beddings, toiletries, or
tuition, yet they have no regular partners to
appeal to for support.
ii. The schools received notice in January 2020
that WFP is going to stop supplying food.
8
This is a very big threat which they do not
have a solution to.
iii. Having to run the school for these girls,
including vocational education even during
holidays is a challenge because they have to
keep some staff at work to take care of them
and teach them. This is a challenge because
they do not have resources to remunerate
the staff for the extra time they give. They
have to maintain tight security because
warriors have been known to try to lure the
girls to elope with them.
3.5 KAWUO/ AIDI experiences
KAWUO, (Karamoja Women Umbrella Organization) is a
regional network member of NAWOU. Very few people
in the nine districts in Karamoja (covered by KAWUO)
support education, especially of girls. They also believe
in early marriage. Not all the 9 districts practice FGM,
but where it is practiced, KAWUO and AIDI have played
a key role in opening the eyes of women to see the
evils of FGM, and given them a voice to speak out. The
Program Coordinator KAWUO says, “FGM disempowers
a woman when she is still a young girl. It is used to
Program Coordinator KAWUO Mr.Odelek Thomas
disempower females for life, making them obey rules
without question, including being forced out of school
and into early marriage. FGM demeans the dignity of
women, it takes away the voice and reproductive rights
of the women, putting them at risk of death either
through the surgery process or delivery, also putting
their unborn children at risk.”
KAWUO is the right structure to drive the change in
beliefs, attitudes and mindset up to every grassroot
woman. It is just that the change will take time. KAWUO
is also employing the game changer strategy of involving
men in this program, especially religious, clan and other
cultural leaders, especially through AIDI. This too is
guaranteed to influence significant change.
to protect them. Parents and COMBATS recommend that
as much as possible, the girls should not come back to
their homes from the safe shelters for longer than one or
two days because they are still at high risk of abduction
or trickery marriages, mostly masterminded by their
fathers.
There is a big need for sponsorship for girls whose
mothers cannot afford to raise tuition. Straight Talk is
sponsoring some few girls but more girls urgently need
sponsorship. Some who were sponsored by Diakonia
dropped out of school when the sponsorship program
closed.

3.6 Girls who are out of school

There are no girls who dropped out of school willingly
because they had no desire to be in school. Most of the
23 girls who have dropped out were tricked or abducted
and forced into marriage or got pregnant as a result of
this sexual assault. A few dropped out because they lack
tuition.

3.7 Girls who are in school

The girls who are in school are very happy for the
opportunity to be in school, and pursue their dreams.
They feel safe and happy while at school, and most feel
scared all the time when they go home for holidays,
especially when out in the fields or fetching water. Most
have fears of dropping out due to lack of school fees
and scholastic materials, but are very grateful to Kalas
and Katikit schools, to NAWOU and other sponsors (Irish
Aid), and to the police and COMBATs who do their best

9
 4 A summary of the Project Work

4.1 How the project Runs To become a COMBAT, one has to be vetted by the whole
community. They must have respect for the rights of
NAWOU runs child rights advocacy clubs in eight
others; good character, be a role model in their home and/
schools. The clubs usually consist of 30 children, 15
or community, and be willing to volunteer for the good
boys and 15 girls, though more children come to the
of their community, and have a known testimony with
clubs. In the clubs all the children’s rights are discussed,
their stand on gender equal right to education, and not
giving local examples, and the most violated rights are
support FGM and early marriage. Checks and balances
given emphasis. The rights that the children are very
on the relationships between COMBATs and communities
passionate about because they feel very threatened
is peer to peer support, with each accountable to others
are denial of education, forced marriage (especially by
over their actions.
abduction), FGM, and lack of voice, especially for women.
The children are made to understand the procedures
they can take to report such violations. The aim is that
the children are knowledgeable and empowered enough
to defend their rights. They are also able to report to
senior teachers about issues that affect them.

The club also equips the out-of-school girls and boys

with knowledge through community groups. The out-
of-school girls report cases of threatened FGM and early
marriage to police through the COMBATs and can be
assisted with emergency shelter.
Katikit is transforming the lives of both girls and boys
The rights advocacy strategy involves engaging
community elders, leaders, and reformed komelkong 4.2 Successes of the Project
(former FGM cutters or surgeons) to influence other
parents to educate girls and boys, and abandon FGM, and i. At least 280 children have gone through the
early and forced marriages. The parents who change and club and 68 girls at risk have been rescued and
can be influential are trained to join the COMBATs. supported in partnership with Katikit and Kalas

10
 Girls’ schools in Amudat Town. Two hundred
fifty-seven (257) are still in school, most of
them in primary. Out of these, 79 (including 24
at very high risk) have successfully transitioned
to secondary school. Unfortunately, twenty-
three (23) girls have dropped-out of school. They
usually drop out against their will during holidays.
The girls often miss home so request to spend a
few days with their families. While NAWOU works
towards re-integrating girls with their families in
such a way that families accept the children back
promising not to violate their rights, some of the
parents lie. As soon as the girls get home, they
are out-witted or forced by the parents or other
relatives to conform to the cultural expectations
of FGM and early marriage. The project success
rate is 81.3% girls who have remained in school
as at February 2020; and successful transition
to secondary school is 86%, thanks to some
of the girls receiving sponsorship from various
organizations like Straight Talk.
ii. An increasing number of young men are now
preferring girls who have not undergone FGM, as
wives. This increases chances for young girls who
have not undergone FGM to be married, though
the majority of men still marry those who have
undergone FGM.
iii. AIDI has been very active in mobilizing supportive
Christian leaders to play the role of COMBATs.
Pastor Christopher and members of his Church,
together with the COMBATs in Karita are
influencing girls who are out of school to shun
FGM. To date, there are sixty-eight girls from the
Church who have vowed never to practice FGM.
When they are getting married, the Pastor, team
of COMBATs and members meet with the clan of
the groom and intimate to them that the bride
has not undergone FGM and must stay so.
In case of any challenges at the marital home, the
young women often call upon the Pastor and his
team to resolve the matter.
iv. A growing number of young men are choosing
to marry girls who have not experienced FGM,
including the Pastors own sons. After two of
these young men married girls who had some
basic education and had not experienced FGM,
they shared experiences with other young men
and to date, ten others have married girls who are
not mutilated. In their own words they say, “there
are exciting advantages in marrying educated
girls who have not undergone FGM”. These young
men have become advocates towards ending
FGM, an unexpected achievement and delightful
development that has great capacity to influence
reduction in the popularity of FGM.
4.3. Factors that have contributed to the
project success
i. Having COMBATs in the community who the
girls can reach for support, can call police
immediately, and can arrange rescue.
ii. Having safe shelters where the girls can stay for
long periods of time.
iii. Having sponsorship for some girls to get tuition
and personal effects.
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 iv AIDI supporting COMBATs through reliable them a chance to dream that their aspirations can
religious leaders. come to pass.

v. Having boarding school options for the girls to go
to school far away from home.
vi. Police and COMBATs giving community awareness,
community dialogues, radio talk- shows, to give
on-going information on the rights of the girls,
the law and penalties.
vii. Networking with organizations like WFP giving
food, DIAKONIA and Straight Talk giving bursaries,
churches giving shelters, to meet different needs.
viii. Mothers and some fathers willing to make money
and meet the tuition and requirements of the
children who are in school.
ix. Teaching both boys and girls their rights in clubs
equips them to fight for their rights and gives
x. Girls who have been in the shelter and are in school
come to the community and give the ones in the
community inspiration to go to school and learn a
vocational skill or profession.
xi. KAWUO should continue with women empowerment
to address other gender disparity aspects and for
diversification of sources of livelihoods, property
ownership, and other sustainable innovations
throughout the Karamoja region. This includes
the roles of AIDI.
xii. The Irish Aid SAGE program has contributed to
grandmothers who are willing to invest in the
education of vulnerable girls. It is commendable
that they are willing to make this investment.

