Straight Talk Foundation Annual Report, 2008

I

n 2008 Straight Talk Foundation (STF) produced over 8 million newspapers and 4,000 half-hour radio shows for adolescents and adults. It reached over 180,000 young people and parents through its face-to-face work. STF’s materials are the main and often only source of affirming, values-based and scientificallyaccurate information on HIV, sexuality and growing up in most Ugandan communities. STF sends its materials to 18,000 schools, 1,700 health centres and 1,100 churches and mosques, and 1600 CBOs. It also works with 450 NGOs.

L A U ANN T

R O P RE 2008

Report Design: Michael eB. Kalanzi

STF creates “conversations” to address the drivers of HIV epidemic and bring about social change.

In 2008 STF had 63 staff and interns in its head office in Kampala. However, with teams constantly traveling upcountry, it was never possible to get them all together. The above photo was taken in December 2008 as the year wound up. In total STF has 124 staff across Uganda.

Plot 4 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, P.O. Box 22366 Kampala, Uganda, Tel: (256 31) 262030, 262031, Fax: (256 41) 534858, Email: [email protected], Website: www.straight-talk.or.ug, General Scribd site: http://www.pdfcoke.com/Straight%20Talk%20Foundation

Communication for Social Change

is a Ugandan NGO, set up in 1997. It grew out of a teen newspaper, Straight Talk, which was started

Communication for Social change. Its main focus is preventing HIV in ADOLescents. in 1993. Today it practises

STF takes a

Family-centred and life cycle

approach and follows a sexual health promotion model. It increasingly works with

Parents.

Parents who are present and who have a good relationship with their adolescents are

protectors.

Super-

STF also supports parents to

have their own safer and healthy sexual lives. Respecting the primacy of mother tongue languages, in 2008 STF worked in

Finally, STF is not “messaging” to change people. Instead it practices communication for social change: it encourages critical thinking and dialogue to help people define who they are, what they need and how to move forward to a safer future.

Finally, to have impact on the larger community and political context, STF holds community fairs and advocacy meetings and sends its papers to MPs, district leaders and other opinionmakers. Health units, faith groups and CBOs operate at this level and are influenced by and are key outlets for STF materials.

STRAIGHT TALK FOUNDATION

14

languages. STF’s communication channels are Radio, print and face-to-face. STF’s is concerned for the well-being of all adolescents and their families. However, it is particularly concerned about most-at-

Girls and adolescents living in conflict. risk adolescents, especially

STF Board of Directors

Board chair: Aggrey Kibenge, Principal Asst Sec., Ministry of Educ. & Sports Rev Gideon Byamugisha, Christian Aid

Justina Kihika, Freelance Consultant Oliva Muhumuza, Headteacher, Railway Children’s Primary School Charles Odere, Advocate, Lex Uganda Dorothy Oulanyah, HIV specialist/OVC/Prevention, UNICEF Hon Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, Member of Parliament Catharine Watson, Executive Director, STF, Ex-oficio

Aggrey Kibenge

A Fiedler

F Kaharuza

C Odere

Rev Byamugisha

J Kihika

O Muhumuza

At the next layer, STF addresses parents and teachers: the most important adults in the lives of adolescents. For them, STF produces Parent Talk radio and Teacher Talk newspaper. It also conducts faceto-face work in schools and communities.

Dr Frank Kaharuza, Director, Research, CDC/UVRI

STF follows an “ecological model,” addressing individuals in their environment with interventions at all the layers of influence around the individual. The adolescent is at the core of the model, under the first arch of the rainbow, benefitting from youth newspapers, radio shows and face-to-face work.

Anne Akia Fiedler, Chief of Party, ACE

Early sex and education:

In Uganda early sex is prejudicial to the education of both boys and girls. Boys who start sex while still in primary school are 1.5 times more likely not to complete secondary school than their peers who have not started sex. Girls who have sex after completing primary school are two times more likely not to proceed to secondary school than peers who are still virgins. They are also nearly two times as likely to leave secondary school before completing. Biddlecom, AE., R Gregory, B Mensch and CLloyd. 2008. “Associations between Premarital Sex and Leaving School in Four Sub-Saharan African Countries.” Studies in Family Planning 12(4):337-350

Impact:

Girls and boys who are exposed to STF materials are more likely to talk to their parents about body changes and growing up than those who are not exposed. (Population Council, 2007)

Table of Contents Message from the Director 2 PRINT 3 Letter analysis 8-9 ST & YT at a glance 10 Distribution 12 TREE TALK & FARM TALK 13 STF CONCEPTUAL THINKING 16 RADIO 17 Youth journalist profile 21 Map: ST youth radio shows 22 Radio topics 23 Radio partnerships 26 FACE-TO-FACE 27 Outreach and training 28 Gulu Youth Centre 32 Kitgum Youth Centre 34 SPECIAL PROJECTS/EVENTS 35 VOLUNTEERS & INTERNS 36 MONITORING & EVALUATION 37 FINANCE AND ADMIN 38-40

Abbreviations ABC ARVs ASRH CBO DHS FAO FGD GYC HCT IDI IDP KYC LRA MoES NGO OVC PEP PEPFAR PMTCT PSI 4Rs SGBV SRH STD STF UGX UHSBS VCT WFP

Abstain, Be faithful, Condom use Anti-Retrovirals Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Community-based Organization Demographic and Health Survey Food and Agricultural Organisation Focus group discussion Gulu Youth Centre HIV counselling and testing In-depth interview Internally Displaced Person Kitgum Youth Centre Lord’s Resistance Army Ministry of Education and Sports Non-governmental organisation Orphans and vulnerable children Post-exposure prophylaxis President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief Prevention of mother-to-child transmission Population Services International Runyankole/Rukiga/Rutoro/Runyoro Sexual and gender-based violence Sexual and Reproductive Health Sexually Transmitted Disease Straight Talk Foundation Uganda shillings Uganda HIV/AIDS Sero-behavioural Survey Voluntary Counseling and Testing for HIV World Food Programme

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT II

Message from the Executive Director

I

n 2008, STF celebrated 15 years of working to keep adolescents safe. We had a cake and showed our staff, some of whom were aged just four in 1993, copies of early Straight Talks. As I waved the yellowing newspapers, it was hard to resist shouting: “We didn’t have a single vehicle then, and we hadn’t heard of per diems!” Back at my desk, an email came through: “Hi, I am Jonathan, a Straight Talk volunteer. I congratulate you for the 15 years... but perhaps you do not know what Straight Talk has done for people like me. I first read it in 1995. We called it ‘the newspaper that shows girls’ vaginas’. My Mum gave it to me, and it has helped me stay strong.” I laughed but I was also moved: working for adolescents is a privilege. For supporting STF in 2008, we thank the Civil Society Fund, Danida, Dfid, Irish Aid and USAID. We also thank SIDA whose funds kept Kitgum Youth Centre open in 2008. We recognise with gratitude Cordaid, Unicef, MAIA and other partners. We have used their monies well. In 2008 our staff met face-to-face with over 200,000 youth, parents and teachers. We also reached 687,000 secondary students with Straight Talk and about one million pupils with Young Talk. We estimate that seven million 10-24 year olds and five million adults listened to our radio shows. This is considerable value for $3 million a year. In 2008 our work was singled out as world class. In The Lancet on HIV prevention in August 2008, STF was one of very few NGOs mentioned by name. In a section on “educating young people frankly about sex”, Dr Peter Piot of UNAIDS wrote: “HIV/AIDS budgets should support campaigns... designed to reach young people (such as) Uganda’s “straight talk”. However, most affirming in 2008 was our midII STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

term review of our 2006-10 Strategic Plan. I had worried that youth would say that we were monotonous. After all, we have talked about sex, love and HIV for 15 years. But far from finding us dull, adolescents and adults were fulsome in their praise. “STF materials are like our Bible. They guide us on right messaging” said one CBO leader. “I get information from Young Talk,” said a girl, 15. “When I get it I call my friends to discuss how to solve our problems.” There is a new sexual generation every five years so perhaps such findings were not surprising. Nevertheless, we were bolstered by them and feel surer than ever of the robustness of our approach. Our model entails rich and complex but not complicated conversations. We work in many languages through print, radio and face-to-face. Constant feedback keeps us smart and in touch. At the 2008 XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico, Dr David Wilson of the World Bank said that to roll back HIV, we must: “Do the right thing, do it right, and do enough of it.” STF does the right thing. And we mostly do it right. But we do not do enough of it. There are linguistic groups as yet unreached, most-at-risk-adolescents who are under-reached, and entire conversations that we have not yet had: e.g., how should an adolescent in a polygamous union manage sex? With five new HIV infections for every one person going on ARVs, we have to do more of the right thing, do it right and do it fast. This report provides “thick” description of what we do. Communication for social change and preventing HIV are not simple. We have to stay sex positive in the face of tragedy and affirm peoples’ lives while wanting them to change. This report describes how we make our way through those conundra. Thank you for reading it. Catharine Watson - Executive Director

A young woman in Katakwi clasps a copy of Straight Talk in Ateso, the language of northeast Uganda. She also holds an STF prize, a basin. Local language Straight Talks are for young people who are out-of-school. Because marriage follows departure from school very closely for most girls, these papers cover family planning and PMTCT. For boys there is a particular stress on reducing numbers of sexual partners and eschewing intimate partner violence.

print

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT II

S

TF has its roots in print, having grown out of a newspaper, Straight Talk, which was started in October 1993. “Print” remains STF’s public face. Excluding salaries, in 2008 STF spent about $375,320 (UGX 715 million) or 11% of its total budget on newspapers; excluding salaries, 85% went on printing the papers. Although STF now spends more than twice as much on radio as it does on print, its newspapers are its record -- what is passed from hand to hand and finally used to wrap books. In 2008 STF’s newspapers focused on responding to readers’ needs, never fobbing them off with glib or half-baked statements. This effort brought rewards. Letters more than doubled to Straight Talk and Young Talk, STF’s flagship papers. Both newspapers are four-paged and full colour. Together they cost $207,000 (UGX 394 million) a year, excluding salaries. Straight Talk is designed for older adolescents and young adults who can read. Uganda has 5.1 million 15 to 24 year olds, of whom about 30% can read English. If 13 and 14 year olds in lower secondary are included, Straight Talk has over 1.5 million potential readers, including 955,000 secondary students, 50,000 vocational students, and several hundred thousand young people who have left secondary school before completing.

