I am heading to Uganda on June 17th, my 24th visit in over 14 years.
This visit’s focus will be on human rights specifically girls/women human rights. Traditional customs are deeply ingrained in the parents and elders of Bakka. The Kisoboka team must be lovingly convincing to leaders parents and guardians of the need to change while empowering the students to understand and defend their human rights and lead the charge for change!
The focus of many meetings will be on girl child protection, educating and empowering mothers and guardians to stop enforcing so many outdated customs/rituals on their daughters. The mothers fear what their husbands, fathers, and spirits will do if they stop a tradition/ritual. Change is terrifying for women in a community where wives and children are often considered to be the husband/father’s property.
We will be holding two information sessions during the week. Providing information and answering any questions. We will be providing reusable sanitary pads and underwear to all the women and girls that attend our educational training sessions! We will also offer confidential HIV testing.
We are planning on meeting with the village leaders to present the same need for change and have discussions with them. We will also present the process identified in the article Christianity Today Drums of the Witch Demise. sound alarms, village drumming when a child goes missing, and identify witchdoctors that still use inhumane practices in their rituals.
These are all tough conversations and meetings, many parents and community leaders are practicing witch doctors. Please keep the meetings and us in your prayers!.