Children's clubs through singing and playing educate others on the problems that boys and girls suffer in their communities

Sponsored children: Around  9,500

Plan runs projects in the areas of child rights, health and sanitation, and education. Gender discrimination in education is a big problem in Sokode, with only 17% of girls attending school. Many girls are forced to stay at home to tend to chores or simply because their parents or religious leaders do not see girls’ education as necessary or worthwhile.

Programme highlights

Hygiene in schools

Plan has helped communities set up school health clubs, where we train children about maintaining basic personal and food hygiene. This gives them the ability to raise awareness amongst their peers, family and community members and spread the message of safe hygiene.

Kagniga, a school teacher and facilitator at the school health club in Oudjimboi, said: “Children often felt sick and missed their classes, but thanks to awareness raising on deworming and the construction of latrines, urinals with hand washing facilities, rubbish bins and bore holes, children are now healthy and can go to school regularly.”

Promoting education

Plan has equipped around 20 villages with playgrounds to give children a safe environment to play in and encourage physical and mental development.

We have also organised awareness raising sessions about the importance of girls’ education. We especially target religious leaders to encourage them to send all their children to school.

Plan has also helped communities build and furnish new classroom blocks and has also provided learning materials. Community members supplied gravel, water and a work force so that their children can continue learning no matter what the weather conditions are.

Children’s clubs

With the support of Plan, children in the area have formed clubs to learn and raise awareness about their rights and responsibilities. They use activities such as theatre, singing, poetry and girls’ leadership through football to educate others on the problems that boys and girls suffer in their communities.

Bobana, the vice-president of one of the area’s village development committees, said: “Since our school was established, we have never had such a large number of girls. This is our main project and it has emphasised the equal rights boys and girls have to education.”

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