Immersed: primary pupils in Moroto read a Young Talk on defilement. This issue took considerable delicacy. STF journalists worried that the cartoon of a man seizing a girl might be salacious. A balance was struck. The cartoon was used but the girl’s thigh was covered.

Newspaper/print material

Issues

Print run

Copies/2008

Calendar (ST and YT)

2

230,000

460,000

Straight Talk

10

250,000-300,000

2,700,000

Straight Talk in local languages

-

-

- -

Young Talk

10

330,000-430,000

3,700,000

Farm Talk

3

160,000

480,000

Tree Talk

1

250,000

250,000

Straight Talk Sudan

-

-

-

EHM English

1

300,000

300,000

Teacher Talk

2

300,000

600,000

Scouts Voice (Kenya)

2

60,000

120,000

Scouts Voice (Uganda)

2

50,000

100,000

TOTAL publications

35

II STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

8,700,000

In 2008 each secondary school received 30 Straight Talk copies a month, one copy for every 13 to 19 students, depending on school size. Young Talk is for young adolescents in primary school. Uganda has 4.8 million 10 to 14 year olds, over 80% of whom attend school. Each school received 28 Young Talks a month in 2008, one for every 11 pupils. In 2008 STF surveyed all primary and secondary schools by post. Of the 2327 primary schools that responded, 81% had received a copy of Young Talk. Distance from Kampala is not a factor: 96% of schools that responded from far away Moyo and Busia had received the paper compared to 65% of schools from nearby Mpigi. A total of 720 secondary schools responded out of 3083 surveyed: 83% had received Straight Talk in 2008; 32% said they had received all nine issues; 59% had received more than five. With largely in-school readerships, both papers are age-appropriate. Straight Talk recognizes that its readers may be falling in love or desiring sex, and so it provides comprehensive sexuality education, covering, for example, condoms, family planning and love relationships. Young Talk supports young adolescents to stay in school, understand body changes, grow their life skills and manage difficult life circumstances, like loss of parents, living with HIV and pressures to start sex. Children in early adolescence are always too young physically, emotionally and socially to start sex, although many have.

Getting the tone right

Fifteen years of work with adolescents has taught STF that sex is rarely consequence-free, even if condoms are used. Besides health consequences, there are educational ones. Ugandan boys and girls who have sex early are twice as likely not to complete secondary school as adolescents who have never had sex (see p1). Currently only 10% of boys and 8% of girls complete secondary school in Uganda (DHS, 2006).

Young adolescents

are aware of and often curious about sexuality. They need correct information about body changes.

For people from Europe or North America who believe that adolescents have a right to sex, STF’s stress on delaying or stopping sex may sound repressive. But life in Uganda is profoundly precarious. In the US, sex with a peer for a boy, 17, will not lead to his imprisonment. But in Uganda thousands of boys are in jail for consensual sex with girls aged less than 18. Parents of many more have had to sell land and livestock to keep their sons out of jail.

In the field:

Director of Print Teopista Agutu interviews a father in Pader.

For both of its in-school papers, STF’s “bottom line” is to generate conversations that will motivate readers to continue postponing or to stop sex until older. However, STF has to strive to be sex positive. If the papers say too categorically that sex in

adolescence is unwise, they risk turning off hundreds of thousands of readers who may be having sex or are about to have it. So the papers try to affirm all adolescents, including those exhibiting behaviours that are risky for the adolescent. The papers also take an understanding tone if an adolescent writes in about a sexual experience. But they then “nudge” the reader towards stopping sex or condom use, if sex cannot be postponed altogether.

Similarly, sex for a girl, 17, in Denmark will not lead to her leaving school forever, delivering unassisted, and becoming the wife of a man with other wives. Yet about 50% of adolescent girls in Uganda give birth attended only by a relative or traditional birth attendant or alone: 17% are in polygamous unions.

All Ugandan adolescents know girls who have died in childbirth or from aborting. All know peers who have left school due to pregnancy. So it may also be that adolescents do not object to “conversations” STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT II

about postponing sex, even if they are having sex.

pregnant my boyfriend told me to abort,” narrated one girl. “But from Straight Talk I found that abortion can lead to death. So I told my boyfriend and he also feared. I gave birth and my parents have taken me back to school.”

Researchers for the STF midterm review found none complaining about STF’s tone on sex. STF seems to create sufficient “conversations” on condoms and relationships that the sexually active feel included.

This suggests that communication projects might focus less on key messages than on a broad “talk” menu so that every beneficiary finds something useful, regardless of their place on the continuum of risk.

Mid-term review

This evaluation found that adults and young people were profoundly appreciative of STF papers. They described them as comprehensive, interactive, relevant and consistent and ascribed impacts to them that, if true, are deeply positive. Said a teacher in Bugiri: “Your papers help students to be aware of STDs and how to proceed against acquiring the deadly disease. They help them to create healthier relationships with teachers and fellow students. They make them realize how far to relate with different people. They get confidence to talk freely about sex-related issues.” Said a teacher in Kasese: “I have seen my students benefiting from the papers since I started teaching.” Adolescents appeared to take what they needed from the papers at the time they were reading them. The question “what have you learnt from STF papers?” provoked a wide range of answers. Some said “listen to my parents”. Others said: “test for HIV”; others said “avoid bad groups”. Many cited safer decisions they had made after reading them. “When I was

II STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

For teachers

A young mother, 19, in Gulu: For married

adolescents and young mothers, STF envisons safer and happier lives, with spaced births, no domestic violence and good couple communication.

STF designers and print journalists: Allan

Bulamu, Dennis Pato, Deo Agaba, Martha Akello, Michael Kalanzi, Edith Kimuli, Gilbert Awekofua and George Mukasa.

In 2008, STF continued to produce Teacher Talk. Launched in 2004, this paper aims to improve teaching and learning and support Uganda’s 127,177 primary teachers to live healthier sexual lives. The biggest group of public servants, these teachers earn about $110 a month: morale is low. The paper encourages teachers to be “better” - drink less, plan lessons, never have sex with pupils -- while affirming them. Funded by UNITY (MoES/USAID) in 2008, the February 2008 issue was on HIV/AIDSfriendly schools and the July issue on teacher absenteeism. Mid-term findings were positive. A teacher in Kasese said: “Teacher Talk has taught us about our own problems. These things of HIV and adolescents... people think we know them but we are just learning.”

Rocket science: crafting newspapers that generate talk

I

n 2008 an American public health expert visited STF. She recounted how she goes on consultancies with an old issue of Straight Talk. Laughing, she said: “I tell behaviour change projects -- Do something like this. It’s not rocket science.” The STF editors accepted the compliment but begged to differ. Producing a Straight Talk or Young Talk is rocket science. It is the hardest brief at STF. The first hurdle is that Uganda is not yet a reading culture, and adult literacy is low. Ugandans associate reading with exams; just 25% of mothers of adolescents have completed primary school. The second is how to create the almost indefinable mix of content that will “work” for most, if not all, readers. The readers appear homogeneous -- “youth in school” or “youth who read English” -- but, in reality, they are sliced and diced by fault lines. Half are girls, half boys. Just half live with both parents; 8% have neither parent alive. Most have not had sex, but some have. Of those, some have had consensual sex, others forced.

Hibiscus” (role models/inspiration); and a half page of readers’ questions. The issue featured 31 young people from all over Uganda (balancing ethnicity is critical). Each A3 page had no more than 650 words mixed with drawings, cartoons and photos, “We illustrate whenever possible,” says print director, Topi Agutu. “Most readers have low levels of English. When we have a mass of text, they can hardly find where to start.” Although no issue is perfect, there is a good chance that most readers found something that spoke to them in this Straight Talk.

The content must have meaning for the orphaned girl leaving school to marry; the girl destined for university but abused by her uncle; the boy, 15, who has never had a wet dream; the boy, 15, bothered by erections in class, and so on. So it must be rich and varied. At the same time, the papers cannot be dense. The July 2008 Straight Talk on rape shows how STF tries to balance such conflicting demands. It dedicated two and a half pages to how to avoid/ resist rape, what to do if raped (PEP), and survivors’ stories. These pages were probably most avidly read by girls. For readers less anxious about rape - e.g. boys - and for those having or thinking of having sex, the paper had a half page of condom questions. Interesting for both genders and for adolescents at all stages of maturation were articles on “what is the hymen?”; Obama, and the Nigerian novel “Purple

Above, girl reads the Straight Talk on rape. Left: STF counsellor Beatrice

Bainomugisha uses it in a school session. Fifty per cent of girls report “bad” touches at primary school. Forced sex is common. STF strives to help girls protect themselves. “I used to move at night. Then I read in Young Talk that you may be raped. So I stopped,” said a girl, 17.