Madam Chepleke Lokomol, a Councilor from Kukayim, Amudat Town Council daily advocates for girls’
education.
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4.4. Factors pausing a challenge or to run a sheltered and protected vocational school
minimizing the project gains where girls who have never attended school and
are not ready to start with elementary classes can
The borders between Uganda and Kenya are very
learn trades like modern farming, tailoring, hair
porous. The largest population of the Pokot live in
dressing, and making products for sale like soap.
Kenya. Uganda has about 20,000 Pokot while Kenya
If the institution also has a manufacturing plant
has about 400,000. While Uganda is very vigilant in
for some goods that can employ some of them, it
combating FGM, there seems to be laxity in monitoring
would make it easier for them to easily transition
the practice at grassroots level in Kenya. Ugandans are
into the working world as they complete vocational
therefore sneaking girls into Kenya for FGM and bringing
education.
them back when they are healed. There are planned
c) For school going children, there is need for
efforts regarding cross-border initiatives where the
sponsorship for girls to continue to secondary and
two countries can network on interventions, monitoring
tertiary institutions. Karamoja, more so Amudat,
and working towards enforcement of the East African
lagged behind in development and requires some
legislation on FGM.
form of affirmative action. Having a considerable
a) Most women in these communities are illiterate. number of girls who successfully complete school
While they now have information that COMBATs can and are supported to find employment will make a
support them, some still lack confidence to report big difference in catalyzing abandonment of FGM
cases of violation, which is partly attributed to the and other rights violations. These girls will also be
way they have been socialized. They need more role models and their families, model families.
sensitization and confidence building to be lead
actors in protecting the rights of their daughters.
The involvement of KAWUO in empowering women
is a key strategy that is likely to cover this gap.
b) Some of the rescued girls find a challenge to enter
into the school system because they run away
when they have never attended school. They do not
know anything about the school system and how
it functions when they run away. Some struggle
to accept to join P.1 (grade 1) when they are as old
as 13 or 14 years. They tend to insist on joining
their age mates who are usually in P.5 or P.6. So,
the NAWOU project desperately needs a partner

13
 5 Lessons learned and recommendations
i. The most effective way of addressing the rights
violations problem is using a multi-pronged
method, because it is more sustainable. Partnering
with KAWOU and AIDI, the economic empowerment
of families, and championing stopping FGM and
early marriage are key support strategies to
keeping girls in school.
ii. The women lack variety in means of livelihood.
KAWUO members should be encouraged to play
a leading role in helping women create wealth so
that they can finance their children’s education.
The sponsorship option is not sustainable. The
women groups can co-own livestock, because the
individual women may not be able to own, given
the gender and property ownership dynamics.
iii. The schools are the best shelters for these children
who have missed out on education and are at
risk of FGM and early marriage. More schools
should be approached to partner in this program,
especially secondary and vocational schools.
iv. There is an urgent need for vocational education
which can also transition some of the girls who
have no hope of rejoining their families into
careers and indepenent adult life. Vocations like
large scale livestock farming, small industries
making soap, books, and other fast-moving
consumer goods will go a long way in giving them
14 opportunities for training and jobs.
v. The district and national leaders in the Ministry
of GLSD (Gender labour and Social Development)
should liaise with the government of Kenya to
increase vigilance against FGM on the Kenya side
of the border.
vi. The project should be funded to continue because
it is running at a good momentum that needs to
be maintained. It is very critical, especially with
COVID challenges, that the girls have a safe place
to stay, and opportunities to continue in school.
It is an exciting and unexpected benefit that youthful
men and warriors have started appreciating girls who
have not gone through FGM. These testimonies can be
intentionally be discussed on local radios and forums like
football clubs so that more youth hear about it and open
their minds to appreciate girls who have not been cut.
NAWOU should get a partner who is willing to finance
a large-scale vocational enterprise, like a farm /ranch,
which can be a training centre for girls and boys who need
vocational education, offering a variety of trades, but
can also employ many teenagers and youth, as well as
women who are no longer welcome in their homes. It can
raise the needed income and generate school fees and
finance for other needs, while also offering a shelter for
girls who have completed primary and cannot proceed to
secondary school.
6 Conclusion

It is exciting to note that at this point in time, the project has registered 81.2% success rate of girls remaining in
school and avoiding FGM, and 86% successful transition to secondary school. This is very good, even with many
unpredictable gaps and the ending of network partner programs like DIAKONIA funding. This report highlights very
clear strategies that have underscored the success of the project. All of these which are scale-able should be scaled-
up.

It is not clear how COVID 19 lock down and school closure could have affected the results of this program that were
documented by February 2020. The recommendation therefore is that this program should be funded to continue
on a much larger scale, and more networking partners brought on board to cover some of the now predictable gaps.

The girls who are already willing to be voices of change should be given opportunities through radio and TV to speak
out and share their successes, experiences, and challenges.

The role of KAWUO and other partners in the economic empowerment of women and the diversification of the gender
aspects of property ownership must be part of the way forward, to ensure long-term sustainable interventions that
will help girls attain their rights to health and education. The lack of economic options for the women who desire to
support their girls in school is the biggest gap in the sustainability of this program. This increases the girls’ risk of
dropping out of school being forced into FGM, and pauses a great threat of reversing the great gains of this project,
and some of the girls could have succumbed, especially during this COVID lockdown when schools are closed.

15

My name is Cheretich Alice Millicent. I am a sixteen-year-
old, senior two Pokot student from Amudat district in
Karamoja. I attend Katerema Secondary School Tororo.
I completed Primary seven in 2018 with 28 aggregates.
I live with both my parents when I go home for holidays
but my education is solely supported by my mother who
pays my school fees and buys all scholastic materials
and personal effects that I need for school, to the extent
she can afford. My father however does not support my
education at all and calls educated girls prostitutes. He
insists on me getting married. When I return from school,
he is always hostile which saddens me because I love and
feel safer at school than home. My only consolation is
my brother.who is also in secondary school and supports
my attending school. It means a lot to me.
My school fees is two hundred ninety-four thousand
shillings which my mother struggles to pay in instalments
via mobile money when the school demands for the
unpaid balances. I have no sponsorship. To travel to
16
With the support of
Irish Aid, Cheretich
has been able to
avoid FGM and
remain in school.
Cheretich Alice Millicent at
school
school, which is a long way, I use public transport that’s
expensive too. I often lack scholastic items, basic needs
like sanitary materials which is my biggest challenge.
The stigma of being a school fees defaulter and having
no one visit me at school affects me immensely. I also
feel bad when my father is hostile to my mother for
supporting my education. I want to be a midwife when I
finish school. This is because there are very few midwives
among the Pokot and many women suffer and die during
child birth. I want to change that situation. It will also
make my parents proud.
With the support of my mother and brother I was able
to run away from home to Katikit primary school which
is also a safe shelter for us who run away to avoid FGM
and forced marriage. NAWOU supported us through
the Child Rights Club to survive, giving us food and
basic requirements. That is how I managed to complete
primary school. The only way for me to avoid FGM and
marriage is to stay in school. My age-mates whom
I completed primary school with who did not continue
to secondary school are already married. Their lives are
miserable because they are taken across the border (to
Kenya) to undergo the FGM ritual and are married off.
In their marital homes they have to find food, water,
and other basic needs for themselves and their children
because their husbands do not provide for them; most
Pokot men only look after cattle that they keep for
prestige, sell when they have needs for themselves and
keep the rest for marriage. Pokot girls and young wives
have no assets, and their common source of income is
to sell Aloe Vera sap. They move through the bushes, cut
the wildly growing aloe vera, drain out the sap, and sell
it to Asian traders to get money for food and personal
effects. It is a very hard and miserable life.

