“Fiching for the future”: FICH graduates over 100 Oyam girls

Oyam | Foundation for Inclusive Community Help (FICH) has graduated 109 adolescent young girls who enrolled in a life skills program.

The excited beneficiaries appear to be ready to apply the knowledge gained during a “discovery boot camp” training in their respective communities.

On Saturday, December 6, 2024, Acaba Senior Secondary School in Oyam district hosted a two-week boot camp culminating in a colourful graduation.

In her remarks, Victoria Harriet Anyango, FICH’s programme manager in charge of education, stated that the life skill programme was launched in 2021 and enrolled 120 girls from three schools: Acaba Senior Secondary School, Everest High School, and Atapara Secondary. Each school enrolled 40 female students.

According to her, the intervention began in 2021, following the fatal COVID-19, with a rebranding of the process.

“We thought of rebranding our education program that was formerly dubbed “Conflict Affected Girls” to ensure that we foster life skills to them,” Victoria said.

About eleven students were not able to attend this year’s graduation, according to Anyango.

She added that the program was intended to benefit 120 people, but only 109 were able to complete it. The 11 who were unable to attend had a variety of reasons, including transfer to another school, dropping out, and pregnancy.

She described the aforementioned issues as “sad,” urging parents to take an active interest in their children’s education, particularly the girl child.

“Why would a girl child drop out of school in senior 3? You brought her up from P1 to senior 3, why would you then give up on the girl?”

“The last one I noted with very high concern are the ones that are getting pregnant or even being married off while in school. This is something that happened. I am not imagining. But it is the truth! We called the parents, inviting the girl to attend the Boot Camp, only to find out that she was pregnant. What are we doing as parents?” Anyango questioned,

Anyango added that the first cohort also established an alumni association platform to ensure continuity and networking among students from both the first and second cohorts, as well as future cohorts.

“The students who have graduated today will also join the alumni network consisting of several programs, including networking and apprenticeship,” she said.

On behalf of the head teacher of Acaba SS, Morris Ojok, applauded FICH for the great initiative that is changing the mind-set of the youths especially the girls by empowering them with life skills for a brighter future while grooming them to become citizens of great importance.

Though focusing on girls, he requested that the program be expanded as well as enrollment increased to ensure full maximization and impact in the lives of young people, as he is aware that girls face numerous challenges.

“Through the life skills training, they will be able to put such skills in practice and also be good citizens of Uganda,” he said.

He also requested that the boy child be included in the life skills mentoring program, as well as a small percentage of boys.

Patricia Achom, the head teacher at Everest High School, thanked parents for allowing their daughters to attend such classes.

“Thank you students for enduring and being resilient throughout the boot camp,” she added.

With FICH equipping young girls with life skills, she says these skills are empowering the girls with different skills that the world currently needs for strategic growth.

“The world is changing at a very terrible speed that if you don’t have extra skills in whatever you are doing, then the world will leave you behind,” Achom said at the graduation event.

According to Achom, the world is so volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous that students should learn such life skills to ensure they have better opportunities in the future that will allow them to overcome such global challenges.

Alice Oyuku, speaking on behalf of Atapara SS’s head teacher, Felix Obong, urged parents to support their children by putting their acquired life skills into practice.

“With such life skill lessons, the girls may start some small projects that can be of great importance during this long holiday season,” she said.

She also advised the young girls to avoid unhealthy behaviors such as early sex, drug abuse, and prostitution, among others, which could harm their future.

Benson Dila Oyuku, Oyam district LC5 chairperson, praised FICH’s efforts to instill life skills in young girls.

Dila urged parents to guide their children so that they can identify their children’s talents and provide appropriate support, particularly for girl child projects and education.

“As parents, don’t fight for talents, instead support them so that they can help in the future. I want to encourage us that as parents, your personal security at home is your daughter, not yourself. Gone are the days when parents would see their girls as sources of wealth,” he said.

On this basis, he called for a shift in mindset in support of girl child education, mentorship, and capacity building, citing examples of women in leadership positions such as Premier Robinah Nabbanja, Vice President Jessica Alupo, and Speaker Annet Anita, among others.

Dila encouraged graduates to pursue knowledge and challenged them to use it optimally for a sustainable future, including the development of social capital.

Meanwhile, David Adea, the District Education Officer of Oyam, confirmed that the district has 109 primary schools (UPE), 86 private primary schools, 10 secondary government schools, and 6 private secondary schools, among other tertiary institutions.

Adea believes that education is the most powerful tool for changing the world, and she encourages parents to support their children’s education.

He confirmed that approximately 91% of children of school-going age attend primary school, with only 9% in villages.

The DEO noted that the primary cycle completion rate in Oyam district is 51%, whereas Uganda’s dropout rate is very high, with an average of 45%.

He also mentioned that teenage pregnancy is common among girls aged 15 to 19, with a rate of 25%, encouraging them to develop life skills.

“I urge you learners to embrace self-awareness and defend their future. Be creative and use life skills to earn a decent living,” he said.

Adea encouraged parents to support their children while discouraging them from sending them to relatives for the festivities, noting that parents should use this time to instill good morals in their children.

Tom Okuna, a parent of one of the life skills beneficiaries who also works as a teacher, expressed joy, emphasizing that if the skill is put to good use, it will help to transform the lives of the young children.

“I am very happy that my daughter from Everest High School has adapted good communication skills through the programme and I believe that she has learnt much,” he added.

The training, he said, was timely because it empowered the young girls while also preparing them to take on leadership roles in their communities.

Filder Arem, another parent, agrees with Okuna that the program has improved her daughter’s self-esteem and network.

“With this training, my daughter locally makes liquid soap and now she is selling it to support her basic needs, keeping birds and piggery,” she added.

Beneficiaries speak 

Elizabeth Casta Alira (S3) of Atapara SS stated that the FICH program has provided her with conflict resolution skills, leadership skills, and entrepreneurship skills, among other things.

“Before joining the boot camp, I was shy and didn’t have enough confidence but after attaining basic leadership skills, I have seen a great difference in my life because I speak with confidence,” said Alira.

Alira emphasised the importance of applying her newly acquired skills in her community, mentioning that her home bakery project will help her expand her profit base.

She also stated that the acquired skills will significantly improve her class performance, especially when combined with the new curriculum.

“For example, the new curriculum is also tasking and equipping learners with skills, an aspect that is preparing us for future opportunities.”

Robinah Ayugi (S3) of Everest High School stated that she has developed good communication skills as well as other practical skills that will help her financially.

“FICH has equipped me with skills in making liquid soap, daddies, sanitary pads which I will implement during this long holiday season,” said Ayugi.

Patricia Aceng, (S3), from Acaba SS who equally acted as a grade one Chief Magistrate in one of the boot camp engagements that took place in court, confirmed gaining the required confidence noting that her interest in taking up Law studies.

She was energized after seeing several court employees conduct themselves professionally.

“I love seeing how lawyers conduct their business in court, and after acting as a Chief Magistrate, I got more inspired to be like them in the future.”

Partners such as Oyam District Local Government, Global Fund for Children, Peace Corps, Zizi Afrique, and Uwezo Uganda helped make the colorful event possible.