Gulu Charity Activity
Gulu Charity Activity is a charity mission that takes place annually and focuses on rebuilding poor communities in Gulu district in the Northern Region of Uganda.There is a great need to reach out to these most vulnerable people in Uganda; which category includes orphans and widows in the furthest of the remote areas of Uganda. These areas have been characterized with drought, shortage of water, HIV/AIDS, school dropouts in the case of girls due to early child pregnancies, poverty, violence against women among others.
On the 14th – 17th July 2016, we conducted Gulu Charity Activity, and got to know about the experience of the kind of living mentioned above. Poverty levels and joblessness is so high among the young people which has resulted in high crime rates. The effects of the LRA war which lasted for a period of 20 years are still visible. Many school-going girls have dropped out of school as a result of early marriages and pregnancies.
Upon interaction with the school authorities from 2 particular schools, Paichor primary school and Tegot primary school, we discovered that the major cause of girls dropping out of school was due to lack of sanitary materials/ pads. The headteachers to these respective schools further mentioned that their girls upon not being in position to afford sanitary materials, resort to staying home or dropping out of school. On addition, their parents who at most times act ignorant assume that their girls are more than ready to be married off. Thus give them out for marriage at an early age in exchange for dowry.
On an interview with Ms. Jane the Health worker at Paichor Health Centre ii, we got to know that many of these early girl child pregnancy cases have resulted into an increase in maternal deaths. “This is attributed to ignorance”, she said. Most of these girls are advised to deliver from homes where they do incur difficulties that prompt to their deaths.
On a number of interviews from the local leaders, we were informed that there are high rates of HIV/AIDS infection. From a meeting we had with the elderly women at Paichor county, we noticed that many of them could not stop coughing heavily. The county Chairman, Mr. Sam informed us that HIV/AIDS was the cause accompanied by Tuberculosis and Hepatitis B.
He additionally informed us that the rampant HIV/AIDS cases were as result of cultural beliefs and the war; where many ladies were raped by the infected LRA rebel soldiers. Basing on cultural beliefs of the people, it is believed that one woman can be a wife to the whole family when married to a member of that family. If a husband to a woman has passed on, she is remarried to the brother of the deceased; thus this has greatly contributed to the high HIV rates infection.
On average, every widow in Gulu looks after 8 to 10 children after the death of their husbands in the recent LRA rebel war. This situation today has left many of these ladies single-mothers and unable to look after their families. It is a challenge to clothe, feed, educate, cater for the medical bills and even provide a better accommodation to their families.
There are unsafe and unclean water supplies currently in the community. Being that a big part of the region is dry, the few available water sources are located far away from the communities inhabiting people. Therefore children have to walk long distances about 5 to 10 kilometers in search for water. The children must then return home on foot which poses a great risk to their physical health and safety.
Most of the shelters in these areas are grass-thatched’ thus prone to catching fires during the scotching dry season. In cases of conflicts, they are easily burnt; leaving many without any shelter.Upon interaction, the widows prefered a modern house with iron roof sheets.
Basing on the above challenges, there was indeed a great need to extend a hand to such unfortunate people and help save a life. Love Uganda Foundation (LUF) offered to provide for both the physical, social and spiritual needs of these people. On the 14th-17th July 2016, Gulu Charity Activity Project was launched; where our team got an opportunity to exercise the act of generosity by giving, donating, conducting healthy activity workshops, sensitizing both children in schools and widows in their respective subcounties.
Gulu Charity Activity project is a lifesaving and changing Project which is aimed at restoring hope among the vulnerable people of Gulu through donating basic life materials; like food stuffs, scholastic materials to school going students, clothing, shoes, medications and as well sensitizing and educating the masses about social life aspects of which majorly includes Health matters.
Our goal is to partner and engage any institution or body or organization or individual in this exciting charity activity, giving a chance to anyone to donate to this cause in every way possible.
As a team, we are set to conduct a charity mission trip annually to Gulu district. Mandela and Joseph are our Gulu regional cordinators and they carry out frequent sensitization and training to better the lives of the people of Gulu. We do as well have the “Keep An orphan In school campaign” going on already; where we do have 30 children; 10 in each of the 3 schools totally orphans whose school dues are being catered for by the foundation. With only 15 dollars per term, you could as well be part of educating an orphan in school a term, there are 3 terms in a year which totals up to 45 dollars per an academic year. So, let us join hands in building our next generation;and giving them hope.
Be part of changing and transforming communities in Uganda through our Gulu Charity Activity. Be the change today, together lets transform and empower Gulu community.