I am very grateful to my mother who looks for income

through selling firewood in the market to pay my tuition.
I am also grateful to NAWOU for supporting us through
the Irish-Aid supported child rights club and taking care
of our needs in the safe shelter.

Aloe Vera sap

17
 Cheyech wants to make

sure Karamoja has good

social services

support girl child education, though they struggle to raise

my school fees. I love school and work very hard. I strive
to be an Accountant when I finish school because I want
to be in charge of government money for development
projects so that I make a difference in my home area.
There are poor roads, few health facilities, and limited
schools and services for people, especially for girls. The
people are very poor and suffer diseases. Starvation is
also common because of drought and floods.

Cheyech wants to be an accountant in charge of The challenges I find in school are the stigma of my tuition
development projects when she grows up never being fully paid in time because my father pays my
fees and I have no scholarship. When other children are
Gladys Cheyech attends Mbale Progressive Secondary
visited on visitation day, no one visits me which saddens
School which is made possible by support from Irish Aid
me. I have no way of handling the challenges, except
that funds NAWOU to implement a project to end FGM.
calling home and just remaining strong.
My name is Cheyech Gladys. I am fifteen years old. I am in
I am very happy that I am in school. It is my life dream
senior two at Mbale Progressive Secondary School. I have
and many girls with whom I grew up envy me. Many
been able to remain in school because of rights advocacy
people in my village do not support girl child education.
program funded by Irish Aid. I completed primary seven
They ridicule my father for paying my school fees and
in 2018 and scored 24 aggregates. I come from Kukayim
call girls who go to school prostitutes.
village, Amudat district. I live with both of my parents
when I go home from boarding school. My message to Pokot parents is to give girls a chance
and educate them. Educated girls are not prostitutes as
I have not undergone FGM because I attend school.
they think. We work hard because we want to make a
Among my friends I am one of the very few whose parents
difference in Karamoja.
18

My name is Chelimo Esther one of the beneficiaries of
the Child Rights Advocacy program implemented by
NAWOU and supported by Irish Aid. I am in Senior 2 and
I completed Primary school in 2018 with aggregate 29. I
come from Apamuta village Amudat Town Council. I am
fifteen years old and I am the first born.
Initially my father wanted me to undergo FGM and get
married but with support from NAWOU, I have been kept
in a safe shelter and continued with school. My father
has stopped putting pressure on my mother to get me
out of school and has started supporting me in school.
I am very happy in school because if I dropped out, I
would have undergone FGM and be married off by now.
I love being in school because I have a chance to be
somebody. The challenges I face at school are; having
very few school requirements and not being visited by
my parents. I handle the challenges by just being patient.
Esther Chelimo
handles the challenges
she faces in school by
just being patient
Esther wants to be the first Pokot
nurse Most of Esther’s age mates
are out of school
I do not have a sponsor to cover my school fees and
school requirements. My father pays my fees through
selling cows and goats. My mother raises the money for
scholastic materials. It is really hard for them because
people criticize them for selling cows to educate children
because they believe selling cows makes a family very
poor.
I am very happy to be in school because I can pursue
my dream of being a nurse since there are few nurses in
Amudat. I want to be the first Pokot nurse and save the
lives of patients.
My message to Pokot parents is to stop believing that
education for girls is bad. They should believe in their
daughters, invest in their education and stop violating
their rights. FGM and early marriage violate girls’ rights
and makes them very miserable for the rest of their lives.
Many girls die and those who survive live a very hard life
trying to survive with no food and health complications
especially while trying to give birth.
19
 Evelyne Langoli : Pokot parents should raise boys who respect

girls and women

I am Evelyn Langoli, fifteen years old and a senior two
in Pokot Secondary School. I am supported in school by
my mother who lives in Lochenegenge village since my
father passed away years ago. My mother supports my
education and I have no fears of undergoing FGM because
my mother lives in a community where most mothers
are supporting their daughters to go to school. Thanks
to Irish Aid support, they actively stand up against FGM.
I want to become a nurse and midwife when I grow up
because in Amudat there are few nurses and many women
die during child birth. I want to make this difference in
my community, especially for girls and women.
20
I face challenges of stigma at school because I never have
school fees fully paid on time, and lack personal effects.
My mother struggles to raise school fees through selling
plastic ware and food stuffs in the weekly market which
is the only livelihood she has since she was thrown out of
her home by my father’s relatives after my father died.
She struggles to educate my siblings and I on her own.
When I complete school, I will build a nice house for her
and support her by paying school fees for my younger
siblings.
My message to parents is to raise boys who respect girls
and women’s rights. It is wrong when groups of Pokot
warriors (male youth armed with sticks) think they can
abduct a girl and force her into marriage against her
will. They do this any time when the girls are fetching
firewood or water. This is wrong and should stop so that
we feel safe when back in our villages. It is not right for
us girls to live in fear all the time.

Evelyn’s head teacher applauds Evelyn’s mother as one

of the few parents who send their children to school
early. Three weeks into the term and less than 30% of
the students have reported back because most students
fend for themselves with very little parental support
towards school fees and scholastic materials. The rights
advocacy program funded by government or Ireland
builds an enabling community environment that protects
courageous parents and encourages them to do their
best and prioritize funding their children’s education,
especially the girls.

Evelyn’s mother opening her granary to access dry

foodstuffs stored for lean times

Evelyn Langoli in her class in Pokot SSS

21
 Dorcas Chebet is One of the Very Few Children Who Has Both

Parents Supporting Her Education

My name is Chebet Dorcas, senior two in Pokot Secondary
School and I completed primary seven in 2018. I live with
both my parents in Amudat Town Council together with
nine siblings. The two eldest are married, one male, one
female. All my younger siblings are in school too with the
exception of my brother who completed primary seven
and is still out of school because there is no money yet
since we have no sponsorship. Both my parents support my
being in school, though they struggle to raise the tuition
because we are many. My father was not supportive at
first but he is now no longer aggressive, and also makes
some contribution supporting my mother in raising the
school fees. This change of heart is a result of COMBATs
constantly talking to us and to parents in the community
meetings. This rights advocacy is funded by Irish Aid and
implemented by NAWOU and AIDI. My mother supports
me fully and works hard to raise my tuition through
selling foodstuffs. I do not have sponsorship, which is a
huge challenge that gives me anxiety and fear that I may
drop out of school at any time.
I am frequently sent back home because school fees have
not been fully paid and it is one of the challenges I face. I
feel safe at home because I am not in danger of forcefully
undergoing FGM. When I talk to my friends at school, I
realize my parents are amongst the few who support
girl child education. I am thankful to the government of
Ireland and NAWOU for this. However, I can never wander
far from home for fear of abduction from warriors who
shout threats and insults at me for being in school. They
can easily abduct and force me to marry one of them
22 and just take cows to my family later.
They typically do this and it is socially acceptable in
our culture, but I know it violates our rights as girls, and
breaks the law.
On the positive side, girls in some parts of Amudat Town
Council no longer face ridicule for not undergoing FGM
like those in the villages. Many are attending school,
supported by Irish Aid through NAWOU and other
organizations. NAWOU teaches us to stand up for our
right to education and against FGM. I do not support
FGM because girls bleed to death and others experience
serious problems during child birth.
My message to parents is to believe in girls’ education.
That is the only way we shall bring development like roads,
health services, stop starvation and transform Amudat
district. NAWOU is teaching us through Rights Clubs that
we have the power to change the world if we are given
the chance through our rights. People should support
girls who run away from FGM to pursue education.
Most girls are on their own and can no longer go home,
neither do they have food, school fees nor any personal
belongings which saddens me and makes me ashamed
of being Pokot. Girls from other tribes like Bagisu and
Teso in my school have everything they need and have
their fees paid. Their parents support their education
and visit them at school to bring more provisions and
talk to the teachers to check how they are performing in
school. They also go home for holidays happily with full
confidence that they will be back in school next term. We
Pokot should also have this freedom and enjoy our rights
to be children.
Madam Chepleke Lokomol, a Councillor from Kukayim, Amudat Town Council daily advocates for girls’
education.

