In the heart of rural Uganda, where traditional livelihoods often struggle to keep pace with the modern world, a quiet revolution is underway. It’s a revolution powered by technology – Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to be precise. And it’s transforming the lives of women and children, offering them a pathway out of poverty and towards a brighter future.

Why ICT is a Game Changer:

• Access to Information: ICT provides a window to the world, offering women and children access to educational resources, health information, market prices, and news. This knowledge is power, enabling them to make informed decisions about their lives.
• Economic Opportunities: With ICT skills, women can start online businesses, sell their crafts globally, and participate in the digital economy. Children can gain the skills needed for future employment in a variety of sectors.
• Education: Online learning platforms and educational apps open up a world of learning opportunities, even in the most remote areas. This can be particularly impactful for girls who may face barriers to attending traditional schools.
• Voice and Advocacy: ICT gives women and children a platform to share their stories, advocate for their rights, and connect with others facing similar challenges. This can lead to increased community engagement and social change.

Our Commitment to ICT Empowerment:

At Peca Uganda Foundation, we recognize the transformative power of ICT. That’s why we’re dedicated to equipping women and children in rural Uganda with the skills and resources they need to thrive in the digital age. Our programs focus on:

• Digital Literacy Training: We plan to offer hands-on training in basic computer skills, internet usage, and the use of mobile applications.
• Computer Labs and Internet Access: We plan to establish community computer labs and provide reliable internet access, creating safe spaces for learning and exploration.
• Entrepreneurship and Skills Development: We have a plan to support women in starting and growing their own businesses online, and help children develop valuable ICT skills for future employment.
• Mentorship and Support: We plan to connect women and children with mentors who can offer guidance, encouragement, and support on their ICT journeys.

Join Us in the ICT Revolution:

Together, we can empower the women and children of rural Uganda to break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for themselves, their families, and their communities.

• Donate: Your financial contributions directly support our ICT programs and make a real difference in the lives of those we serve.
• Volunteer: Share your ICT expertise as a trainer, mentor, or advocate.
• Spread the Word: Help us raise awareness about the power of ICT to transform lives in rural Uganda.

Together, we can harness the power of technology to create a more equitable and prosperous future for all.

Let’s make ICT a catalyst for positive change in rural Uganda.

Iganga District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Iganga is the site of the district headquarters.
Location

Iganga District is bordered by Kaliro District to the north, Namutumba District to the northeast, Bugweri District to the east, Mayuge District to the south, Jinja District to the southwest, and Luuka District to the west. The district headquarters at Iganga are located approximately 44 kilometres (27 mi), by road, northeast of Jinja, the largest city in the Busoga sub-region.
Population

In 1991, the national population census estimated the district population at about 235,300. The 2002 national census estimated the population of the district at about 335,500. The annual population growth rate in the district was estimated at 3.5%. In 2012, the population of Iganga District was estimated at approximately 499,600.

School absenteeism is one of the main areas that affects many government aided schools in Uganda. However, considering recent findings, Menstruation is the one of the causes of absenteeism amongst girls in rural Universal Primary Education(UPE) schools.

Lack of Sanitary Pads for girls often leads to drop out of school because of lack of personal care products, which keeps them at home for some time every month. This makes them lag behind in academics and most of them eventual drop out.

Similarly, inadequate information on menstrual hygiene and reproductive health rights and responsibilities leads to early pregnancy resulting stigma eventually contributing to school dropout.

As a way of intervening, PECA, together with our funding partners introduced an initiative of distributing reusable sanitary pads, at the beginning of term 1 in January 2018 targeting girls in four primary schools in the rural district of Luuka in eastern Uganda that is Kiroba primary school, Tabingwa primary school, Kamwirungu primary school and Namukubembe primary school. The initiative was aimed at distributing free reusable sanitary pads to girls from primary four (4) to primary seven (7) in these schools.

In this initiative, PECA, together with the funding partners, introduced distribution of reusable sanitary pads for the girls in the classes mentioned above, in the government schools where we work. We realized that it is not enough to distribute the pads alone, it is also important to educate the girls about menstrual hygiene and sexual reproductive health right.

For every pad distribution activity that we carry out, the girls are educated about menstrual hygiene. This includes ways in which they can keep themselves clean during their period, e.g by bathing as often as they can, changing their pad in time, washing their panties and reusable sanitary towels, and ways of keeping away body odor using the local methods around them.

In the recent years, we realized that distributing the pads is not really sustainable because it is not something we can do for them their whole lives. We introduced workshops where we can teach them how to make these pads on their own. The parents are also invited during these sessions so that they can learn how to make these sanitary pads using the locally available materials in the market not only for themselves but also for their other children. The parents and learners noted some advantages of the pads and learning how to make the pads, here below:

• The materials are readily available on the local market and therefore convenient for them to make.
• It saves them money of buying monthly disposable pads.
• It could be a source of income for them: when they learn, they can make many and sell to others in their communities.
• The children can easily learn and take care of themselves whenever there is need for the sanitary pads.
• It is a sustainable way because now that they learn how to make the pads, they do not have to wait for the distribution drives to access the reusable sanitary pads.
• The sanitary pads are easy to use and wash, and offer maximum protection
• The pads are environmentally friendly and last for a longer time(reusable)
• The pads are comfortable and don’t allow moisture build up.

With the above advantages noted, the workshops have become part of the distribution sessions in every school where we work and the results are satisfactory. In some of the schools, the boys were also included in these sessions so that they can learn because they are classmates to the girls, have sisters, and are future fathers and this knowledge is very important to them to them as well.

These topics on menstrual hygiene and sexual reproductive health rights are also handled with the students in the weekly programs named girl talks and focus group discussions. These are sessions that take place between the students with our social workers to see that they are educated about the different issues that affect them and how they can be addressed.

This initiative has enabled us tackle one aspect that affects girl’s attendance in schools, which is menstruation (in particular lack of the necessary padding during menstruation, so they stay at home during that time of the month and miss out on learning)

As PECA, we can only do as much as the available resources can allow but there is still a lot to be done in the schools and out in the communities so that this knowledge is availed to as many people as possible.

The renovated latrines include washrooms where girls can change their sanitary pads during menstruation periods and are user friendly to the people with disabilities. This means that there is more privacy for the girls and they do not need to stay at home during that time of the month when they are menstruating.

Improving these facilities also gives confidence to the girl child that her needs are carefully considered while at school and is encouraged to keep going to school. It also improves and promotes health among the students since these WASH facilities are equipped with good water systems and therefore they are easily cleaned whenever it is required and the children wash their hands without having to walk to far water sources.

Furthermore, this gives the parents confidence to take their children to the schools where they know their children’s welfare in terms of WASH facilities is well taken care of. The outcome of all this is a community full of enthusiastic children and parents with a heart for education.

Therefore, as the government seeks to improve on the enrollment in schools, WASH is a good way to start and it definitely has had a great impact on the communities especially the children in the places where we have reached and implemented it.