Hope Orphans Uganda is also addressing the problems faced by adolescent girls in early stages of their lives , By providing young girls and women with opportunities to succeed and thrive as leaders in their in their communities through holistic Education and economic empowerment
Many girls aren’t in education because schools are inaccessible or expensive, or simply because parents don’t see the value of education for their daughters, either because it is poor quality or not seen as relevant to their lives. With few alternatives available, parents often see marriage as the best option for their daughter.
Child marriage and early pregnancy can also force girls out of school. Girls tend to drop out before or shortly after marriage because their new role of wife often comes with new expectations around taking care of the home as well as caring for children and extended family.
Returning to school can be difficult too. Married girls who would like to continue schooling may be both practically and legally excluded from doing so.
Education can be one of the most powerful tools to enable girls to avoid child marriage and fulfill their potential. The longer a girl stays in school, the less likely she is to be married before the age of 18 and have children during her teenage years.
WHAT CAN YOU AND I DO?
Let us join forces and keep a GIRL child in school. When girls have access to safe, quality secondary education, the benefits are widely felt. Educated girls develop skills, knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions including if, when and whom to marry. Being in school also supports the perception that girls are still children and are therefore not of a suitable age to marry.
However, education alone is not enough to end child marriage. We also need to address the root cause of child marriage: gender inequality and the low value assigned to girls in society. Only then we will end the practice once and for all.
WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AFFECTING GIRLS
As an organization we have been able to introduce Sexual and Reproductive health programs in schools targeting the adolescent girls. Teaching them about their changing bodies, Love and Relationships, Peer pressures and how to make better choices. But above all we need them to stay in school and avoid teenage pregnancies. But to do that we need your love and support to be able to extend these programs to them and also teach them how to make their own sanitary towels which are reusable. This will help them gain their self-esteem in public and then they will know their worth.