Lack of clean and safe water is one of the chronic Roads in Karamoja flood and get swept away during
problems in Karamoja. These are some of the problems heavy rains. The girls believe that through education
the girls suported by NAWOU to remain in school want to they can address some of these challenges when they
address when they grow up. become professionals.

23
 Natee: My school

Kangole Girls

believes in the girls

dreams coming true

Natee Susani: I want to be an Accountant to manage public funds so that roads in Karamoja are fixed;
people stop starving; the lives of vulnerable people like girls and women are transformed; and girls are able
to remain in school

My name is Suzan Natee, seventeen and I attend I am glad I received sponsorship to attend school,
Kangole Girls’ Secondary school in senior two. I love otherwise I would have dropped out. When I finish school,
school because our teachers encourage us to pursue I want to be an accountant because I want to make sure
our dreams and impact our generation. I completed my there is development like roads, schools and hospitals in
primary education from Kalas Girls’ School in 2018 and the Karamoja region. I also want to make sure girls who
got aggregate 23. I live with both my parents and I am have no sponsorship can attend school.
the second born in the family. Most of my siblings are
I thank the head teacher at Kalas Girls primary school
still young. None have undergone FGM. I ran away from
who took us in when we ran away from home and kept
home and took refuge in Kalas Girls’ Primary school to
us for 2 years when we had nothing. Government should
avoid FGM and forced marriage. Thanks to Irish Aid, my
give money to support the Sisters (Nuns) who run Kalas
rights are protected through the program implemented
Girls’ primary school and the Head teacher of Katikit
by NAWOU, because the only way for me to avoid FGM and
Primary school for keeping the girls who are in this
marriage is to stay in school. Only my mother supports
situation. When we run away from home, we need such
my education because my father is very hostile and has
safe shelters where we can be protected and can get a
never contributed to my school needs or forgiven me for
chance to complete school. Irish Aid and other partners
running away and going to school. I am the only one in
make it possible for us to keep pursuing our dreams. This
my family who has reached secondary school.
means a lot to us Pokot girls.
24

My name is Nakali Kamama Celina. I am sixteen years
old and I attend Kangole Girls’ Secondary School, senior
two. I come from Tingasi Village, Amudat Town Council,
Amudat District. Tingasi is one of the villages reached
by the rights advocacy program funded by Irish Aid.
This program reaches children through rights clubs, and
parents through community meetings and personal
counselling by COMBATs. The program upholds our
rights, especially those that are violated like denying
girls education, FGM, and early unlawful marriage. I live
with both my parents when I go home from boarding
school. I completed primary seven in 2018 and scored
21 aggregates. My younger sister has undergone FGM
and has been married off. One sibling, a brother is still
in primary school. My mother supports my education
and buys for me school needs though she struggles to
raise the money on her own. My father does not support
my education and is harsh and hostile to me and my
mother because she supports my education. If it was
not for Straight Talk Foundation who pay my tuition and
Celina Nakali: I want to be
an Accountant to manage
public funds so that roads in
Karamoja are fixed; people stop
starving; the lives of vulnerable
people like girls and women are
transformed; and girls are able
to remain in school
give me support, my mother would not afford to keep
me in school. I love school, my favorite subjects are
Biology, English Language and Mathematics. I want to be
an accountant when I grow up. My dream is to manage
public funds so that roads in Karamoja are fixed; people
stop starving; the lives of vulnerable people like girls and
women are transformed, and girls are able to remain in
school and are not forced into FGM and early marriage.
My age-mates in the village who are out of school are
really miserable because they are already mothers and
are struggling to feed their children. If I dropped out
of school, I would be in immediate danger of FGM and
forced marriage. Among us Pokot, it is common to
force a girl aged 12 or 13 years into FGM and after 4 or 5
months when she is considered healed, she is married off.
Some families have 15 or 16 children because the mother
started giving birth while very young. Yet they also lack
food.
25
 My message to Pokot parents is to stop FGM practices
and give girls a chance to go to school. FGM violates the
rights of the girls and robs them of their future. When
you are educated you can work to change the community
and save lives because people in Karamoja starve due to
the long droughts, lack of food and water as well as poor
health services.

The teachers teach us to trust God to fight for

us to reach our dreams

Kangole Girls School is a beautiful and peaceful school where the girls are able to heal from the hostility and
threats of FGM and forced marriage.

26
 Chelimo Irene Was Disowned by Her
Father for Insisting on Attending School

Chelimo wants to join police and enforce laws

Chelimo, whose story introduces this report spent 2 years in Katikit

Primary School safe shelter. Coming home would put her at risk of FGM.

The father telling Chelimo, “You are dead to me now.”

One of the COMBATs (in red checked skirt) led

Chelimo’s mother (in yellow shirt) and her young son
aside to the trees out of sight of her husband who
wanted to beat her up in public. He blames her for
encouraging Chelimo to pursue her education dreams.

The COMBATs trying to explain to Chelimo’s father

that she has a right to stay in school and that he
cannot marry her off at 14 years as it is against the
law.

27
 Christine Nayar: I want to be an ambassador, to speak for the

girls of Karamoja

My name is Christine Nayar. I am nineteen years old
and I have had the privilege of completing ‘O’ Level or
Senior 4 at Jereza High School in Soroti, thanks to the
Rights Advocacy program implemented by NAWOU and
supported by Irish Aid. I come from Nimsui where both
my parents live.
I had to run away from home when I learned that my
family had planned for me to undergo FGM. I and two
friends spent days in the bushes until we got to the
school that sheltered us for several years. The school,
and an organization called ZOA supported me in school
until I completed S.4 at the end of 2019. Unfortunately, I
do not have sponsorship for further education.
I am very grateful to Irish Aid, NAWOU and ZOA who
have supported me to make it through school since I ran
away from home as a little girl who had never attended
school. All I wanted was to avoid FGM and early forced
marriage. I had also heard that there was food at the
shelter. One of the constant challenges Karamojong
children face is hunger because the region is plagued
by prolonged droughts. Imagine my shock when I was
told to go to class! I cried and refused at first because
I feared that it was too hard to read books and write.
I had never owned a book or pencil. Besides, the girls in
the beginner’s class I was told to join were very young
and I felt embarrassed to sit with them. I pleaded to be
allowed to join the classes of girls my size but when I was

28
counselled, I agreed and went to P.1. I have loved school
since then and realized there is a big exciting world
out there beyond Karamoja! I have been fed, clothed,
educated and supported to reach the level of education
no other girl in my sub-county has attained, Senior four.
I have been exposed to girls from other parts of Uganda
with affectionate parents who sacrifice to maintain
their daughters in school, and realized that Karamoja is
very different. We girls in Karamoja are denied our basic
rights, voice and opportunity for education. That is why I
want to grow up to be the voice for girls from Karamoja.

I am the first born and have advocated for my three

sisters to remain in school and not be forced to undergo
FGM. My father has never contributed towards my
education. My mother raises money for my school needs
by selling firewood, which was her only source of income
for many years. Later when she became very ill, (she
failed to recover fully after two consecutive caesarian
section deliveries). I found out from the doctors that my
mothers’ complications were related to FGM scarring,
and she will have to live with them for life. I advised
my mother to stop firewood business which was very
strenuous for her back, and was keeping her in constant
pain and other complications. I advised her to start
making snacks for sale instead. This is what she does to
raise her own income up to now.
I want to be an ambassadar.
To speak for the girls of Karamoja because it is
not right that life continues for the rest of the
world while we girls from Karamoja are denied
our rights, have no voice, no chances, and all
our potential is being wasted like milk poured
on the ground.
I don’t know what job to take as a career.
All I want to be is an Ambassadar. I know an
Ambassador represents and speaks for the
voiceless.

