February 28, 2019
AVSI, FUNDED BY “GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN” THROUGH UNICEF, WORKS FOR VIOLENCE-FREE CHILDHOODS IN KYANGWALI AND OMUGO REFUGEE SETTLEMENTS
On February 4, Ayako Kaino, Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children Humanitarian Relief Specialist, Veronique Njo, UNICEF Protection Officer and Gaele Chojnowicz, UNHCR Child Protection Specialist, visited AVSI’s activities in Omugo Refugee Settlement, in the North of Uganda.
AVSI has a long history of partnership with UNICEF in the Acholi sub-region supporting the health sector to strengthen maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition and education.
Within the program Ending Violence Against Children (April 2018 to March 2019) in Kyangwali and Rhino Omugo Refugee Settlements, AVSI works to improve case management and access to protection and legal services through community-level protection structures; to provide a supportive family care environment, and to promote a safe environment in schools and in communities.
During the visit, Ayako Kaino and AVSI Country Representative John Makoha inaugurated a new art mural in one of the targeted schools of the project, St. Mary’s Ocia Primary School. The art mural shows what a school means to teachers, students and the community of Omugo: a safe and violence-free environment.
After the inauguration, Ayako met with students, teachers, and parents to hear their testimonials, like the story of John, a South Sudanese dad who thanks to the program no longer uses violence against his children.
"I used to beat my children," confessed John. "I was confident that the only way to teach them something was by using physical punishment, but I was wrong. Today my relationship with them has changed. My children don’t fear me anymore, and I enjoy spending time with them. I tell stories about our home and what we left there; I want them to be responsible because they are the future of our country."
