Safe transition from childhood to parenthood: A chance to better education.
The Luhwahwa Youth Development Foundation (LUYODEFO) provides support to marginalized communities across the Kasese district of western Uganda
About You
About You
First Name
Samuel
Last Name
Ndungo
Twitter URL
Facebook URL
About Your Organization
Organization Name
Luhwahwa Youth Development Foundation (LUYODEFO)
Organization Website
Organization Country
Uganda, KAS, Kampala
Country where this project is creating social impact
Uganda, KAS, Kampala
Is your organization a
Non‐profit / NGO / Citizen sector organization
Your role in Education
Social Worker.
The type of school(s) your solution is affiliated with
Public (tuition-free)
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
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Innovation
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
How long has your solution been in operation?
Operating for less than a year
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
Menstruation is a silent issue; half of adolescent girls consider it a disease and don't know how to deal with it. The lack of proper information and products lead to girls dropping out of school early as they have no opportunities to maintain their hygiene during menstrual periods, miss lessons and fall behind. UNICEF estimates that 10 percent menstruating girls skip school 4-5 days a month or completely drop-out, At home or school, parents, guardians and teachers are often not comfortable or not willing to explain these issues to children and the school science curriculum is not designed to address these issues. Other issues leading to drop-out are child abuse, and gender violence.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The project will operate in 4 schools creating awareness on puberty, sexuality, early parenthood, child rights, gender based violence, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS, coupled with distributing sanitary pads, and counseling will increase retention and increase chances for girls’ academic success. Conduct health education for teenagers, parents and teachers to learn to recognize and appropriately respond to the needs and rights of children. Awareness through media, working with stakeholder develop materials to educate the children on general health, preventative health measures, infectious diseases, and conduct outreach aimed at reducing the stigma of menstruation and increasing understanding of how to use sanitary pads. By engaging children, teacher and parents on talking about menstruation, the girls will develop self-esteem. Girls keep will in school during period, encourage parents to discus with their children their special needs, and finish school.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
The project starts with meetings bringing children, parents and teachers together to discus the silent issues affecting girl child education. These will be followed by sensitizing teachers and pupils on puberty, menstrual health, child rights, sexuality, emotional safety, counselling, provision of sanitary pads; as peer educators are identified. The peer educators will be trained on project interventions and feedback skills, and plans designed for awareness and outreach. School hubs will be created and trained on project developing girls’ self-esteem, and peer educators’ network formed. All students, teachers and parents involved in mass awareness, and weekly sessions arranged for teenagers to recognize and appropriately respond to violence and special needs of other children. Home visits conducted to help teachers engage parents in leading to socio-academic success for their children. There are also special projects that serve to reinforce the safe transition from childhood to parenthood, by giving a chance to an education such as supporting education through providing school supplies; and the mobile library to bring books and children together in schools with no access to reading materials.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
The some of our work is often completely new to the community, and there are no peers and competitors in schools and rural setting. The organizations working on violence and HIV/AIDS only give general information - not dealing with issues related to biology and reality of life. The shop-keepers sell disposable feminist sanitary products and do not give customer information about sexuality, menstrual health, STIs/STDs. Our project is unique by combining mass awareness, counselling and pad distribution; and initiating conversation between teachers, children, and parents. There is resistance from some people who perceive advocating for menstrual health and child rights as against cultural norms. Also teachers feel the project give them additional tasks not part traditionally assigned to them
Now that you have thought out your entry, help us pitch it.
Define your company, program, service, or product in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
LUYODEFO is non-profit, non-government organization engaged in community development service projects in Kasese Distrcit, west Uganda.
Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
Creating awareness through media and conducting outreach in schools to reduce the stigma of menstruation, and other social linked issues
Social Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
We have so far piloted this project in 4 primary schools, benefiting over 400 pupils through health education and directly supplying 220 pads to 220 girls. It has been reported that the rate of absenteeism of the girls receiving these pads has reduced, and their performance improved. Further impact has been our approach that incorporates traditionally silent issues in school chores (delivery) to children growing into adults (parents) and responsible citizens – breaking the silence surrounding these issues.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
We want to increase the numbers of pupils being supported in the 4 schools we are already working with, and also roll the project to new schools. We would like to work in 10 schools atleast supplying pads to 200 girls in each school, hence 2000 annually. We intend to train in each school as peer educators, establish school clubs (school “hubs”), and build peer educators’ network to promote the project in the community. We want to begin making our own pads so that we gradual phase-out purchased pads and phase-in locally produced pads to sustain this initiative. We also plan to create girl friendly school environment by building changing rooms and wash-rooms, as well as having emergency uniforms at partner schools, to reduce risks associated with spotting for girls at menses.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Bring together teacher, parents and children in discussing silent issues affecting children’s rights with respect to education
Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your six-month milestone
Task 1
Organise meetings in 4 schools for parent, children and teacher as a platform to jointly discus project interventions.
Task 2
Organise peer educators’ trainings – these will be selected among student leaders, senior women teachers and among women leaders
Task 3
Conduct outreaches in the 4 primary schools, offering health education, distributing sanitary pads, and counselling.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
A platform for teenagers to participate in issues affecting them, create awareness on their rights, and share information
Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your 12-month milestone
Task 1
Train 4 groups of teenagers, 1 from each school, focusing on a combined media of information delivery within and outside schools
Task 2
Form peer educators’ network, and work with stakeholder to develop materials for use when conducting information sessions
Task 3
Establish relationship with other NGOs/CBOs/FBOs, politicians, local governments, churches, and entrepreneurs to support project
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world [125 words]
In 1998, i dropped out of school due to peer pressure, just as a result of lack of counselling. I re-joined in 1999, and then thought to call up a youth meet to explore ideas for joining together for shared thinking, constructive ideas, etc. Many youth turned up but some of those with better background, education, etc said i wanted to mislead them off their goals – only few joined my call for action, leading to the forming of our organisation in 2000. Today, upon seeing the role our organisation plays in community development, most of those who rejected the ideas have always come out to say “you see, had good dreams”. Seeing the community as a “typical extended family”, i believe, teaching empathy is a process like one that has lead to our simple actions that have a huge impact.
Sustainability
Tell us about your partnerships
Afri-pads (U) Limited offers “back to school program” where we buy pads at 50% price discount. We are a member of Paper for All Network, whose focus is to provide education and improve children's learning conditions, by supplying academic resources and tutoring, as well as helping to put in touch organisations and donors. We are a member of the Steve Sinnott Foundation, which aims to connect organisers of projects aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals for education to each other, to donors, to teachers and educators around. A member of Kasese District Development Network
What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]
A combination of executive board, staff/volunteers, school leadership, senior women teachers, peer educators’ network, relevant local and opinion leaders. LUYODEFO executive board is made up of committed members, who work together with staff/ volunteers. Ndungo Samuel is the Director of LUYODEFO, and leads the implementation team of programs at the organisation. LUYODEFO will closely work with an array of stakeholders including the Kasese district local government and health centres. These will help evaluate the project
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
LUYODEFO seeks to expand its work to a wider community. We open to any individual, organization, and or institution interested in the potential of being involved with our work in some capacity. We would be proud to become a member of any other network or program with similar activities/programs.
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 | 11 weeks agoSamuel Ndungo said: Thanks Dara for your interest and taking time reading my project. I appreciate your encouragement, action will be taken. about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 11 weeks agoDara Feldman said: This is an empowering project for young women and can see how it can make a significant difference in the physical and mental well being ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 13 weeks agoSamuel Ndungo updated this Competition Entry. |
| 17 weeks agoSamuel Ndungo updated this Competition Entry. |
| 17 weeks agoSamuel Ndungo submitted this idea. |