29
 Celina Sikuku dropped out of school after she
was sexually abused
My name is Celina Sikuku, sixteen years old and I live in
Jumbie village, Amudat Sub County, Amudat District. I
dropped out of school in 2018 when I was 14 years old
after completing primary six. I dropped out because I
got problems and became pregnant. I had been living at
Kalas Girls School where I had run off to a school shelter,
to pursue education. The school leadership decided to
send us home for holidays to see if our parents have
changed and would not force us into FGM and marry us
off by force. During this holiday, I took the cows to drink
water like we usually do to help out. I did not know that
the warriors had made a plan to abduct me and force me
to marry one of them.
30
A group of them abducted me and took me to his place
where I was locked up for weeks. He raped me and I
became pregnant. I ended up having to marry him and
lost my chance for education.
My dream was to be a teacher but now I am out of school.
Although I am a wife, I live at home with my parents
because the man has not paid cows to my parents yet.
My life is hard because I have to look after my baby, look
for food, and do domestic work. The older women are
also harsh to me because I struggle because I’m not used
to back- breaking work since I was in the shelter for 2
years.I thank God for the chance I had to attend school. I
am not like other wives who have never attended school.
The Irish Aid rights advocacy program in Karamoja
brings hope to the most vulnerable, and I am one of the
girls who were helped. Even as an out-of-school mother,
I am proudly grateful.
I appeal to the government to have a safe place where
girls can live until they complete their education dream.
The schools sometimes send girls home because they
have no choice, and yet the girls are really not safe at all.

Esther Chemakal dropped
out of school because
sponsorship ended
My name is Esther Chemakal, fifteen years old and I
live at home with both my parents in Katabok village,
Amudat Sub County, Amudat district. I am one of the
beneficiaries of the rights advocacy club funded by Irish
Aid and implemented by NAWOU in Amudat Town council.
I was able to push further in school than I would have
because of the rights club and Diakonia sponsorship. I
dropped out of school in P.6 in Kalas Girls’ School because
the Diakonia project ended in 2018, the organization that
was sponsoring our education. My dream is to be a nurse
or midwife. I have been out of school for a year now. I am
not pregnant, not married or cut (FGM), though I am not
sure how long I will be home. My parents try to support
us and do not believe in FGM and early marriage but
they are under a lot of pressure from different extended
family members who want cows from our bride wealth.
My friend is called Losia Rael. She is fourteen years old
and was in the same class with me. She also dropped-
out of school for the same reasons as I, when Diakonia
project ended. She also lives in Katabok but is not here
to tell her story. She is out in the plains with her mother
looking for aloe vera sap to sell and get school fees for her
sister in Primary 7. With the financial hardships parents
have to prioritize the child in a higher class because we
sit for National examinations in P.7, and then transit to
Secondary school.
STATEMENT FROM CHEMAKAL ESTHER’S MOTHER
I am Esther’s mother. I was very sad because
sponsorship stopped and my daughters dropped out
of school, yet I have 5 daughters. A number of mothers
were affected because of this problem. We support
these girls’ education on our own as women. The men
do not even want to hear that we need money for a
child’s education, especially a girl. We mothers struggle
on our own. Since this sponsorship closed, a mother
who is able to, will pay to keep 3 girls in school and 2
or 3 will remain home until a miracle of sponsorship
comes up. We have no means of livelihood and have to
be creative to raise the money. We sometimes hawk
goods like soap or sugar or help to build or roof a hut
which pays six thousand shillings or sell aloe vera sap.
Esther is now 15 years and would go back to school
today if there was a chance for support.
Dropping out of school among the Pokot of Karamoja
is all it takes for a girl to become a wife and mother.
It is the role of the mother to provide food, clothing
and most needs for her children including school fees
and health care. Girls often drop-out because the
mothers has no assets or resources, and has limited
means of income.
The father’s chore is only to look after cows. He
controls all the family assets and money, and rarely
spends on education.
31
 Elizabeth Nadite was abducted for marriage and had

a baby but she ran away from the forced marriage and

re-enrolled in school

My name is Nadite Elizabeth. I am seventeen years old

I have so far been left free with not much pressure, though
now. I dropped out of school in 2018 second term when I
most adults in the community are very bitter with me
was in primary seven, because I was forced into marriage
for standing up to my father. But I know my rights and
and got pregnant. These are some of the rights violations
all I want right now is to go to school. Our club ran by
that we girls in Karamoja suffer, and I am grateful to the
NAWOU and funded by the government of Ireland was
government of Ireland and NAWOU for the work they are
so much fun. That is where I learned that I have rights
doing to address these violations which are painful and
and can speak out and stand-up for my rights, and that
real.
police and the COMBATs will protect me.
I was in the shelter for vulnerable girls at Katikit Primary
I gave birth to my baby, a girl, and my mother looks after
School for two years. During the long vacation, after our
her for me. I tried going back to Katikit to repeat P.7 but
parents and members of the community attended several
the school administration could not re-admit me because
rights awareness meetings, dialogues and counselling for
I had been pregnant and gave birth. I have started going
our re-integration, the school sent us home for holidays
back to my village school in P.7 because it is what I can
believing that our parents had changed and it was safe.
afford on my own, since I have no financial support. My
When I got home my father connived with warriors who
village is Akorikeya in Loroo Sub County, Amudat district.
grabbed me when I was out at the stream fetching water
and forced me to marry one of them for some weeks.
When I got pregnant, they stopped guarding me because
they knew I would no longer run away. But I left and ran
back home and refused to marry the man. I told my
father that if he accepts this man’s cows, I will report
him to the police. My father has been imprisoned once
in the past because he was involved in getting for my
brothers very young girls as wives, (which is against the
law), so he fears prison. This forced him to stop putting
pressure on me to go and get married to the man who Girls are not always safe when they go out to fetch
water because of the distance. It is common for
had abducted me, and is the father of my child.
warriors to abduct these girls for forced marriage.
32

