Stigma keeps breastfeeding girls in Bududa out of school
Many school going-age girls were impregnated during Covid-19.
What you need to know:
- 4.5 m: Learners who are not likely to go back to school due to teenage pregnancies, early marriages or child labour as a result of the pandemic, according to National Planning Authority.
Many pregnant or lactating learners in Bududa District have not returned to school due to fear of stigmatisation and discrimination, a survey shows.
Ms Annet Zaale Champney, the founder of Pathways Development Initiative (PDI), a community-based organisation, said their survey found that many girls, who had delivered during the lockdown, had not returned to school due to various reasons, including lack of fees.
“Many have stayed away from school due to stigma, but also lack fees. That is why we have decided to support some of them so that they resume studies,” she said.
Through its programme dubbed “Second Chance Education”, the organisation aims at ensuring that pregnant and breastfeeding girls return to school.
The government reopened schools on January 10 after two years of closure due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.
The Education ministry also directed schools to prioritise the admission of pregnant and breastfeeding girls.
One of the girls in Bududa, only known as Jessica, said she refused to go back to school because of fear of stigmatisation from pupils and teachers after giving birth in January.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) indicates that a total of 551,235 teenage pregnancies were registered between March 2020 and June 2021, representing 26.9 percent of the total teenage girls enrolled.
Daily Monitor investigations found out that many schools don’t have funds for special needs such as maternal nutrition and child care, which are essential for the smooth learning of the young mothers.
Ms Zaale said their organisation is also sensitising communities affected by the landslides about savings to increase household income and fight poverty.
“We have started a Sacco to encourage people to save and get loans,” she said.
The organisation has more than 130 Saccos in different parts of the district and about 5,000 families have benefited.
Ms Aidah Watsemwa, the head teacher of PDI preparatory school, said girl-child education needs collective effort.
“We have been able to get a pupil, who was impregnated and abandoned by her parents, to return to class,” she said.
