MUHOKYA PRIMARY SCHOOL, KASESE DISTRICT GET TIPS ON HYGIENE AND SANITATION

" A HEALTH MIND IN A HEALTH BODY AND HEALTH ENVIRONMENT" as the English adage goes. For  the last three days, 22nd -24th Oct, 2014,  RWECO with Support from ICCO-Cooperation a Dutch organisation was implementing activities under the Star School Model that was aimed at enhancing and improving quality of Education in school. The parents, teachers and pupils identified the school environment as the entry point for the action. With that in mind, the girl child was also the loci of the activities carried out in the last three days starting 22nd-24th Oct. 2014.

The activities involved training school pupils on hygiene and sanitation, menstrual hygiene management for the girl child and tree planting and fruit growing in the school gardens.

Pupils of Katwe Primary School checking the seedlings delivered to the school by RWECO on 23rd Oct, 2014

Katwe Primary school is located in Katwe-Kabatooro Town Council, the school compound has not shade trees as those planted were destroyed by stray animals from the park. RWECO has delivered a consignment of acacia seedlings and fruit trees to the school.

Pupils of Muhokya Primary School acknowledging receipt of Mathematical sets delivered by RWECO on Friday 24th Oct, 2014

Supporting at this critical moment of preparing for PLE is vital by all stakeholders, Primary 7 pupils sit for their Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) on Monday 3rd - 4th November, 2014. That time is a turning point in the lives of these young children to take a step in their lives, they need moral and physical support from parents, community and well wishers. RWECO has delivered one dozen of Mathematical sets to Muhokya Primary School, Kasese District to work as back up during the PLE period.

Psychological preparation of children is  a must!!

Sr. Theresa Sanza and Sr. Florence Kabugho ( all extream front), had a light moment with the pupils of Muhokya primary school on Friday 24th Oct, 2014. The experienced medical staff in Kasese district are also trained health workers to handle adolescents together with the senior women teachers. The two medical staff, met with the pupils of Muhokya Primary school to prepare the pupils both psychologically to handle menstrual periods as they soon come to young girls . At first I had thought, they were only having messages to girls only but on reaching the school, the team had a brief meeting with the head teacher and senior women teacher, they all agreed that they meet both girls and boys from P.4-P.7. I listened carefully to the messages which was purely reproductive health education, to the teachers it was a topic in Science!!

The day was interactive as both boys and girls opened up, interesting was that, boys opened up more than the girls. While talking about menstrual hygiene management, Sr. Florence asked if any of the girls could explain how they manage, a young girl came up and demonstrated how they use the sanitary pads. Sr. Florence then talked about the types of sanitary pads and how to keep clean during the menstrual periods. The school boys listened keenly and were told to accept these girls since menstrual periods were normal growth of girls as how boys also pass through the same stages of wet dreams.

RWECO will need support to support many other schools who are in need of reproductive health education.

Compiled by RWECO team
Kasese, 24th Oct. 2014