Rebecca Chepkiror was forcefully
married off
My name is Anna Chebet. My daughter is Rebecca
Chepkiror. She is now 16 years old. I live in Natira Village,
Amudat Sub County, Amudat district. I am one of the
growing number of parents, especially mothers who
support girl education because of the awareness we have
received through the rights advocacy program funded
by Irish Aid and ran by NAWOU in Amudat Sub County.
My daughter Rebecca dropped out of school in 2018. She
was sent back home for holidays when she was in Primary
7. During that holiday my husband’s relatives went
behind my back and accepted cows for her marriage. I
am a widow, my husband died many years ago, and I have
raised my children on my own, without their father’s
family support or financial input. That is why I was very
bitter when my husband’s relatives connived to marry off
Rebecca and get cows. The man’s relatives brought the
cows and my husband’s relatives were ready to receive
them, but I was not. I tried to resist but because I am a
woman, they overpowered me.
It was a bitter fight and the NAWOU COMBATs came
to help me. I threw a stone during that fight, and
unfortunately it hit the hand of one of the COMBATs.
When I saw that her hand was bleeding profusely from
the stone I threw, I stopped fighting briefly and got a
cloth to stop the bleeding. In that confusion before police
arrived to help us, my daughter was grabbed and taken
to an unknown place and was hidden by her uncles. Later
when she went with other girls to take the cows to drink
water, the man’s relatives grabbed her from the river and
took her into marriage. They had a right because they
had given cows for her, and my husband’s relatives had
already taken and shared the cows amongst themselves.
I went all over the villages with the COMBATs to trace
where my daughter was being kept, but by the time I
found her she was already pregnant, so I gave up. That is
how my Rebecca lost the chance for education.
My appeal is, if the girls leave the village they should not
be sent back until they complete school. It is better if
they never step back into the village for longer than one
day.
Kakuko was abducted for marriage,
raped and given away due to the
resultant pregnancy
My name is Milly Cheyech and I am a widow. My daughter
who is now out of school is Kakuko. I have another
daughter sponsored in Kangole Girls’ School and my
earnest appeal is that she is kept away from this village
because I lost Kakuko. We need the support from Irish Aid
and NAWOU to change the minds of people in Karamoja,
and fight for the rights of our girls.
Kakuko was set up by my late husband’s relatives and
warriors because she is very tall and beautiful. The
warriors grabbed her and abducted her for marriage.
She was fourteen years old in Primary six and was very
bright. She went to Kalas Girls School and emerged top
of her class every term, yet she had never been in any
school before. She was later made to skip two classes
because of excellent performance. I realized later that my
daughter’s relatives were behind the abduction because
33
 they wanted cows. When I told them that they had not
supported me to raise the girls so they should not marry
her off, they said they paid my relatives 50 cows for my
own bride wealth, so I had no say in the matter. Being a
widow is another reason they would not listen to me.
If I was to defend Kakuko, I and my family would have
to return their cows. I am deeply grieved because my
daughter could have become a nurse or doctor if she had
completed school. I could not defend her because I had
been critically injured in another incident that involved
my son just a month before Kakuko was abducted.
My son had made a girl pregnant and the family of the
girl were demanding for cows. I asked them for time to
call the clan so that we mobilize the cows, but because
they knew I was a widow living in an isolated area, and I
had some cows, they attacked me to take away the cows
by force. A terrible fight ensued. I was using a stick to
defend myself, holding it up so that they do not batter
my head. I was hit on my fingers while I held the stick
above my head. My fingers were shattered and my bones
were exposed. The police came to my rescue and the
assailants ran away. My hand was hurting for months
that is why I could not fight hard enough to protect my
Kakuko. I cannot bank on my late husband’s family to
support me, even in the issue concerning my son, because
they are very bitter with me for educating girls.
Those people attacked and hit me because I am a woman,
a widow. In our culture a Pokot cannot attack and hit
a man in his own home. So, I lost Kakuko because I was
injured and could not fight for her. They would have killed
me.
Nakale temporarily dropped out of
school to address a family crisis
The 13-year-old who was in and out of school nursing
her abandoned and ill mother to the end.
My name is Nakale. I am 13 years old and in Primary four
at Kalas Girls’ School. I have not dropped out of school
completely but had a problem when my mother was ill. I
stopped school for a while to take care of her in hospital.
My mother passed away a week before this interview, in
February 2020.
At this point, Nakale cannot continue narrating her story
due to the deep and recent trauma. She permits Merab,
the NAWOU Social Worker in Amudat to narrate her story.
Nakale’s mother is one of those women who, when they
conflict with their husbands over issues like girl child
education, are usually thrown out of their marriages,
sent away for being “bad women”. She took refuge with
some of her relatives for some months, but eventually fell
ill from an unknown ailment, which her relatives tried to
treat with herbs and failed. When she became very ill, her
relatives brought her to Amudat hospital and abandoned
her there saying they were too busy to nurse her, and
they had alerted her husband and an older daughter
who is married, to come and look after her. Neither her
husband nor her older daughter came to the hospital.
Without any one to nurse her, Nakale’s mother who had
diarrhoea soiled her clothes and lay in the filth with no
one to help her clean or feed her. For days she lay too
ill and abandoned with no treatment, food or water. The

34
nurses refused to treat her because she was too smelly,
and the other patients all moved to another ward and
she was left alone to die. This went on for several days.
One Sunday when Nakale who attends Kalas Girls School
went to the Catholic church to pray, someone who knew
her told her about her mother’s plight and condition.
Immediately after mass she went with a friend to the
hospital, found and cleaned up her mother and the entire
ward. She also sent a message to me (the social, worker
who takes care of the personal needs of every child who
leaves home to avoid FGM and early marriage). I sent
the girls some money through the messenger to buy
milk and advised them to first feed her on warm water
then milk as I organized to go to the hospital. However,
when I got there a little later, they had failed to feed
her because the patient needed to be propped up and
Nakale could not do so alone. Her friend was too afraid
to touch the patient. I helped to prop her up and we fed
her together with Nakale. I also spoke with the nurses
and they started treatment again. Other patients, who
had earlier fled the ward because of the stench also
came back into the ward and, over the next few days,
could advise Nakale on how to care for her mother. Two
weeks later, the patient felt better, could go out to the
bathroom with support, talk, and drink small quantities
of milk. Nakale also started going to school for about
two hours on the days her mother looked stronger, or
when there was a class test at school. I also got food
for Nakale and her mother every day, though the mother
could only eat one mouthful.
Every time I went to hospital, says the social worker,
Nakale’s mother would tell me, “Thank you. Thank you
for looking after our daughters and looking after me.
Thank you for giving Nakale a future. Take her very far
from here and help her to become somebody useful.
Those people in the village say girls who have undergone
FGM are good, where is my daughter who is fully grown,
has gone through the initiation and is married? She has
refused to come and look after me. You do not know me,
yet you held me when I was very dirty, and fed me. You
have looked after me daily and made sure the nurses
treat me. And this very young girl has nursed me day and
night. Do not let her slip out of your hands. If Nakale can
make it in life, I am willing to die in peace. I will not have
died in vain” Nakale’s mother told me that every day of
the last week of her life.
Unfortunately, one morning when Nakale woke up to
clean and feed her mother, she found she had died in the
night. By the time I arrived at the hospital, Nakale had
cleaned up and clothed her dead mother. I was stunned.
I thought to myself, ‘No 13-year-old can do this!’ But
there she was, looking strong and in control. My mind was
still racing and I was thinking, ‘no 13-year-old should be
put in a position to have to deal with all this on her own!’
I hugged and thanked her for doing such an amazing job,
and after the body was taken to the mortuary, I took her
home to my mother.
35
 Filled with grief and exhaustion of three weeks of juggling
taking care of her sick mother, having little sleep and
trying to learn at school, she slept and slept for many
hours. Nakale’s father and family did not come for her
mother’s remains. She was buried in the public cemetery.
I believe Nakale’s mother would have made it but she lost
the will to live. Like Mother Theresa’s famous saying goes,
“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared-for, forgotten by
NAWOU staff and COMBATs are always negotiating with men who take it out on their wives… chasing the wives
away for supporting girls’ education.
36
everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much
greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.”
It is for people like Nakale and her mother that Irish Aid
partners with NAWOU to uphold rights and ensure that
girls remain in school. Nakale stayed in school but with
no one to support her education and school needs since
her mother is gone. There is a big need for sponsors for
these girls.
My name is Chepochemrian Susan, a mother of one FGM and early marriage changed. NAWOU also trains
of the girls in school. I am from Achelel Village, Karita COMBATS who report to police if anyone wants to
Sub County, Amudat district. I am one of the women force a girl to undergo FGM and marry her off. These
educating a daughter and have been greatly helped by COMBATS also speak out for us mothers so that the
COMBATs. I greatly appreciate the government of Ireland clan does not make us outcasts for standing up to our
for ensuring that we receive the life- transforming husbands in support of girl child education. If we had
awareness that girls and women too have rights. no COMBATS in the community some mothers could be
killed for supporting their daughters’ education. Life is
About four years ago (2016), I took one daughter to school
very hard for us Pokot women and I just want at least
against my husband’s will. When she was of age for the
one of my daughters to have a better life than we have
FGM ritual (11 years), my husband beat and harassed me
had. However, I am not sure if I will be able to support my
every day until I gave in when the girl had only reached
daughter through Secondary School. It is very expensive
Primary three. I handed her over and she underwent
and there is no chance that her father will give us this
FGM and was married off, killing both our dreams (my
money.
daughter’s and mine). I gave in because my husband had
abandoned me after the beatings and harassment, and
life is very hard for single, abandoned Pokot women.
When I painfully gave-up I wanted my husband to come
back to me.