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT II

Letter analysis of Young Talk and Straight Talk

L

STF has been making great efforts to help girls and has perhaps become better attuned to them. If this is the case, it is profoundly positive. Girls are at far greater risk than boys. Compared to male agemates, by age 18-19 girls are • 18 times more likely to have HIV (3.9% vs 0.2%). • eight times more likely to be married. • four times less likely to be in school. (DHS, NAS, 2006; UHSBS, 2004-5) Most young people who write to the papers are seeking help. But there are gender differences here as well. Boys are far more likely than girls to offer advice or try to win Straight Talk quiz questions. Girls are twice as likely to ask for advice.

number of letters

Historically, girls have always written more to Young Talk than boys. This was again true in 2008 with 62% of letters coming from girls. Boys out-number girls at secondary school (52% vs 48%). So it was noteworthy that in 2008 girls surged for the first time ahead of boys, writing 67% of letters to Straight Talk.

1515

Male

1400

Female

1200 984

1000 800 600

695

627

433

356

400 200 0 ye a r 2 0 0 6

ye a r 2 0 0 7

ye a r 2 0 0 8

years

Straight Talk response by sex 2500

2255

Male Female

2000 number of letters

Gender

Young Talk response by sex

1600

1702

1500 1000

931

902 645

775

500 0 y ear 2006

y ear 2007

y ear 2008

years

Categories of ST letters

reques t

f emale male

apprec iation category

etters more than doubled to STF’s youth papers in 2008. Every letter to STF is logged for age, gender, schooling status, district and topic. This generates rich data.

res pons e to quiz adv ic e to others s eeking A dv ic e 0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

num ber of letters

In early 2009 intern Gina Akley analysed the Straight Talk newspapers of 2008. She found an equal distribution of girlfocused and boy-focused articles. However, articles addressing gender equality tended to be II STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

written more for boys than girls - possibly a reflection of the need to “change” boys so as to help girls. There were slightly more “girl” articles focused on sex, possibly because of the need to address coerced sex in the lives of girls.

Age of readers/concerns

In 2008 the mean ages of writers to Young Talk and Straight Talk were 13.4 and 16.8 respectively. Young Talkers are far more concerned about body changes than Straight Talkers. This is not surprising as the average female Young Talker is about to start menstruating.

In contrast, Straight Talkers are most concerned about relationships and condom use, suggesting that they are grappling more with the realities of sex.

YT Topics

12

gif t

78

general health

topics

pregnanc y

109

26

f orc ed marriage

103

relations hip

Gender differences

30

v irginity

Boys and girls are equally likely to ask Straight Talk about relationships and condoms.

9

c ulture

210

body c hanges

23

c ondoms

66

STD

230

s ex 0

50

100

150

200

250

num ber of letters

29 116

g e n e ra l h e a lth

123

p re g n a n cy 93

topics

fo rce d m a rria g e

489

re la tio n s h ip 80

virg in ity 23

cu ltu re

218

b o d y ch a n g e s

400

co n d o m s 64

S TD

292

s ex 0

100

However, girls are two to three times more likely to ask about body changes, pregnancy and marriage. In contrast, boys are far more concerned about STDs.

Regional distribution

ST Topics g ift

Young Talkers are also deeply concerned about “sex”, often asking hypothetical queries. E.g. Salume in P7 asked Young Talk: “If a girl who has been in her period plays sex with a boy of 5 years, will she get pregnant?”

200 300 number of letters

400

500

Straight Talk and Young Talk received letters from 71 out of 80 districts in 2008. Top responders included Masaka, Busia, Kaliro, Arua, Kabale, Kasese and Ntungamo. There were no letters from new districts such as Bukwa. Leading the regional response to Young Talk was the West: with 25% of the population, it sent in 31% of the letters. Leading the response to Straight Talk was the East: with 26% of the population, it sent in 40% of the letters.

Straight talk Topics by Sex Culture

Fe m a le Ma le

Gif t (trans ac tional s ex ) General Health Pregnanc y topics

Marriage V irginity Relations hips Body c hanges Condoms STDs Sex related 0

50

100

150

200

250

300

number of letters

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT II

Straight Talk at a glance in 2008 Most people with HIV who come out and tell others, get a big surprise! They get love and comfort. It stops the whispering and stigma (see page 3). It also makes it easier to get the medicine you must have such as Septrin and TB treatment.

Ah, off to drink again! If men worked as much as us, our family would be richer.

Inspiration Corner Hey, Straight Talkers! You can win a copy of Purple Hibiscus, a beautiful novel by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie. She wrote it when she was just 23. Send a story, written like a novel, to PO Box 22366 Kampala.

Youth volunteers at STF

I love my culture and am proud to be a Karimojong

Uganda is committed to empowering women by 2015.

8 March 200 Vol. 14 No.2

Disclosure sets you free

Nakiru Tereza, Moroto

2008 No.3 May Vol. 14

Tell us how many hours your mother works compared to your father. Is it equal? WRITE TO PO BOX 22366 KLA

This year theing world is mark 25yrs was since HIVed discover

Beautiful Karamoja

and openly told them that I was the one. I told them I wanted to let other people know that someone can live with HIV like any other chronic sickness.

I

First we met Mr Matanda Silver, her deputy headmaster. He said that there were other students with HIV in the school, but Proscovia was the only one who had "gone public".

I got more friends After that Straight Talk, many people showed me care. Even those who did not talk to me before started greeting me. They do not want to see me lonely. I have become popular. I freely mix among other students whether at school or at the hostel.

Then we met Proscovia herself, now in S6 and offering HEG and Divinity. She told us that when she disclosed her HIV status to the world, her life changed forever for the better. Here is her story.

No more name calling Before my story, CDC staff who

Since then we kept in contact with Proscovia and in February we decided to see her again. So we travelled to Tororo.

"After that Straigh t Talk, I got more love and can take my ARVs openly"

Many people rushed to me after seeing my photograph and story. They asked me questions, like: 'Prossy, was that you in Straight Talk? What made you expose yourself like that?

brought me drugs always attracted attention. Children would say: 'TASO has come'. This made me feel uneasy. But now I face no problem like that.

Chimamanda Adichie is the author of Purple Hibiscus. She wrote it when she was 23, the same age as many Straight Talkers. She is a role model and inspiration.

The teachers also became more interested in me. They joke with me a lot. I think they just like to make me happy. All this attention makes me feel loved. Some would tell me: 'Why didn’t you tell us before?"

Says Proscovia's friend Juliet: "At times she Hope for the would talk like has future given up, but I would tell I got the courage to her that many people become open after out there have similar counseling from problems." TASO and Centre for Disease Control (CDC). There was a time when I never imagined talking freely about my HIV status. I worried about death and felt people did not like me.

" urge Straight Talkers, who have lost their parents or just their mothers to test for HIV. Every person above 15 can test for HIV without the consent of their parents or guardians. If you are below 15, you can go to test at Naguru Teenage Centre in Kampala, Gulu or Kitgum Youth Centres or any other place.

I

Positive Young warrior:

loves cows In future when I get a wife, I will be faithful to her. I fear HIV. In my culture people say HIV is a curse for people who have sex anyhow. I left school because my friends were out of school. I wanted to be part of them. I regret leaving school. I raid animals, and I am proud of having many cows, but I fear being killed. Lomurai, 18, Naduket, Moroto

There are many children with HIV who have grown into adults. Some have realised their dreams!

I was the type of girl who easily gave in to peer pressure. If I had resisted the influence of my friends, I would be telling you a glorious experience. But this is what happened to me.

I am smart in my blanket skirt

Culture in Karamoja

• girls marry on average marriage at 19.3 years, a year later than in the rest of Uganda! • there is less sex before marriage: 90% of unmarried females and 76% of unmarried males aged 15-24 in Karamoja have not had sex.

Negative

Culture in Karamoja

• distrust of education • rape of brides • cattle raiding.

Dictio- nary: The growing rate Prevalence want to Cherish- To love and protect something Chores- The daily work especially at home

There are about 100,000 young people living with HIV in Uganda. But only about 10% or 10,000 of them are receiving treatment with ARVs. They all need love and care and not stigma."

Many people have dangerous diseases like diabetes. They have accepted them and learnt to live with them. Having HIV is like having diabetes, except that you can transmit it to others.

By Namagembe Annet, Dokolo Progressive Secondary School

This young warrior is holding his traditional stool. See page 3 and learn how it is also a pillow.

In fact, one day in 2005, I took an overdose. I had heard that the Anti Retro Virals are strong and thought if I took many, they would kill me faster than AIDS. I took 20 tablets when I was supposed to take only 3. I was surprised that I did not die. Now that has changed. I am a different person, with hope for the future.

Having HIV does not mean you are immoral. Many children are born with it. Knowing your status helps you to look after yourself well. You need counseling if you have HIV. Learn how to live with it

In February we asked Straight Talkers to write short stories: almost 100 responded. As promised, 20 of you win copies of the novel Purple Hibiscus. Ten runner up winners will each get a T-shirt. Thanks to Dokolo Progressive SS, Ruhaama SS, Agwata SS and Isoke Memorial in Kitgum for being star schools! We especially liked Annet’s story. When you start reading, you do not want to stop! Enjoy reading. Please note that some of the stories are fiction.

