Nebbi Men embrace house chores as Church of Uganda intensifies gender equality

By Mike Rwothomio and Ofoymungu Lee

Oliver Kwiocwiny, A resident of Mvura Parish,  Padwot Sub-county Nebbi District is a mother who underwent several forms of violence and abuse from her husband who would spend much of his time drinking.

Every night, Kwiocwiny would stay to either wait for beatings or insults from her husband who would come home late.

”  Without leaving any money for food he would Come home expecting to have food on the table, the insults alone were unbearable” Kwiocwiny recalled.

Kwiocwiny’s thinking by then was like living in hell with the believe in the notion that ” the worst is still coming”.

Given the challenges, what was more like a dream for Kwiocwiny was when her husband would change to a better man who is peaceful and caring.

However, Kwiocwiny’s prayers came true a year ago, When Nebbi Diocese Church of Uganda launched a project called the Kucwiny Integrated Food Security Project ( KIFP).

The project is funded by World Renew and Canadian Food Grains Bank, A Christian response to hunger. This project is championing the fight against the rooted gender-based violence and strengthening food security through the provision of agricultural inputs to farmers after going through training in the rural Padwot Sub-county.

The project was launched in the area against the backdrop of high Gender-based violence.

Through the projects, many including men, women, and Youths were trained into gender champions. Their role is to specifically identify gender violence-related causes, and their impact and find a long-lasting solution through sensitisation and awareness about the vice.

Kwiocwiny wouldn’t wait when the project coordinator announced the idea of training people to address the issue of gender-based violence which was a menace to many especially women.

After receiving four months of training, Kwiocwiny was amongst many people who gained the title of gender champion, with the full knowledge of how to address the vice. It’s from here that Kwiocwiny started changing the mindset of his husband, who was giving her trouble all the time.

Whilst talking to the whisper eye news, Kwiocwiny revealed how his husband can now assist her with domestic chores, garden work, and many responsibilities that he used to abandon for her alone.

Stephen Kerunga, The project coordinator told this Publication that they have learnt with concern about the high rate of gender-based violence cases in the area.  The concern prompted the church to get to the point of addressing it.

” We are deeply rooted in the community trying to address the issue of gender-based violence and also looking at how we can increase food production in homes which can only be done when families are living in peace” Kerunga said.

Under the five-year project, The trained gender champions have different groups all focusing on addressing gender-based violence in homes.

“We move in homes, and different villages here to train people how to live in Harmony. We organized dramas, asked questions and solved so many domestic issues. But we forward the cases above us to our superiors”  Acayerach Joyce  A trained gender champion told the whisper eye news.

She added, ”  Even women are taking over men’s responsibilities, we have seen great changes in this area, those who used to beat their wives have changed, we believe it will be much better after two or three years but what amazed me is that men have taken over house chores and doing it with one heart, it was as a result of the training”.

Other projects like championing agricultural production are also having a remarkable impact on the community notwithstanding the minimal challenges the farmers face due to bad weather, and rampant food crop theft amongst others.

The Community Development officer of Padwot Sub-county Innocent Jawiambe detailed that,  The Sub-County every month registers more than 10 cases of Gender-based violence. Many cases remain unreported in the community.

He appealed for concerted efforts across the board to curb the vice in the community.

During the march to mark 16 days of activism against Gender-based violence that started at Kwiyu Village to Komkech Primary School, with the theme ” No gender-based violence” ” the Gender focal person for Kucwiny Integrated Food Security Project said, for the five-year project to be a success, families should exercise unity and understanding.

Ocaya Alfred, A farmer trainer from Kwikumi group in Mvura Parish also attested to the fact that many men have changed as a result of the extensive training on gender-based violence. Aside from sensitisation on gender-based violence, He said agricultural production has improved over time as families have been sensitized on effective agricultural skills and production.

” I can testify that many of my friends who were violent against their spouses have changed due to training from the gender champion. But on agriculture, we received training and under the project, we were provided with agricultural inputs like soya bean seeds, cassava cuttings, maize amongst others” Ocaya told the whispereye news.

The LC3 chairperson of Padwot Sub-county Denis Opio has commended The Diocese of Nebbi church of Uganda for the Project. He confirmed to whispereye news the real testimonies of men ”  washing utensils, washing women’s clothes, assisting women with kitchen work amongst other home chores that men used to abandon for women only”.

He added that the project that came into full force a year ago has boosted food security due to the existing unity and peace in homes and effective agronomic practices.

The KIFP Project adds to the list of  Other projects like OVT by Nebbi  Church of Uganda in Goli central Archdeaconry which is also having an impact on the community in areas of health, clean water, and employable skills amongst others.

According to the  Ugandan Ministry of Gender, about 200 people die annually in Uganda as a result of rampant Gender-based violence.