Project back ground

Basajjansolo Memorial Training Centre (BMTC) is a project of Basajjansolo Community Development Association (BACODA), a community-based organisation founded and registered in 2003 to work for the plight of HIV/AIDS, disadvantaged orphans and vulnerable children through offering them basic education, life skills and career training. BMTC today offers education to 48 children aged 6 - 9 years.

Bamunanika Children's Centre (BCC) is a facility built to offer HIV/AIDS orphans interaction, moral building, psychosocial support and, above all, build their hope to live positively. Orphans live in their respective homes and only come to the centre on selected days for psychosocial support activities. The Centre was built by Bamunanika community with help from Plan Uganda. Currently, the Centre looks after 150 orphans.

BACODA, BCC and UPA continue to pursue a similar cause of improving the living conditions of orphans through emotional healing and psychosocial support to reduce their vulnerability. The need to organise a joint project and compliment each other in the struggle is therefore inevitable.

With the HIV/AIDS rate nationwide still at 6.5 - 7%, the burden of handling its consequences, particularly that of orphans, remains a huge challenge; many more orphans continue to become parents at a very tender age as low as 10 years, while others continue to live at the mercy of their helpless grandparents who often do not provide enough for a happy life of a growing child.

Faced with this desperate and miserable situation, many of the orphans lose hope hence increasing their vulnerability to social evils including drug abuse, rape, prostitution, under age marriage, child labour, gambling and others.

It is in this background that UPA, BACODA and Bamunanika Children's Centre are organizing this Children's workcamp.

The three week workcamp shall bring together 35 orphans aged 8 - 16 years and 15 volunteers in a series of psychosocial support activities for interaction and open discussion sessions to help the orphans wisely manage their lives.

Project objectives

• To sensitize children on their rights towards making informed decisions
• To build hope in HIV/AIDS and other disadvantaged orphans
• To sensitise 5,000 people in Luwero through forum theatre on the need to care for HIV/AIDS orphans as means to reduce Stigma and discrimination
• To offer HIV/AIDS, other disadvantaged orphans and vulnerable children opportunity to interact and share good practices
• To equip 25 orphans and representatives of civil society organizations with life skills

Expected results

• 5000 people in Luwero shall be sensitized on caring for HIV/AIDS orphans
• 25 orphans and representatives of organizations shall be equipped with life skills
• 2 HIV/AIDS orphans' clubs and 2 child rights advocacy groups shall be established

Activities

• Home visits to HIV/AIDS affected families and post AIDS clubs
• interaction with HIV/AIDS orphans through sports, games and theatre
• drawing and painting of pictures
• One-day competitive sports gala

• Life skills
• Body Changes
• Community Health Education
• Child rights and advocacy
• HIV/AIDS and STDs
• Facilitation skills

• The Children and participants will build a room for one selected HIV/AIDS affected family in Bamunanika

Cultural and educational visits

• Home visits to HIV/AIDS affected families
• Visits to health centers
• Visit post AIDS clubs
• Visit Bamunanika Kings Palace and Cotton Ginnery
• Kyampisi hill climbing.
• A cultural night will be organised for the different nationalities at the work camp

Who qualifies to participate

• 35 orphans and vulnerable children (10 - 16 yrs) shall be selected from Bamunanika Children's Centre, Basajjansolo Memorial Training Centre and Kikooba Infant School and 15 volunteers from UPA and International volunteers
• One with Positive attitude, willing to interact easily.
• Willing to take up tasks as peer educators
• Ambition to help HIV/AIDS orphans and affected families
• Ability to Adopt and enjoy living in simple conditions.
• Willing to taste a variety of local foods and rural accommodation
• No expertise/skills required

Location

Health services

the host community

The project location is in an area with predominantly people from the Baganda tribe who speak Luganda, a good number of them is fluent in English.

The work camp shall draw participating children from the orphans and vulnerable children from Bamunanika Childrens' Centre, Basajjansolo Memorial Training Centre and Kikooba Infant School and volunteers from Uganda Pioneers' Association.

The local Community shall be involved in the project during the home visits, forum theatre outreaches and work camp participants' sports and games presentations to the general public. The debates and discussions shall too be open for participation of the local population.

It is hoped that the local community shall heavily benefit in the theatre presentations and discussions where topical issues on extending care to HIV/AIDS orphans shall be discussed.

Participation

A maximum of 50 participants is expected from the orphans, UPA and International volunteers. Participants are expected to be engaged in Games, sports, theatre, Drama, open group discussions and conduct community outreaches to the 6 villages in Bamunanika on HIV/AIDS orphans' care and HIV/AIDS.

Water Source

Climate

January is a dry season. It may at times be wet. Bringing a rain coat, rubber boots, warm cloth and umbrella in addition to your summer cloth will be advisable.

Accomodation

BCC shall provide two rooms for accommodation a kitchen, bathrooms and pit latrines. Participants shall be required to carry along own working cloth, sleeping mats, bags and mosquito nets.

Meals