New Vision Wednesday, 13th July, 2011
BY MOSES NAMPALA
The Nabagereka of Buganda, Sylivia Nagginda, has expressed worry over the increasing cases of defilement in society, saying the vice causes adverse social effects.
“Defilement, especially in rural areas, has left the victims traumatised, pregnant and forces them to drop out of school,” she said.
Nagginda said because of the big number of girls who drop out of school, society is being denied a formidable force of human resource.
“Society must go a long way in protecting girls because among those who drop out of school could be future lawyers and doctors,” Nagginda said.
She made the remarks on Monday while addressing young mothers at Kirewa sub-county headquarters in Tororo district.
Nagginda was being hosted by MIFUMI, a women and children rights advocacy non-governmental organisation, based in Tororo.
She commissioned a programme initiated two years ago in over 15 primary and secondary schools in Tororo by MIFUMI.
The project aims at empowering girls with basic skills in martial arts to enable them defend themselves against defilers.
Nagginda also visited Mifumi primary school and Mifumi Hospital in Kirewa sub-county, which were constructed and are supported by the organisation.
At Mifumi Hospital, she immunised five babies born to girls who conceived after being defiled.
The director of MIFUMI, Atuki Turner, said the decision to give the girls martial arts skills was reached after realising that 80% of girls in rural areas drop out of school due to early pregnancies as a result of defilement.
“Girls have become vulnerable because male youth think they are physically weak,” explained Turner.
The organisation has also extended support to victims of defilement.
Turner explained that often when the victims drop out of school, they are helpless and live in misery, trauma and rejection.
She said it is against this background that MIFUMI has offered to empower young mothers with skills in tailoring, modern farming as well as providing them with interest-free loans.
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