A love story gone wrong

Adikyo, an Elder from Naduket Moroto told us: "In Karimojong culture, boys and girls below 18 do not marry, and sex before marriage is a taboo. When a young man of 20 years or above wants to marry, he will identify a mature girl. He will negotiate with her parents for brideprice, which he pays and marries her. Most Karimojong men marry one wife. One can marry another wife only if the first wife cannot give birth. But still he does not divorce her. "

Having HIV does not mean that you are immoral Dr Stephen Watiti of Mildmay Centre is a prominent doctor working in HIV. He is also living with HIV himself. Here are his wise words.

8 6 June 200

Less HIV in Karamoja Did you know that the prevalence of HIV in Karamoja is very low? Of Karimojong aged 15-49, less than 1% have HIV. This is far less than the national figure of 6.4% and far far less than the over 8% of 15-49 year olds in the Central and Central North who have the virus. The question here is, why? We tried to find out. One reason, it seems, is that they are serious on sex and marriage.

I take ARVS openly I used to take my drugs secretly. Sometimes I would even miss doses. But now that everybody knows I have HIV, I take them in the open.

"Disclosure" is when you speak out something important to someone. Proscovia disclosed through Straight Talk that she had HIV. The consequences were good. She got new friends and more love. She also feels relieved that she does not have to keep her HIV status a secret any more.

At first, I found the attention too much. Later, I got courage

Vol. 14 No.

Telling your life as a novel

hat do you know about Karamoja? The Karimojong are Ugandans with strong traditions. This has made some people feel negatively about them. Yet their society has strengths that we can learn from.

W

Straight Talk travelled to Karamoja to get beautiful stories to share with you. Read on.... n February 2006, Straight Talk wrote about Proscovia, a student of Rock High School in Tororo who is living with HIV. Do you remember?

Straight Talkers, what do you do in your long vacs? ST is looking for young people aged 18-21 who speak Lukonzo, Ateso, Kupsabiny and Lugbara! Send your CV to PO Box 22366 Kampala.

Boys, is your father a leader or a ruler? Girls, are talkative women appreciated in your village? Why? Why not? Send true stories and win a copy of Dreams from my Father, by Barak Obama, Democratic candidate for US president.

People from all continents come here. This means we are special people. I loved school so much but my parents were not supportive. I resorted to brewing alcohol. Brewing is where I get money for survival. If I get an opportunity to go back to school, why not? I admire educated people. They look nice. Nakiru Tereza, Moroto

Can you see what is good in the Karimojong culture that reduces the chance of HIV? Discuss in your Straight Talk Club.

My friends got me a boyfriend. Peter was tall, handsome, gentle and smart. I loved it when he gave me money. The first flowers I ever received were from Peter. He made me feel loved. One day Peter took me out. He ordered wine but I refused because I was born again. Then he ordered a Coke. It was already opened when it came. I sensed something was terribly wrong. I knew in my heart that alcohol or sedatives had been added to it. But I did not want to offend Peter. So I neglected my conscience and accepted the soda. It was not long before I became oblivious of what was happening to me. I awoke in the morning to find myself lying in a derelict room. My petticoat was hanging on a nail on the wall. Beneath my skirt, I felt my knickers was missing. Then I saw it strewn on the floor. Three used condoms also lay there. I felt so dirty. Suddenly I felt a searing pain across my heart. From behind the door, I heard male voices thanking Peter for letting them sleep with me. I was dumfounded. Peter entered the room. “Get up and we go,” he said. “What have you done to me?”

I screamed at him. “Easy,” he said smiling sheepishly. I broke into tears. As I dressed, I noticed that wounds had developed between my legs, and I was discharging blood. But Peter was courteous to lead me back to school. But this courtesy ended there. Weeks later he was found bragging among boys that he had used me. Boys began to resent speaking to me while girls out rightly abused me as a ‘finished’ one. I became a disgrace among the born again community and a laughing stock at school. Three months later I developed a daily sickness that confined me to the dormitory. I was confirmed pregnant and dismissed from school. I missed my S3 third term examination. I was deep in the village, far off in the rural area in Dokolo. A year has gone by and I now have a healthy baby boy. But I do not know who his father is since many boys lay with me that night. I also worry about HIV. I pray for strength to test.

teens News for HIV+ Currently, Uganda has about 140,000 children Living with HIV, and each year another 20,000 are born with the virus. Of the 50,000 children and adolescents who currently need ARVs, only 8000 are receiving them. But all this is set to change. Next month Baylor University, working with local government, AIC and other partners, will start offering ARVs to children and teens

I am proud to be a winner. My dream is to be an accountant or agriculturalist.

I am a Straight Talk chairperson in my school. There are so many benefits like educative messages. I am very concerned about the plight of girls who get unwanted pregnancies and drop out of school. A Namagembe at 32 new sites. The number of young people on ARVs will double over the next few years. If you think you need ARVs, please visit a health centre. Straight Talk works with the Paediatric Infectious Diseases Clinic and Mildmay to support HIV+ teens. Positive teens, send your stories to PO Box 22366, K'la.

BEST LETTERS WIN PRIZES

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Words of wisdom

This picture was taken in Bwindi:

Every time we liberate a woman, we liberate a man. ~Margaret Mead

You can get a copy of Straight Talk in your community where you see this signpost.

Whether women are better than men I cannot say - but I can say they are certainly no worse. ~Golda Meir Boys and girls, be committed to respecting each other. You have a right and responsibility to make safe choices for now and the future.

Vol. 14 No.7

8 August 200

Unlimited by gender hat would you think if you saw a male nurse or a male secretary? Or women playing "mweso" while their husbands fetch water and carry babies? Seems strange to you? You may have some gender bias.

Straight Talk started in October 1993; for

adolescents aged 15-19 in secondary school. Funded by Dfid, Irish Aid and Danida via the Civil Society Fund in 2008.

W

What comes to your mind when you see the word gender? You may say gender is ideas and expectations people have about being a male or female. These expectations could be in terms of roles, behaviour, characteristics, values or abilities associated with being male or female.

There is no such thing as a man's or a woman's job. Men and women can share work equally for a better life and development.

Apart from giving birth, which is dictated by biology, men can do everything that women can do and females can do everything that men can do. Gender also refers to opportunities associated with being male and female and the relationships between women and men and girls and boys. Gender expectations are socially constructed and learned as you grow and interact with other people. They vary from society to society and can change.

Girl mechanics at work

"I have loved mechanics since childhood, so I joined this institute after S6. "Says Helen 23, "My friends thought this was a man's career and that male mechanics would harass me. But that didn't stop me."

You simply need to be the best that you can be at whatever you do. Anyone can do anything.

Gender and HIV

Helen Bakanansa and Olivia Mukota check under the car bonnet

Girls, you can do technical education or sciences. They are for both boys and girls.

Cooking makes me happy

In most societies there are differences and inequalities between females and males in responsibilities given, activities done, access to and control over resources, plus decision-making opportunities. Because of these differences and inequalities women and girls have fewer rights, lower education and health status. They also have less access to resources and decision making than men. This makes girls and women powerless and vulnerable to HIV. Promote gender equality in your home and school. Start by thinking about your views towards the girls and boys you interact with. Positive gender attitudes contribute to the reduction in the spread of HIV. Do not let gender attitudes influence your choices about relationships, sex and your future.Whether you are a girl or boy, you have a right to make safe choices. Choose to delay sex. It is healthy and safe. If you are sexually active, use condoms.

Kaddu Mukasa Kironde II (KK) has been cooking for at least the past 40 years. He realised that cooking is not just for girls, a long time ago. “The cooking industry is one of the most active in Uganda. It sustains a lot of people. You can make money from food.”

KK buying tomatoes and onions

KK learnt to cook from his grandfather.

.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Remember the HIV basics

Straight Talkers,

•HIV is a virus. A person with HIV has the virus in all their body fluids but most concentrated in their blood, semen and/or vaginal fluids.

do you want a job? If you are aged 18-21 and speak and write Lukonzo, Ateso, Kupsabiny, Lugbara, Madi or Luo, send

•HIV infection leads to AIDS. HIV cannot be removed from the body. Its multiplication can only be controlled by ARVs.

your CV to PO Box 22366 Kampala.

9. Vol. 14 No.

er 2008 Septemb

Teens with disability have rights Like Faridah, many young people are living with disabilities. They are often mistreated and denied what a child without a disability may get. Like any other child, a teenager with disabilities has a right to education, health, food, clean environment, to socialize and be listened to People with disabilities (PWDs) are human like you They love and want to be loved. It is important to treat them the way you would love to be treated. Make friends with them.

March:

August:

April:

September:

May:

October: Safe transition Nov/Dec: Relationships

June:

Telling your life as a novel

Remember the HIV basics

Sexual harrassment

• You can look and feel fine for years with HIV in your body. Only an HIV test will show if you have the virus. • After 5 to 8 years, your body loses its ability to fight sickness. The virus has destroyed too many CD4 cells.

If someone will not take your "No" for an answer, do not bother to argue. Just turn and walk away.

Yes, HIV can be confusing!

Vol. 15 No.

of

the United States. The elections are on November 6. All the world is watching. Obama, 46, is a brilliant lawyer. His father was Kenyan and his grandmother lives just nearby in Kisumu!

