Resilient Women’s Organization

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I thought I would start the blog with some information about the primary organization I will be working with. I hope to make additional non-profit connections while I am there but Resilient Women's Organization is who I will be with on a daily basis.



More than 34% of girls are married before their 18th birthday every year in Uganda, 1 in 10 are married before turning 15 years old. There are warning signs that the rate of child marriage in the county is rising due to school closures, food insecurity, and economic uncertainty triggered by COVID-19.



The founders of Resilient Women's Organization (Hope and Clare) grew up around poverty in the early 1990s when HIV/AIDS and children dropping out of school was the norm. Priority in receiving an education was given to boys over girls. They witnessed all their female peers dropping out of school as early as 10 years old and having babies after their first period. Poverty is a big driver of domestic violence and sexual gender-based violence since it limits girls and women from having equal access to resources and services, especially employment, education, and sexual and reproductive health rights.



RWO works to socially and economically empower adolescent girls and young women. Their mission is to end child marriage, reduce teen pregnancies, and eradicate gender based violence.

There are four main areas that RWO focuses their efforts:




• Sexual and Reproductive Heath Rights



* The ignorance about SRHR amongst the community is a key factor in the increasing rates of violence against women and girls, teen pregnancies and child marriage.

* To maintain one's sexual and reproductive health, people need access to accurate information and safe, effective, affordable and acceptable contraception methods.




• Skill and Vocational Training



* Because of poverty and patriarchic beliefs, parents and society don't believe in investing in girls education and livelihoods.

* The Skills and Vocational training is to socially and economically empower adolescent girls and young women giving them the power to seek employment.

* These skills are the key factor to avoid girls ending up as victims of child marriage and teen pregnancy.




• Back to School Programs



* Families often can't afford to pay the school fees. Other families don't believe in educating a girl. * A girl who dropped out of school will eventually end up becoming a victim of child marrriage or teen pregnancy because she has to find a way to survive. * With the help of donors girls are placed back into school




• Shelter



* Their shelter hosts several vulnerable populations

1. Homeless child mothers: When parents can't or don't provide basic needs, girls take the desperate decision to run away with a man who offers to help. Unfortunately, these men often impregnate and abandons these girls

2. Rejected by family: Parents often reject their daughters once they learn about their teen pregnancies

3. Victims of sexual abuse or violence at home

4. Girls escaping from child marriage: Families often push young girls to get married because of economic and cultural reasons. Girls will run away from home so they do not have to get married

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Comments

[David Johnson]

RWO
Sarah, Thank you for this blog and bring awareness to the young women of Uganda. The work and time your spending their is helping and I’m sure many are looking up to you. God bless you and stay safe.