Children are silent victims to many forms of abuse and it is everybody’s duty to hold perpetrators accountable.
Archive for February, 2011
The Plight of Children and our responsibility
February 4th, 2011A RADIO SOAP OPERA, HERE TO INFORM AND ENTERTAIN…
February 4th, 2011In her efforts to achieve gender equality Atuki Turner has written articles, defended women in court, petitioned the constitutional court, given public addresses, participated in demonstrations and campaigns. These efforts have won her both local and international awards and recognition.
In yet a new project to try and address gender and social issues, Atuki has embarked on an information packed and humor filled Radio Soap Opera called MAKO-MERE.
MAKO-MERE which lightly translates as ‘Making Friends’ was cast on location in an imaginary village, Awendo with local cast. The audience will relate with one or two characters and the issues the soap is address affect every Ugandan. MAKO-MERE is targeted towards creating behavioural change. The soap will hit national radio airwaves soon and will not only keep the audience glued to their Radio sets but also leave them laughing.
The scripts for MAKO-MERE were written by Ugandan writers guided by international Award Winning Novelist, Short stories and Playwright, Professor Jane Rogers and the casting by renown editor Clive Brill and Atuki Turner.
MAKO-MERE will make you see life in a different perspective and you will soon start making friends.
Men against violence
February 4th, 2011Started 6 months ago, the impact of the vibrant men’s movement of MIFUMI is being felt across rural eastern Uganda District of Tororo. Men flock the community meetings and testify of their transformed lives and relationships with their spouses.
MIFUMI Vibrant Men’s Movement which also goes by the name Movement Building Men (MBM) has transformed hundreds of lives of men winning up to 240 committed members.
In a conversation with Paul* a former perpetrator of domestic violence, he tried to place his reasons for abusing his wife and what it feels like to today;
‘It is like being born again, I do not know why I was beating my wife… probably because it felt good to show my superiority over her. I did not know that she would hurt and that she had real feelings.
I was raised to believe that if you showed a woman too much love and did not rebuke, scold and beat her regularly, she would stop respecting you…thinking back now, honestly…sometimes I beat her for nothing.’
Speaking to Emmanuel Ochwo, field officer for the movement, he said
‘..Paul is one in the hundreds who are slowly getting on the road to reform.
When we go out to the field occasionally with Paul, his message on abuse has touched hundreds of men whose believes are still shaped around his. ‘
There are men like Paul, who in the bigger picture feel they are not to blame for their actions which are most times shaped by our customs, beliefs and culture. But in this group, there are those who are willing to change.
According to Oguti Athanasius the head MBM, the impact of this project to the community has been double-fold.
Men are readily accessing the counselling services available to them and freely sharing their relationship challenges and fears.