But I realized I was losing out. I got saved. My spirit grew stronger. I stopped messing up. I want to do something vocational like brickmaking as well as preaching in my S4 vacation. My goal is to be a preacher or pharmacist. I need to inspire young people to change their lives with the Word of God”.

If so, remember those feelings before you laugh, tease or mistreat someone who is living with a disability.

Empathise People with disabilities have rights to be respected just like you do. Take action and support them. Make a difference in their lives. Go out of your way to support them. They need empathy and not sympathy. Sympathy is a kind of useless pity. In contrast, empathy is putting yourself in the shoes of others and trying to truly understand how they feel. Choose not to • tell jokes about them • stare at them • exploit them sexually.

Straight Talk will give Obama's book to 20 readers who send in honest and insightful letters about the following:

In the village, women who speak out are often said to be rumour mongerers or behaving like "men". How can a woman make suggestions without being seen as too assertive and not womanly? Does your mother openly offer ideas? What happens? Tell us the story. What about your Dad? Is he a ruler or leader for you?

2008

for every teen

s soon as I joined S1, I started ‘conning’ girls by writing them letters. I never missed any dance organized at school. I did all this because I quickly gained the favour of students with whom we shared interests. Peer pressure was too much on me.

to A-level; S6 From... P7 to S1; O-level to new to Campus; Old schoolcamp to school; From IDP ied to home; From unmarr married; Or any other n... directio

Ojakol Simon Peter and his girlfriend are saved. You ask him why he has a girlfriend yet he is saved, he quickly answers: “When you are saved, the hormones are not saved”. Get his full transition story on page two.

So, you might ask... what is transition?

Ojakol Simon Tendo Sidney, 16, in S4 at Peter A transition is the process or period of Genesis SS, Luwero concludes his changing from one condition or environment story with a bubbly smiling face. He is not to another. It may be from one school to shy to share his challenge as he went through another or one level of education to another. As transition from primary to secondary. Yes, he we go through life we make many transitions. was growing up, changing school environment, meeting new friends, and probably Transitions are risky times for HIV. The environment gaining a lot of freedom. is new. You are off balance, not on familiar territory. Alice Nabbosa had many fears and expectations as she waited to join S1 • Girls, watch out for big boys wanting to use you. at Mulusa Academy. "I It happens. expected to find new • Girls and boys, watch out for your own sexual teachers, new students and feelings. A new environment can be intoxicating! new dressing styles. But I • Take your time in deciding what groups you feared getting a boyfriend. want to join.Wait, watch, assess the situation, do I never wanted to get not rush in to anything. pregnant. I have held onto my • Do not try to be impressive. Take it easy and be values. I avoid boys and prefer the winner in the end. to abstain from sex." So far her transition has been safe!

Be extra vigilant!

Last chance to WIN OBAMA BOOK BOOK: write now! Barack Obama is running for

10 October

Safe transition A

“People call me ‘Koloba’ and ‘Butcherman’ because I have a problem with my leg from polio. But I get love at home and my friends treat me well. I want to be a lawyer or teacher. I have sexual feelings like any other adolescent. I manage them by avoiding the person I have feelings for.” Nabwami Rosette, 16, S2, Misanvu SSS, Masaka

Send letters to PO Box 22366, Kampala.

I10I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Alice Nabbosa

15 years of Straight Talk!

T Luweero man, Tendo Sidney. His transition from P7 to secondary landed him in problems. Be careful when you go to a new school. It is a time of exploration when you can easily get confused.

Unlimited by gender Teens with Disability have rights

Beautiful Karamoja

If you are disabled, you have a right to respect. Do not have self-pity. Be determined and study hard. Many disabled people have ve made it in life. Aidat Nabukalu is deaf We are all different in some way. We -- she cannot hear at all -It could be because of tribe, class yet she was the first runner up For more on disability, contact: or economic income. Now think for Miss Uganda in 2004-5. She •NUDIPU, PO Box 8567, Plot about a time when you were says she has an inner inspiration to 530, Kisaasi Rd, Kampala. treated badly because you are •Uganda Society for Disabled attempt all those things that people different. How did it feel? Did it Children, PO Box 16346, Plot without disabilities try to do. leave you with bad memories, 1 Kamjokya St, Kampala. anger or sadness?

president

Rape and PEP

Be assertive

• Young people who got HIV at birth are now teenagers with normal sexual feelings. So sex with a "virgin" will not protect you from HIV.

Read more basics next month!

“People ignore me even when it is an important issue to the whole community. Nobody asks for my opinion. They think I do not reason because I move in a wheelchair.” Faridah Nandawula 19, S5, Masaka SS

July:

Disclosure sets you free

Helen and Olivia fix cars. To them it is natural to change oil and look under the bonnets at Zezziwe Automobile Vocational Training Institute in Kalerwe, Kampala.

Drop your gender bias. Support equal choices and opportunities for all.

•To prevent HIV, we need to change how we think about sex. For example, boys do not need sex, and if they start having sex, they do not need more than one sexual

February:

Who do you admire?

Domestic duties such as fetching water and taking care of children are traditionally considered women's work. But males too can do these duties.

he first Straight Talk came out on 19 October 1993, exactly 15 years ago this month! That old newspaper might look funny to you but we were proud of it! Those were the days before internet and mobile phones. It was even a big deal to write about sex! In 1993, 33% girls aged 15-19 were tesing positive for HIV at AIDS Information Centre. Now the figure is 1.8% for girls aged 13-17 and 6.1% for girls aged -- still too high but much better. It has been a priviledge to work with you, young people. Most of you are postponing sex until you are older. You understand your body changes and sexual feelings. You are smart about condoms. Keep it up! Straight Talk is with you and on your bumper at all times. With love from all of us, the ST team.

Young Talk at a glance in 2008 Vol. 11 No.2 Feb 2008

Not for SALE: Young Talk is FREE

•Know your rights •Stay in school

Sex education for primary schools

Not for SALE: Young Talk is FREE

No. 3 Vol. 11 March 2008

•Know your rights •Stay in school •Wait to have sex

Sex education for primary schools

Vol. 11 No.3 April 2008

Not for SALE: Young Talk is FREE

•Know your rights •Stay in school •Delay sex

Sex education for primary schools

•Delay sex

What manners do you have? Welcome back from the long holidays. We hope you enjoy 2008. But for you to enjoy, you need to have good manners. Manners are ways in which you behave. Manner can be good or bad. Good manners (values) can help you succeed in what you do at home, school or in your community. In this Young Talk, read about what Young Talkers in Yumbe district have done and feel proud about. Do you think they have good manners?

Helping others One day my mother sent me to the market. On my way, I met a very old woman carrying heavy luggage. She looked tired. I helped her with the luggage.

Many young people are living with HIV/AIDS but they are healthy and have big dreams.

Positive Living and Loving

When I got home, my mother beat me for taking long. I later told her why I delayed. Although she had beaten me, I felt good because I had helped the old woman.

My advice to Young Talkers is to abstain from sex. They should also test to know their HIV status. You may have got HIV from your parents just like me." Ewelu James of Mbuya

One day I found people stoning our neighbour's goat. It had eaten their cassava. I stopped them and took the goat to our neighbour. He was so thankful. When I was sent away for school fees, he gave me the money and I went back to school. I believe he helped me because I saved his goat. Ismail Zalika, Agongo PS

Just like Zalika, good manners can bring about good results. Bad manners can lead you into danger. Read more about how to behave on page 2.

• What do you think about Zubeda and Yassin's stories? • Would you have done the same ? • Have you ever done something you are proud of? Share your stories with your friends. • What manners do you think can make you and your parents proud?

?

I believe the me da I will beco t of Ugan Presiden I live one day. take my y. I positivel on time. drugs

• Visiting a health centre whenever you are sick • Avoiding sex; To avoid infecting others and getting even more HIV • Disclosing your HIV status. Telling other people that you are HIV positive helps you live freely and get their support

March: loving

Positive living and

April: Caring for a person with AIDS

May: Karamoja June: Girls and boys can do

Dad became very ill and was admitted in Entebbe Hospital. We needed more money. My brother left for Kampala to look for a job. I would go to work everyday before and after school. Late in the evening, I would prepare food and take it to hospital. The food would last for two days. I would feed dad and help him change clothes. Sometimes I would sit and listen to my father. He needed someone to talk to since he was always alone during the day. He encouraged me to continue with my studies. He said when he dies, I should stay with my uncle. As he talked, I cried. After a month, my brother returned without a job. Then dad died.

could not perform well in class. The good thing, I did not have to look for school fees. The school paid for me because I was a good goalkeeper. I missed my PLE since I did not have money for registration. I sat home for a year but now I am in P7 at Maganjo SDA PS. I told the headmistress that I was a good footballer. She allowed me to study for free.I hope to become a professional footballer. Kabuye Charles, 15, P7, Maganjo SDA PS, Wakiso

Like Charles, there are many young people taking care of people with AIDS. It is not easy. Read more about how to look after a person with AIDS and still go to school. Also find out how you can avoid HIV on Page 2

Cook food that has vitamins and protein like green vegetables and beans. Always give your patient clean water

change safely

Nov/Dec:

Vol. 11 No.6 June 2008

•Know your rights •Stay in school

Sex education for primary schools

•Delay sex

Girls and boys can do the same work

Have you ever stopped to think about the work boys and girls do in your home or village? Young Talk travelled to Mpigi district in central Uganda and talked to pupils of St. John Bosco Katende PS about work for boys and girls.

