FAMILY STRENGTHENING PROGRAMME SUPPORTS CHILD RIGHTS CLUBS IN SCHOOLS

Being a child focused organisation, SOS Children's Villages cannot leave out issues pertaining to children’s rights in its operations. Sensitisation on these issues has always been a policy for co-workers and children within the project. This time round SOS Children's Villages Gulu through the Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) has embarked on a serious programme to sensitise pupils and their teachers on child rights and child protection in all schools where the FSP beneficiaries study. This has been deemed very important particularly in northern Uganda where most children have been most abused during the 20-year civil war and are still vulnerable to more abuse.

Since April, FSP social workers have helped to form child rights clubs in four schools. They gave out t-shirts and posters to the clubs, on top of carrying out sensitisation sessions for the club members. A comprehensive work plan that covers many areas of intervention was made, targeting both teachers and pupils in schools. This intervention will go a long way in helping many innocent children to become aware of their rights.