ATF

ATF volunteers, students and members of Madi debating Society at DEAR Day 2022, Adjumani

ATF’s literacy programme seeks to improve the reading culture among students. Events are planned to coincide with Uganda Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Day in each district. ATF donates reading books and organizes debates in schools to discuss reading culture among Madi youth, challenges faced and potential solutions. Students have cited various reasons ranging from lack of reading materials to destruction and laziness. They provided some solutions to the challenges students face including better access to reading materials, improved literacy and numeracy and presence of role models.

Day of The African Child Essay Competition

Students receive certificates of participation, Day of the African Child Essay Competition, June 2023

ATF’s education programmes strategically seek perspectives of students that drive interventions. Every year on 16th June the International Day of the African Child (DAC) is celebrated. The day is marked by announcing winners of an essay writing competition with all entrants receiving a certificate of participation and writers of the top three essays in each school receiving a cash prize.

Donation Of Scholastic Materials

Candidate classes at Moyo Senior Secondary School receive scholastic materials and books

Each year, ATF donates scholastic materials to students in candidate classes in supported schools. These materials allow students to prepare for their final examinations without needing to worry. ATF has also donated scholastic materials to the Youth Centre at Etele Parish in Moyo district

Scholastic materials donation at Etele Parish Youth Centre

Kolaki Ta Literacy Campaign

Young people between ages of 3-18 years in Moyo and Adjumani Districts are among the most underserved in Uganda. Located in a remote part of the Country on the border of war-torn South Sudan, the public education system in these districts is characterized by capacity gaps among teachers and students especially in Mathematics and English. Teachers not only lack basic inputs like teaching aides, but also are grossly underpaid and therefore unmotivated. There is a lack of scholastic materials for students and school meals are not provided. The school system in these communities do not have the resources to enable the young people to be equipped to compete with their contemporaries in urban schools. The COVID-19 pandemic response necessitated the shutting of primary (elementary) and secondary (high) schools which cost young people the loss of two academic years. These communities do not have the technology needed for remote learning. In 2022, schools re-opened, and following the Government of Uganda Policy decision, the children were automatically promoted to the next level. Now, the children and teachers are struggling to catch up.

The Kolaki Ta (Let them Read) Literacy consists of a girls’ peer empowerment program, Izonzi Kolata, Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) Day activities and Day of the African Child Essay competitions and donation of books and scholastic materials.

Izonzi Kolaki Ta Peer Empowerment Program

With the recognition that female students are more likely to drop out of school than males, ATF has set up a special peer support programme for girls. In the Madi language, Izonzi Kolata means ‘Let girls study’. The Izonzi Kolata peer empowerment program was initiated in Etele Primary School and uses a cascade approach to recruit additional girls to the group. A safe space has been created for girls to share experience and ideas around social and psychosocial concerns as well as how to protect themselves. Girls encourage each other to stay in school. Bringing in external speakers creates opportunities for the girls to hear from others who have had similar experiences to themselves. Talks have included sharing experience on gender-based violence, menstrual hygiene management and prevention of teenage pregnancies.

ATF Adapted MHPSS curriculum for teachers and students

ATF MHPSS session, Etele Primary School

With visible results of the benefit of regular MHPSS sessions in 5 schools during the first year, district education officials have requested ATF to expand activities. ATF is in the process of identifying funding to develop a context-adapted MHPSS curriculum for teachers and students, with the aim of rolling this out collaboratively with the district education and health authorities.