Nakato Martha

says:

"I am given a lot of work. Wasswa does little work. My father says boys do not do housework. He says boys do not enter the kitchen."

Joshua Wasswa says:

disabilities

October:

Make sure your patient takes medicine correctly everyday, including daily septrin.

YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

Not for SALE: Young Talk is FREE

July: Defilement August: Living with painful periods

Support the patient to the bathroom

Wash clothes and maintain hygiene to protect your patient from diarrhoea

YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

September:

"I could feed my dad and help him change clothes, then find time to work before and after school.

You can support relatives with AIDS in the following ways:

adolescents in primary school in classes P47 (age 10-14). Funded by Dfid, Irish Aid and Danida via the CSF in 2008. do you have?

I cooked and washed for my sick father. He had saved money which we used to buy food. When It got finished, I worked as a porter at a bricklaying site to earn money for food.

• Support and care for your friends who have HIV • Having HIV is not the end of life. You can still do great things •Knowing your HIV status helps you look after yourself well and live long • Sharing your HIV status can helps you live feerly

Young Talk started in February 1998; for

What manners

My father became ill in 2004 when I was 12. I was in P5 at Zion PS in Entebbe. My brothers and sisters were in boarding school. They had a sponsor who was paying for them. We lived with my brother who had just completed S6.

Looking after my dad was tiring. I • Would you tell others if you were HIV positive? • Would you love yourself the way James does? • Do you think it is a good thing to support children with HIV? Share your experience and your views with your friends.

• Sleeping under a treated mosquito net to avoid malaria • Taking septrin everyday. Septrin drug helps the body to fight diseases that easily attack people with HIV, like; cough, pneumonia, and diarrhoea • Drinking a lot of safe water • Looking after your body by taking personal hygiene • Eating nutritious food. Have a balanced diet each meal • Doing light exercises to keep healthy

What Positive Living means

YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

February:

I cared for my father

Q

Q

"I came to know that I was HIV positive when I was 11. I was in P4. I had lost my parents and I was falling sick all the time. My brother took me for a test. At first I did not believe my results. I have never had sex. But after being counseled, I accepted I had HIV and needed treatment. I was tired of falling sick. ARVs have made me feel better. I hope one day I will get well. It is not easy taking drugs everyday, it irritates. At times I feel like vomiting. But I still want to live and become an important person in future. I thank God that people treat me well. When I was in school, my friends used to treat me well. But now I am out of school. I lack school fees.

y father had many animals. We would graze them together. At first I hated it, but after sometime, I started enjoying looking after animals. I feel bad when they fall sick. My father taught me to handle animals well. They also have a right to live.

if • You will be respected rs you have good manne • Avoid bad groups; they can teach you bad `manners • Stand for your values

Q Q

I want to become president of Uganda

I learnt to be kind from my father. He used to help people in need. Zubeda Yassin, Acholi PS

M Good can manners help you succeed

You cannot get HIV through hugging shaking hands touching an infected person sharing plates and clothes with an infected person

Young Talk met this free and brave James who shared his story.

Protecting animals

Zubeda Yassin carried luggage for an old woman

Caring for a person with AIDS

"I do not know why Nakato is given more work. When I go to play, my father tells her to remain home and wash plates. He told me boys are not supposed to do work meant for girls. I can only help my sister to fetch water but cannot cook. I am told men are not supposed to be in the kitchen".

Handling

These stories show that there is more work for Nakato and less for Wasswa. It is common for girls to have more work than boys in many families. Henry Manyire, who teaches at Makerere University says; "this affects and reduces the time girls have to be children. They play less and may not go to school while boys have more time to be children". This is not good for girls. Boys! Help girls with housework. There is no work that was made only for girls or just for boys. Both can share out the same work equally.

Managing

asswa P7, shua W , TWINS: Jo a Nakato, 13 igi th Mp and Mar sco Katende PS St John Bo

ize! Win a pr

Good things about sharing work

• Nobody is overworked. • Work becomes easy • Saves time • You all have enough time to read and play. • You learn to do different types of work like cooking, washing, looking after younger ones, digging and slashing. • You learn to work together as a team. This makes sisters and brothers good friends • You all feel loved • You will have respect for each other

Friendship

the same work

down the work •Discuss and write home. Now write that girls do at that boys do. down the work hours? Boys •Who works longer

or girls? , Kampala, Send to Box 22366 you are going stories about what to make sure to do in your home equally between work is shared Tell us how this boys and girls. . will help your family ERS WILL WIN THE BEST ANSW TS. Young Talk T-SHIR

Y O U N G T A L K IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

Vol. 10 No.10

Young Talk, Nov/Dec 2008

Not for SALE: Young Talk is FREE

Vol. 11 No.7 July 2008

Sex education for primary schools

Defilement

•Know your rights •Stay in school •Delay sex

SAFETY ON YOUR WAY TO SCHOOL: Walk in groups or with friends

What happened to this girl is called defilement. It is a sad story.

Mirembe house is a home where children who get pregnant are kept. It is located in Old Kampala. If you need their help, call Vivian Kityo

0755064580

Do you live with any kind of disability? How do you feel and how do other children treat you?Do not feel bad about yourself. You are normal and have a right to be protected from abuse.If you live or study with children with disabilities, know that they have feelings. Respect them and protect them from sexual abuse.

Do not allow to be abused. Say NO to sex. Protect yourself from HIV. SAFETY AT SCHOOL: If a teacher asks you to take books to his house, go with a friend

Scream loudly for all to hear you

It is ten years Talk ofWeYoung are changing your

newspaper to make it more fun. in your club, discuss what you would like to change in Young Talk. Write and tell us what would you want to change.

best letters

win prizes!

Stay safe

Young Talk visited children with disabilities in Masaka. They talked about their life, dreams and how they avoid HIV.

Amos Mwesezi got a wound on his left leg when he was a baby. It could not heal and he got a disability.

SAFETY AT HOME: Ask your parents to invite someone you trust to stay with you while they are away

•Ask grown ups not to send you at night.

It is ten years of Young Talk your

We are changing newspaper to make it more fun. In your club, discuss what you would like to change or add in

Young Talk.

•Learn to sense danger.

Write and tell us on P.O.Box 22366 Kampala.

•Adults mean well but some including relatives may defile you •Avoid visiting boys when you are alone



Not for SALE:

Young Talk is FREE

Key Messages

Sex Education for primary schools • Know your rights • Stay in school • Say a BIG NO to sex

l Friendship between boys and girls does not mean sex

l Boys and girls can be friends l Treat your friends as you would want to be treated

I love my body

s: Good friend

disabilities

When my parents came back, i told them what happened to me. They went to the police and the boy was arrested. My mother was annoyed with me. she said i should go and stay with the man who made me pregnant. a friend advised her to bring me to Mirembe house where i am staying as i wait to give birth. The man who defiled me was released. i wonder whether i will ever go back to school,” Girl 13 years.

•early pregnancy •dropping out of school •hiV/sTd infection

Sex education for primary schools

Living with

I was a lone at home. That day i had lunch outside the house. after lunch i took the plates back inside the house. suddenly the son of our landlord followed me inside. he held me, pushed me down and defiled me. i was so scared i could not scream. i felt a lot of pain. i felt so bad. now i am seven months pregnant.

Just like this story teaches us, defilement can lead to:

•Know your rights •Stay in school •Delay sex

l Friends share

“

 defilement is when a man or boy has sex with a girl below 18 years. it does not matter whether it is forced or not.  Be careful, anyone can defile you. it can even be someone you know and trust like your doctor, teacher, babysitter or even your parent!  Boys, defilement is a serious crime. You can go to prison for it.

Vol. 10 No.8 August 2008

Not for SALE: Young Talk is FREE

best letters SAFETY ON YOUR WAY FROM SCHOOL: Avoid free lifts

WIN prizes!

: SAFETY WITH FRIENDS Hanifa,

But he says.....

Najjuuko Brenda, Nakalembe Fiona Kamungi Diana, and Natukunda all of KCC PS, Kampala.

I know how HIV spreads I do not share sharp objects with anyone. My father told me to avoid girls if I am to avoid getting HIV.

I do not like nicknames Some children used to call me 'Butcherman.' I was not happy, I reported them to the teachers.

I am careful with my body. I love it so much. I cannot allow anyone to abuse it. I do not accept gifts from men. Yo-acel Monica, 14, P7, Masaka School of children with special needs.

I miss football Football is my best game. I cannot play it, I just watch others play. Pupils call me the coach. I laugh at those who have two legs and can’t even kick a ball.

THERE is a friend who tells me that he loves me. He keeps touching me on my way home. I do not like what he is doing. What can I do? Wenene Caroline, P7, Elgon PS, Mbale

I want to become a judge I want to study hard and become a judge of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Amos Mwesezi, 12, P6, Nabinene Adventist PS, Masaka.

Friendship

There is a woman who wanted to buy me sweets. I feared that she could force me into sex and give me AIDS. Derrick Musoke, 14, P7, Masaka School of children with special needs

Monica and Derrick use Sign Language to learn. They can't hear or talk. But they are very active at school. Monica is also the headgirl.