However, with time I realized my husband had completely

lost interest in me, even after he had got my daughter
married off. So, I moved to a place of my own and
supported a younger daughter to attend school. This
daughter is in the Child Rights Club and in Primary five,
which makes me very happy because my husband cannot
easily get her to undergo FGM and marry her-off. My
source of livelihood for our survival and her education
is through selling sugar in small quantities (cups) in the
weekly market. On non-market days I hawk the sugar to
different homes in the community.

With funding from Irish Aid, NAWOU runs the child rights
clubs, encouraging our girls to fight for their rights and
Susan, one of the mothers abandoned by her
reaching us parents too. That is how my attitude to husband, but still educating her girls

37
 for any violators of the FGM and early marriage laws.
The girls are our main informers. They do not want

Pastor Christopher leads

FGM and, though many have been subjected to it, look
out for one another and report to us if one of them is
the COMBATs and gives in danger or has undergone FGM and needs emergency

shelter to women and girls

medical attention. Sometimes things go wrong when
girls undergo FGM and they can bleed to death, or get
at risk serious infections.

We have been trained by NAWOU, KAWUO and AIDI to do

this rights advocacy work. We work in partnership with
the Local Council leaders, police, and the sub-county
Community Development Officers to uphold these
laws. We create awareness in community meetings,
churches, and schools. We have had significant success
with awareness and change of attitude amongst girls
and women, but we have a long way to go to influence
change in men and male youth. They are violent and
mobile (moving from place to place with cows looking
for pasture and water, making it hard to engage with
the same youth more than once). They are also proud
A church leader must be law-abiding and influence his
because the only language they understand is cows. If a
followers to do the same.
man has many cows, he is rich and highly esteemed.
My name is Pastor Christopher, I am a Pastor of Africa
Inland Church here in Karita, Amudat district. I am a
COMBAT who is responsible for creating awareness in the
community that FGM is harmful and evil, and above all,
that it is illegal and punishable by law if you are caught
subjecting children to it. I am grateful for Irish Aid’s
support of our advocacy work, and for enabling us to
have on-going community education.

Our equally important agenda is girls attending and

completing school. I have a team of about 16 active Dorcas is Pastor’s daughter and has completed
members from different villages who are on the look-out Senior 4. Very few girls in Karita have reached
Senior 4.
38
It has been very tough educating this community to and opinionated. They are also able to give birth to as
stop FGM and encouraging them to educate children many as sixteen children, making the man proud.
and support girls’ education beyond the basic levels.
My wife and I are servants of God and we are committed
Parents are willing to send girls of seven years to eleven,
to educating our children. We have to be a good example
to school, but after that they are withdrawn from school,
in order to lead the COMBATs. We raise school fees by
taken through FGM, and given away for marriage. In
rearing and selling goats. We have resolved not to have
our culture cattle is a very important symbol of wealth
our girls go through FGM, and to encourage our boys
and power status. A person with cattle is very much
not to marry girls who have gone through FGM. We are
respected and honoured and can marry as many women
willing to pay high bride wealth for girls who have not
as he wants, for himself and his sons. As women give
gone through FGM for our sons, because the community
birth to daughters, these too are looked at as income
believes only girls who have undergone FGM should fetch
sources for more cattle. Girls are married off young
a good number of cows, about 40. We as the church of
because the men believe that at an early age, they easily
Christ must stand for the truth and remain law-abiding.
become subject to their husbands and are not obnoxious
We must educate the community to do that as well.

A hut at pastor’s home where people in distress can stay until they find a safe place to live
39

No longer a Kokomelkong
My name is Chepkiror Mary, married with 3 co-wives. I
am a COMBAT trained to counsel parents to abandon
FGM and support children in school, especially girls.
The training was provided by NAWOU and AIDI through
funding from Irish Aid. I also protect girls who are in
danger of undergoing FGM or early marriage. I report to
Pastor who reports to police and the girls are protected.
I was one of the celebrated FGM surgeons (komelkong)
in the community. I have seven children of my own. I
thank Irish Aid for investing in on-going education on
human rights. I am a testimony that rights awareness
can transform someone’s attitude, beliefs and practices.
40
The former cutter komelkong ( )
who turned in her blade and
became an advocate against
FGM
Mary, the former traditional FGM ‘surgeon’
who turned-in her blade to renounce the
practice, now a COMBAT advocating against
FGM and supporting girls to remain in school.
Mary has so far influenced six other komelkong
to renounce the trade.
Mary and her friends asked God for
forgiveness for the blood of the many girls who
have died from FGM related complications.
Karita has now changed so much from the
vigilance of the COMBATs that if families want
their girls to undergo FGM they have to sneak
them to near-by Kenya.
I learned the skill of FGM from my mother who was also a
cutter (komelkong). I used to watch while she conducted
FGM on girls. She made a lot of money from FGM. When
I gave birth to my first child, I became a komelkong. I
was very famous and used to make at least 30,000
shillings for every girl I cut (FGM). I could cut up to 20
girls in one day when invited to a given community. In
our community no one could marry a girl who had not
undergone FGM.
I stopped cutting girls when I started going to church
and pastor and my friends would talk to me about the
problems of FGM.
I also became a Christian. But I used to get back into the
practice whenever I was broke, and there was a family
desiring to take a girl through FGM in secret. When I
realized that I was in danger of falling back into the habit
whenever I was in need of money, I took my ‘blade’ to
the Pastor and surrendered it to him, publicly denouncing
being a komelkong.
This was three years ago. I have since then influenced 6
fellow komelkong to abandon the practice and brought
them to the pastor to pray for them for forgiveness. We
Chebet, the voice for change
ask God to forgive us for the lives of the girls who have
died. We also join in group businesses in order to avoid
being broke and being persuaded to start FGM again. My name is Chebet. I have 9 children and I tried to
This commitment is symbolized by bringing our blades maintain 7 of them in school. However, I eventually failed
to the Pastor. because I could not afford to raise the tuition fees any
more. I raise the money through collecting and selling fire
I know FGM is dangerous because most girls find
wood, and casual labour like building houses for people.
delivery very difficult. Others become disabled due to
In Amudat it is us the women who build huts. I also sell
complications during delivery. Many girls also die due
sugar in small retail amounts as a small business. I take it
to bleeding too much, infections and fevers. People in
to markets and village restaurants. The children’s father
the community fear to take their girls to the health
does not support their education and I have little hope of
centre for transfusion when they bleed too much or for
supporting them beyond Primary school. Thankfully, the
treatment because they know they will be arrested for
two in secondary school are sponsored by organizations.
taking the girl through FGM, especially if she dies.
Most of my children are girls. Two went through FGM and
are married but I have kept the young ones hidden away
so that they continue in school.

I have been able to influence some of my neighbours to

support girl child education but some are not happy with
me, and keep ridiculing me and my daughters. I believe
Irish Aid is happy to have invested in me because I am
a voice that influences others to change. The police and
COMBATs protect us so that my friends are not battered
by their husbands for supporting girls’ education.

