By Chris James Woo
Foundation For Inclusive Community Help (FICH) has offered life skills training to 240 girls in the Oyam district during their two-week discovery boot Camp. #WhisperEyeNews
In this boot camp that took place at Everest High School girl students from Acaba, Atapara and Everest Mixed High School were brought together and trained.
Victoria Harriet Anyango the Program Officer of Fich in charge of education explained that discovery camp is an activity for their education program that they use to nature life skills using the social and emotional learning curriculum saying the selection criteria of the beneficiaries are based on vulnerability where they were given basis life skills training on teamwork, mindfulness, leadership, business ideas, and self-awareness among others.
Adding that with this holistic curriculum, they are taking these learners through they are hopeful that the beneficiaries will develop their business and community skills for self-reliance and sustainability.
Emmanuel Lubaale the country coordinator for the Regional Learning Education Initiative Uganda notes that the main reason for their partnership with with Fich is that they are working together to ensure that what they do is documented and shared with the government to inform policies and practices.
He further said they participated with Fich in this two-week boot camp because Fich is their member but most importantly they took part because they care about young people and girls’ education to build them to become competent people and future leaders pledging to continue rendering more support to Fitch in order to ease their activities.
Conclusively Lubaale also said they have assessed the education policy of Uganda and made recommendations on what should be done so that Uganda begins producing quality graduates who can compete in the jobs market globally.
On the other hand, Jane Sebuyungo senior manager at Star Education who is also working with RELI Network excitedly appreciated the work Fich is doing in Oyam district to empower girl child education in an initiative that promotes leadership, creativity, innovation, the social and emotional well-being of learners but also sparing girl child to be critical thinkers and entrepreneurs not only in Uganda but to focus their vision within their community upto the global village.
She further reflected on what facilitators are doing saying she is happy with the mythology these learners are being handled which visualizes their goals into reality in future.
Meanwhile, Abonyo Mary Hope one of the students from Acaba secondary school who took part in this boot camp applauded Fich for this initiative saying after attaining basic knowledge of business ideas and skills she put them into practice witnessing that she made a profit of 100,000 shillings however in her conclusion Abonyo appeals to Fitch to continue extending the same opportunity and knowledge to others girls who are yet to join the program.
Similarly, Ajwang Monica a senior two student of Atapara secondary school who hails from Aber sub-county said in this boot camp she learnt that leadership is very important which has inspired her to become a future leader through exercising leadership with love, care, exemplary, and honesty and generosity among other qualities.
Abeja Mirium a teacher at Acaba secondary school who was equally one of the facilitators facilitators appreciated Fitch for this program saying apart from teaching these girls she also learnt a lot about how to handle people with love and care adding that through this capacity building she hopeful to establish a big business.
She also appreciated parents and students who contributed to the success of this boot camp rallying parents and other stakeholders to continue supporting girl child education.
Tonny Ocen Okello the Iceme sub-County Lc5 councillor who represented Benson Dila the Lc5 chairman of Oyam district during that event said education in Northern Uganda was greatly affected by COVID-19 19 which calls for serious attention of various stakeholders in improving the education of children especially girls.
Juspher Okulu the Gombola internal security officer Giso of Loro town council who represented the RDC of Oyam district cautioned parents against supporting earlier marriage by encouraging students who attained these life skills to put their knowledge and skills into good use however he also requested Fitch to consider boys education in their program.
According to a report these learners will be graduated in December 2023 and 2024 respectively.