Disability is not inability Many people with disabilities have made it in life. Some are MPs, teachers, doctors and lawyers. Abdul Busulwa, who is visually impaired (blind) is soon going to America to do his third degree. He works with National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) He says;"You need courage and determination to succeed. Many times I wanted to leave school but I told myself, why leave now when I have come this far? I grew up in a poor family but we shared the little we had equally. Before I joined Makerere University, I was the best at S4 in Iganga district and 2nd best in S6. Believe in yourself, you will make it in life". YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

have sex. But we are now just friends. We help each other with classwork. He gives me good advice like he advised me to stop stealing. Kwagala Joan, Green view PS, Kaliro Are you a girl? Do you have a boy who is your friend? Are you a boy and have a girl as a friend? How do you behave to each other?

Young Talkers, what do you think of Caroline’s story? We think that boys and girls can be friends without asking for sex. In October Young Talk editors visited Kaliro district and met bright pupils. Read on and see what they said about friendship between boys and girls.

Share knowledge I have a girlfriend who is very beautiful. But I take her as my sister. We help each other with studies and share knowledge. So friendship does not mean sex. Let’s take girls as our own sisters, and say no to sex. Gumpi Cohen, Green View PS, Kaliro

Help each other I had a boy friend when I was in P4. We did not

Have you ever compared yourself with a friend? Did you think you were better or worse than the other person? Accept that God created you differently. Comparing can make you or your friends sad.

It is ten years of Young Talk

!

YOUNG TALK IS FOR TEACHERS AND PUPILS IN P5, P6 AND P7

l Respect each other l Do not annoy each other. l Forgive each other l Give good advice l Respect each other’s bodies. l You should avoid bad touches l Introduce their friends to their parents l Help each other with classwork l Talk about how to avoid HIV/STDs l Pray together l Help you to get to what you want in life l Do not demand for sex when they give you gifts.

Boys and girls, treat your friends just as you would treat your brother or sister

We need friends for: l Playing and fun l Protection (It is hard for someone to harm you when you are with friends) l Help when in need l Good advice l Knowledge sharing l Sharing

In your club, talk about what you would like to change or add in Young Talk to make it more fun.

AIDS

Corner

Write and tell us what you want to change BEST LETTERS

Look at your friends. How are they useful to you? If your friend wants you to do things that can put you in danger, he or she is a bad friend.

HIV positive children need love and care just like you. Play with them. Help them to take their medicine daily.

Young Talk is for Teachers and pupils in p5, p6 and p7

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I11I

Distribution: “Received but copies were not enough”

D

istribution chief Stella Olaboro, 27, and assistant Justin Otim, 24, dispatch eight million newspapers a year to almost 25,000 addresses, supported by 25 casual labourers and 5000 rolls of sticky tape. Bundling and posting take physical stamina. The fiddly job of tracking addresses takes perseverance. Stella’s parents -- a university lecturer and radiographer -- died of AIDS as did three of her sisters. In need of money, she started bundling for STF at 19. “The papers are beneficial to students,” says Stella. “Teachers put in a lot of effort to come to give us their addresses.”

Distribution Manager Stella Olaboro says: “My

In 2008, Stella and Justin sought mobile numbers for every school. Now STF issues a text alert when parcels reach upcountry post offices. Teachers often text back, many with affection.

own story makes me care because when I was growing up no one gave me this information. And I know that there are so many people for whom Straight Talk is the only information they will get.”

“Dear, thanks for the YT and answering pupils questions. They so excited,” wrote Kibuye PS. “We receive all your publications. Keep up and may God bless you,” wrote Mothercare PS in Nutungamo.

Every month STF also physically delivers papers to 250 NGOs in Kampala. In a year, for example, TASO receives 36,000 for its 12 upcountry branches, World Vision 51,000, and Family Planning Association 57,000.

Scouts Voice journalists during a training at Kazi scouts national training and camping site, in Kampala in August this year

Scouting for Solutions imagined that the things you do, say, places you go to and people you relate with, can expose you to HIV? Yes! Sometimes, even the people you trust so much can put you at risk. Sometimes our own bevahiours can put us at risk pf getting HIV. Risks

that can put you in danger of getting HIV is all around you. As you read this issue, find out if you have been alert enough to sense the risks around you.

Not for sale Message from Mr kello Richard, the NEC, Uganda Scouts Association

Find out if you can avoid risks, and also know what factors stop you from avoiding the risks

Can you sense HIV risks?

............................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................... .........

Dangers of gifts In 2006 there was a party in our village. A man asked my friend to dance with him. This turned into something dangerous. The man later gave her some money, then a phone. Later he forced her into sex and she got pregnant. But she said she learnt a lesson and promised never to do that again. She went back to school with a dream of becoming a lawyer, Bwire Sharon, 14, Dabani girls

What is a risk? You are said to be at risk when you are exposed to something which can harm or hurt you. Think of the things you do, the places you visit, and people you relate with. If any of them can hurt you, then you can call it risk. What are your plans to stay safe? In July, a group of scouts trained in Kazi as SV jourlaists interviewed some SV readers in the nearby schools about their experiences which could put them at risk of getting HIV. The journalists also told their own stories of HIV risks . Read to find more about risks and how you can avoid them

Loaded up: STF spends two days every month delivering papers.

Print partnerships in 2008

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

you at the risk of getting HIV/AIDS. Have you ever

Primary Schools 13,640 Secondary Schools 3,201 Straight Talk Clubs 727 Young Talk Clubs 122 Tertiary Institutions 531 CCTs/ Teacher Colleges 578 District Education Offices 80 District Inspector Schools 80 Health Centers 1729 NGOs 466 CBOs 1576 Baptist churches 74 Catholic churches 121 Church of Uganda churches 831 Islamic Institutions 49 Police 120 Prisons 56 Libraries 26 MPS 304 International addresses 273 Libraries 27 Farm Talk Institutions 180 TOTAL 23,791

However, many are frustrated by the small number of copies and delivery delays. The system is not perfect. “Received but the copies were not enough” wrote Sydney Paul Day and Boarding PS, Masaka. “Have checked in the post office three times but haven’t got copies,” wrote Nyakabale PS. “Please, ST, I have checked in Post Office but there is nothing,” wrote Keti PS, Yumbe.

Vol. 3 No. 1, September 2008

aviours, Dear scout, and non scout, welcome to Avoid beh people the last issue of places and Scouts Voice this us at risk that put shows the year. bstinenceive power In the last issue you protect s and read about Gender and of boy HIV. In this issue, find girls more about what can put

STF Mailing List 2008

SHARING INFORMATION WITH HELPFUL FRIENDS CAN MAKE YOU AVOID RISKS. Children of Busabala PS read Scouts Voice (SV). Reading scouts voice is one way of gaining information which can help you avoid risks

Sharon’s story is one example of situations that can put someone at the risk of early pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. While Sharon’s friend was able to go back to school, remember that for many girls, getting pregnant marks the end of education.

When you are at risk

Our vision as Scouts is “Creating a better world” and our Mission is “Educating young people to play a constructive role in society”. Think through your life as a Scout, are you doing things that are helping create a better world today? Are you playing a constructive role at home, school, among your peers or in the community where you stay? Sometimes young people involve themselves in activities that have less value and put one at risk. Know what kind of environment you live in because most risks we face come from our environment. Not all risks are the results of our own behaviors. But we can control all risks. Always remember that your behaviour can put you at risk. Your friends’ behaviours can also put you at risk and behaiours of other people around you can also put your life at risk.

is . Avoid the places if the risk coming from an environment . Avoid the friends if it is Fellow scouts , value friends putting you at risk your lives, avoid all things that can put . Stop, think and change your you at risk. As in our behaviour if it is your own promise lets’ help action putting you at risk other people but never forget our duty . Report to responsible to self that demands authority if the risk is that we all stay a live. you someone from coming cannot stop yourself ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................!.................................1 .

Scouts Voice, started in 2005, funded by Path-Kenya-USAID, for Ugandan and Kenyan scout troops. UGANDA March: Support people with HIV. Oct: Can you sense HIV risks? KENYA: Aug: We are one. Dec: Are you aware of HIV risks? Jamboree edition Uganda. Everyday Health Matters, launched 2006, for adults, funded by AFFORD/USAID and developed with Ministry of Health and other partners. In Feb 2008 STF produced an EHM on “staying strong with HIV”, which

I12I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

addressed disclosure, ARVs, safe water, condoms and other positive living topics. Karamoja posters on education, for UNICEF, print run 2000. HIPS/USAID, rebranded and reprinted Everyday Health Matters, leaflets, flipcharts, peer education manuals.

Forester Joseph Otim holds a young Afezelia africana, one of the 8000 seedlings of this indigenous species that he has raised. Joseph’s parents were killed by LRA rebels but he managed to complete his A levels. STF’s sister NGO Mvule Trust sponsored him to study at Uganda’s National Forestry College. He leads Tree Talk’s programme in Kitgum.

tree & farm talk STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I13I

These are sound goals. Most schools have land, often as much as 20 acres in the central north and northeast. And schools need fuelwood if their teachers and learners are to eat. Less than 20% of schools provide midday meals: those that do either buy wood (spending up to $100 a term on firewood, a cost they can ill afford) or make learners carry a stick to school everyday. These can be seen stacked with poignant neatness against classroom walls.

Trees for schools:

T

ree Talk and Farm Talk were launched in 2002. The idea was to create newspapers to “do” for the environment and agriculture what Straight Talk and Young Talk were doing for ASRH: create buzz, new ideas, action, new analysis.

Pupils in a primary school in Yumbe place newly delivered seedlings under a tree prior to planting.