41
 Penninah the Pastor’s wife is a them as bride wealth. The men in our community ridicule
COMBAT together with her husband, my husband for selling animals to pay for education. In
and a voice to mothers to believe in a our culture animals are sacred, and many do not spend
better life for their daughters them for such reasons like educating children, especially
girls.
My name is Penninah, I am Pastor Christopher’s wife.
My husband and I are COMBATs, advocating for girls’
education among the Pokot in Karita sub-county. I
have 9 children and I have tried to maintain 7 in school
but 2 have dropped out because the fees burden is too
heavy. I am grateful to Irish Aid because my daughter
Dorcas has completed Senior four, a level no girl in this
Sub County has attained. She has been empowered
through the child rights club and is very confident and
performing very well. My husband and I raise school fees
through selling livestock (goats). My husband supports
girl child education and we are involved in educating
the community to keeping girls in school. We teach
about the dangers of practicing FGM. We also identify
the komelkong and help them to change and stop the
practice. We work with a team of COMBATs and the
attitudes in the village are changing as more and more
girls run away from FGM. I have been able to influence
some of my neighbors to support educating girls and, Our home is a place of refuge for battered women and
together with my husband, shelter and protect women girls, and we liaise with the police to protect the vulnerable
who are in danger of being battered by their husbands for members of the community. Gradually members of the
supporting their daughters’ education. We are grateful community are learning to obey the law. I want my
to God that change in attitude is slowly happening, children, sons and daughters to have a good life, a much
as more and more COMBATs play their role and Police better life than we their parents have had. I am sure they
arrests the perpetrators. We work very hard to be role- will marry well educated men who will pay good bride
models, and ensure that we have lots of livestock so that price. I am not greedy for animals. We also encourage
we are respected in our community. The Pokot believe in our sons not to marry girls who have undergone FGM.
cattle so much that they rarely sell them, and only use That is our value system as a family.

42
 Advocacy Champions

Supporting Girls

Remaining in School

Nawot Rose, Deputy Head

teacher, Katikit Primary school, and
Merab, the NAWOU Social Worker

How Nawot Rose, Deputy Head Teacher Katikit Church Most are told by the fathers after these fights that they
of Uganda Primary School and Head teacher Mr. Onyait have been disowned. These girls are no longer welcome
Michael are using education to safeguard the home and cannot go home for holidays unless they are
lives of girls in Amudat district escorted by Community Development Officers, COMBATs
or the NAWOU Social Worker. Most girls come to the
Katikit Primary school is one of the schools where girls
school/ shelter aged between 10 and 15 years. Some come
who are in danger of being pulled out of school for FGM
when they have never attended school and struggle to
and marriage take refuge. The girls run away from home
accept to have to start with basic classes because they
by themselves, and most of them already know where
are already big in body. Katikit Primary School is one
to run to for safety due to the work done by COMBATs.
of those renovated by Irish Aid, with boarding facilities
Some are referred by police and some are physically
and a strong fence to protect the children in school,
brought by their mothers after a fierce fight with the
especially girls.
fathers.

43
 How many learners do you have altogether,
how many in Primary 7 ?
The Katikit school population in 2018 was 253 boys
and 342 girls, totaling 595. This grew to 277 boys and
337 girls in 2019, totaling 614. The girls who complete
Primary7 (the highest class in Primary school) and can
join Secondary school leave to proceed with education,
but can only be safe from FGM and early marriage if they
join and stay at school (boarding Secondary school).
Unfortunately, the secondary schools they go to may
not be able to keep them throughout the year.
In 2018 the school had 22 boys and 28 girls in P.7. Eight
of the girls were among those who run away from home
for being at high risk of FGM and early marriage. All
the 8 have joined Secondary school, but those without
sponsorship are at high risk of dropping out because
44
the mothers struggle to pay fees without the fathers’
support. The mothers literary have no means of raising
tuition and upkeep for a girl in boarding Secondary School
(about 600,000 shillings a term).
In 2019 the school had 35 girls in P.7, 14 of them were
among those who run away from home for being at
high risk of FGM and early marriage. By the time of this
documentation, it was still too early to tell if they will all
be able to join Secondary school.
How many girls have you sheltered over the
past 2 years ?
The school currently has 42 sheltered girls (some have
left for Secondary school, and some have gone back
to Kalas Girls’ School because that is where they are
enrolled in formal school). Sheltered girls are those who
run away from home (from FGM and early marriage) and
depend on the school fully. They typically come with only
the clothes they have on, with no shoes, extra clothing
or toiletries, no school requirements, beddings, tuition,
or food, and these have to be provided for by “Good
Samaritans”.
The girls have to be at the school until it is safe to return
home, which takes 2 or 3 years. Counselling of parents
continues during this period. Some are able to visit their
homes for very short periods of time.
Kalas Girls’ school is Catholic Church founded and is one
of the shelters the girls can run to, but during holidays
it is not as secure as Katikit Church of Uganda School.
Katikit has more fences and has the Police station right
at its gate. The girls who attend Kalas Girls’ school are
usually kept at Katikit during school holidays because
Katikit Girls’ dormitories are properly fenced to keep the girls safe
there have been incidents where the Pokot fathers of
the girls and warriors have stormed the school (Kalas)
and forcefully taken the girls back home for FGM and
marriage. Katikit has much stronger security.
Katikit school does not have regular confirmed support
for the girls (food, tuition, requirements and clothing.),
ZOA gave support in the past but currently most support
is from NAWOU in partnership with Irish Aid. The girls
share books, soap and other supplies with any new girls
who join the shelter. Food (maize, beans and cooking oil)
has so far been given by World Food Project but notice
has been given that this ration is going to stop, which is
likely to pose a new challenge. As the school leadership,
we do not yet know what to do when this happens.
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 How much is the tuition if one just joins Katikit transform their communities. The school also teaches
Primary school (not as a sheltered girl) ? them to respect each other, including respecting girls,
The day-scholar learners pay a development fee of
15,000 and tuition of 20,000. Learners in boarding school
pay the 15,000-development fee, and 35,000 tuition. The
learners in primary seven pay the 15,000-development
fee, and tuition 50,000. But most Pokot would rather
force their daughters into marriage than pay that money.
They consider it expensive, yet it would be considered
very cheap by average Ugandan standards, even for a
rural school.
Are there any Pokot fathers who support
their children’s education? What challenges does the school face?
It is rare. All Pokot children, even the very young ones who
are not yet due for FGM are brought to school by their
mothers. Even the boys who enroll in school with the
father’s consent are the responsibility of their mothers.
In what ways is the school influencing cultural
change in attitudes and beliefs among the
Pokot?
When Pokot boys first join this school, as young as they
are, they do not believe in doing any ‘domestic work’
like cleaning, sweeping or even carrying chairs from one
room to another. When Pokot raise boys, they raise
them to take care of cows. That is the only work they are
socialized to do. Pokot families that accept to educate
boys usually bring only one boy to school, one who they
believe is physically weak or sickly and not very clever.
The school has a challenge to change this attitude in
the boys. We have seen a gradual change in attitude
and behavior as they stay and learn. Hopefully they will
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authority, and being law-abiding, which the warriors in
the village are not. The warriors sometimes come to the
school fence to try and lure girls to leave school and go
and marry them.
The Human Rights Club funded by Irish Aid and run by
NAWOU is also making a very big difference. They teach
the children their rights and responsibilities, and girls are
now standing up for their rights. That is why they go
back home and encourage those who do not want to be
undergo FGM to run away to these shelters.
The biggest challenge the school faces is giving
psychosocial support to the children; providing for their
needs when they do not have sponsors or supporters or
school fees; and providing human resource to keep them
throughout the year, even during school holidays. The
school has to have staff on duty 24 hours throughout the
year, yet there are no extra allowances to remunerate the
teachers for this extra work and extra time. The school
has to come up with clothing and sanitary materials for
the girls who take refuge there. The school has to keep
the girls busy, and partnership with NAWOU has helped
with Rights Advocacy, Psycho-social support and skills
like tailoring that keep the girls busy.
Sponsorship and vocational education will go a long
way in ensuring that the girls who complete Primary
education whose mothers cannot raise enough money
for secondary school tuition are not stuck at Katikit and
Kalas schools. There is also a need for a Secondary school
than can shelter girls, so that Kalas and Katikit keep the
Primary school level girls.
National Association of
Women Organisations
in Uganda

Plot 1 Coronation Road,

Bakuli Old Kampala, off Hoima
Road.

+256 (0) 414 258463

+256 (0) 752 213203

Email: nawou@nawouganda.ug
Website: www. nawouganda.ug

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