Nancy, 19, is a peer educator at the refugee camp where she currently lives. She is supporting other girls affected by conflict to acquire income generating skills and improve their wellbeing.
Nancy has lived Adjumani district since 2016 when the war broke out in South Sudan, forcing her and her uncle to seek refugee in Uganda. “Since the war started in 2016, I have lived in the camp, and I don’t want to leave since I know my rights to fair treatment, food, play, education, and health care.” Nancy shares.
Nancy participated in the first cohort of a skills programme where she received training and learned about several different topics. These included adolescent life skills, business training, financial management and savings and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
“I was trained in making liquid soap, bar soap and smearing jelly. In addition, I received startup materials,” explains Nancy.
She says that during the Covid-19 lockdown many young girls got pregnant, and others were married off early. “The mentors at the skills programme advised us against early marriages and that’s how I have managed to stay focused in school,”
“During the menstrual hygiene sessions, we learned how to take care of our bodies, how to manage our menstrual cycles and to support fellow girls to manage their periods,” Nancy adds.
Nancy starts her business to pay school fees
Nancy is determined to pursue and complete her education. Nancy says there was a time when her uncle was struggling to pay her school fees, and she nearly dropped out of school.
Nancy learnt from her uncle’s wife how to bake. Nancy has used these skills in breadmaking to start a small business selling what she bakes and using the profits to pay her school fees.
Putting to use what she learnt about finances and savings, Nancy and other girls from her skills programme that live in her settlement and the neighbouring community, have formed a savings group with 15 members. Nancy says, “We have been saving UGX5,000 per week for the past three years. I secured a loan of UGX100,000, which I used to purchase flour to launch my baking business.”
She has also been instrumental in helping other girls and young women at the camp to begin their own journeys to financial and economic independence. “I have also been able to teach 10 young people how to bake and to start their own businesses.”
“I have been able to teach 10 young people how to bake and to start their own businesses.”
Nancy
Nancy becomes a peer educator
As Nancy’s skills and knowledge grew, so did her self-awareness. ”I began to value myself, I learned more about my rights and developed confidence which helped me to become a peer educator.” She says. As part of her role, Nancy assists fellow girls and young people to acquire life skills, problem solving, menstrual hygiene management, promote human rights, love, respect for others, avoiding early marriages and to value and complete education.
Nancy advocates for more male involvement in these programmes so boys can successfully influence change in their male circles.
Nancy participated in the Girls in Crisis programme. Initiated in 2019, the programme is aimed at ensuring that adolescent girls (10 to 19 years old) and young mothers (14 to 24 years old) have opportunities to realise their rights and be protected from child marriage. Plan International has to date reached over 6000 adolescents, young mothers and young people through integrated community outreaches and a buddy system.
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