With the second or third highest population growth in the world, Uganda’s environment is in free fall. In much of the country, women now walk three times further for firewood than they did 15 years ago. Floods, windstorms which remove school roofs, and erosion are side effects of the 92,000 ha of forest lost yearly. Agricultural production per capita is also declining as the soil is mined for crops and not replenished. Over 53% of Ugandan children under the age of five are stunted -- short for age -because of chronic undernourishment. (DHS, 2006)

Tree Talk

Tree Talk is a four page newspaper that is sent once or twice a year to every school in Uganda. Each school receives a sachet of tree seed with its bundle. The aim is that the school will germinate the seed and grow a woodlot as well as indigenous trees for shade, beauty, wind control and wildlife.

Tree Talk is Uganda’s only environmental newspaper. With about half of all schools raising seedlings from Tree Talk seed, it caused an estimated 8000 nurseries to be set up. But this sounds better than it is. Not all seed germinates, and a good proportion of those seedlings that do grow perish in the nursery or later in the ground. Many obstacles get in the way, from lack of water to raise seedlings to seedlings dying for lack of care in the holidays to livestock trampling or eating saplings in woodlots. In 2006 STF acquired funding from World Food Programme, which was then feeding over two million people in the North and Karamoja, to produce not only Tree Talk but to run an on-theground woodlot programme. Able to hire young foresters who rode from school to school on motorbikes and set up central nurseries, in 2006 STF planted over 244,400 trees in 227 schools in these distressed regions. About 60% survived to one year. In 2007, STF planted a further 229,000. Today Tree Talk woodlots can be seen along the Gulu and Kitgum road. The fast-growing trees -- Senna, Eucalyptus and Neem -- are now many metres high and have begun to be harvested, often as poles for teachers’ houses. The indigenous trees -- particularly the hardwood Mvule -- are fewer but also visible. The cost per tree surviving is a The climate is changing! But we can fight climate change with trees respectable $0.60. Care for your climate! With

British High Commission This special Tree Talk on climate change was produced with the Uganda Carbon Bureau. It is sponsored by the British High Commission in Kampala. The British Government is committed to a low carbon global economy.

Left: Tree Talk nursery in Adjumani: Visible are seedlings of Markhamia (Lusambya), Senna and Musisi.

I14I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Trees naturally trap carbon dioxide, which they use during photosynthesis. At the same time they emit oxygen, which we need to breathe. Uganda is lucky, it still has some natural forests. It

il 2008 No.1 Apr Vol. 6

also has one of the best climates in the world for growing trees. But more and more trees are being cut down for charcoal, firewood and timber and to clear land for agriculture. When the wood is burned,

it releases the carbon dioxide that was stored. This contributes to global warming. Cutting down forests also means that there are fewer trees to produce oxygen. Deforestation, especially in tropical

this Tree Talk, 18,000 schools countrywide are receiving tree seed. Start your nursery and woodlot now.Right: Brenda of the Twogere Kaati Radio Program with her mvule seedlings

areas, accounts for 20% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions each year. You can fight this by protecting the forests that are left and by growing more new trees.

Save ts fores w Gro s tree

What are greenhouse gases, global warming?

Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide. They naturally encircle the earth. But too many greenhouse gases cause the earth to heat up. This is global warming. Is the weather in your area changing? Is there dry land where it was once wet, or floods where it was once dry? Does your favourite wetland for swimming now have little water? Is the temperature hotter than before? All over the world, the weather is changing: this is called climate change. Climate change is dangerous because it disturbs our crops, water and health.

The atmosphere (the air we breathe) is naturally made up of different gases, including carbon dioxide. Some of these gases are called "greenhouse gases". Why do they have this name? They are called "greenhouse gases" because they trap the sun's heat like the plastic sheeting that is used to make greenhouses. Have you seen such greenhouses near Entebbe that are used for growing flowers and vegetables?

There are now more floods and droughts in Uganda due to global warming. Greenhouse gases naturally act like a blanket and keep the Earth warm. This is good: without them, the Earth would be very cold! Unfortunately humans have caused too much

carbon dioxide to be released. Cars, planes and factories burn fuel, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. When forests are burnt, they also release carbon dioxide. Today 20% of all man-made

greenhouse gases come from the destruction of forests. To reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and thereby fight climate change, we can grow trees and protect forests.

In 2008 Tree Talk received funding from several sources: •The British High Commission gave UGX 18 million via the Uganda Carbon Bureau for an issue on global warming. This went to all schools in the country with Mvule or Senna seed, depending upon the ecological zone. • National Forestry Authority gave almost UGX 13 million for trees for 45 schools around Mt Kei, an area of high biodiversity on the Sudan border in Yumbe district. • Philanthropists Madeleine and Timothy Plaut donated $15,000 for tree-growing in 15 schools in Kumi. • FAO gave UGX 50 million for school woodlots in Gulu and Kaberamaido. • USAID’s WILD project provided UGX 299 million for Tree Talk in Lwo, radio work in Lwo and Madi, and tree growing in Amuru, Kitgum, Moyo and Adjumani.

Kumi woodlot: A pupil tends a Senna tree. Kumi is Uganda’s most deforested district. Below: a heap of firewood to cook the midday meal in a primary school in Karamoja.

With funding amounting to $276,000, these efforts resulted in the planting of 494,000 trees at a cost of $0.56 a tree in 2008. They also allowed the priming of central and community nurseries, which will lead to the planting of 700,000 trees in 2009. With funds of $681,203 over three years, STF’s work for WILD will take pressure off biomass in Murchison Falls National Park and Mt Otzi, Zoka and Agoro Agu Central Forest Reserves. Three years is the least a tree project should last.

Agriculture provides the livelihood of 80% of Ugandans but to be a peasant farmer is perceived to have failed. Farm Talk tries to show pupils that farming is integral to a prosperous future. In 2008, with UGX 100 million from Danida’s Agricultural Sector Programme Support project, STF produced three issues of Farm Talk, trained 66 teachers and worked in 80 schools in the north to establish model school gardens. Kubali PS in Yumbe raised 3000 cabbages with Farm Talk seed. Wrote teacher W Pithus from Nebbi. “We have received seeds from Farm Talk since 2006. Our school has become a living lab.”

Farm Talk

Farm Talk supports the teaching and learning of agriculture in primary school and aims to contribute to better feeding for vulnerable pupils. Every school receives a sachet of vegetable seed with its Farm Talk bundle to inspire school gardening.

TALK

TALK

Making agriculture rewarding and fun f o r pupils & teachers Vol. 9 No. April 2008

Girls and boys need equal voice in farming Dear Farm Talkers, we hope you applied onto your home gardens all the farming knowledge you acquired last year. Feel free to write to us about your farming experiences during the holidays. In this issue, find out why it is important for girls and boys to be given equal opportunities to take decisions on farming. Also find out what other Farm Talkers say about the topic. Find out what teachers say about decision making for boys and girls. Strong: most women work hard for their families in farming.

Why both boys and girls need equal chances

Today there is great threat to the environment. Due to human activity, land is becoming poorer. Grass and trees are disappearing fast, causing soil to erode. Water sources are drying up. We all have to farm for food and income. But we need to farm in a way that preserves natural resources.

Do you have a school garden?

Do both boys and girls participate equally in making decisions about where to plant, what to plant, harvest, sell and how to use the money?

Women have good ideas and energy Women work 4 to 8 hours more than men everyday. They grow most of the food that feeds the family. They also work hard in commercial agriculture.

In Uganda and most of Africa, women work much harder and for longer hours in agriculture than men.

However, men make most of the decisions about what to sell and how to use the profits. This is a serious problem. Why women need more voice •When women earn money, they contribute almost all of it (94%) to family use. •It is the mother's income rather than father's income that

Farm carefully to help the environment Farm Talkers! Did you know that without natural resources like water and land life would be impossible for people?

Equal decision and participation helps both girls and boys to: • Discover their full abilities to do things well • Benefit equally • Share work without complaint • Learn to do same things without gender bias • Gain from work without cheating one another • Develop confidence in themselves • Learn to respect one another • Take on responsibilities without fear

Pupils of St Catherine PS in Luwero with their teacher Peter kamya Semugabi in their school garden. Girls and boys need equal opportunity to make decisions on farming. Boys, do not assume that girls are only good for working and not thinking.

determines if children eat well and have good nutrition. •When men control the family income, they often spend it on unproductive uses such as alcohol. This is one reason why many families are poor. As a young person you can change this culture. Boys, start by helping your mother and respecting views of girls and women. Girls, start by learning to make strong decisions. Read this Farm Talk to know more.

Do we have food? Your mother is the one who makes sure you eat everyday.

TALK

Making agriculture rewarding and fun f o r pupils & teachers Vol.9 No.3 October 2008

Making agriculture rewarding and fun f o r pupils & teachers Vol.9 No.2 June 2008

Is your soil fertile? Do you have plenty of water for your animals? Do you have trees on your farm? Or is your environment tired and over-worked? Get more information from this issue.

Girls/women have the same rights as boys/men over the crops they grow.

Read what Farm Talkers in West Nile and Gulu are doing to protect the environment and grow

food. Chandiru, for example, says she has taught her parents not to cut trees.

Farming and HIV/AIDS

Farming gives good food Do you know that farming and HIV are related? Find out how farming can keep you safe and how it can help you solve HIV related problems.

•Farming helps you to

Keeping trees in our gardens

give good nutrition to people with HIV/AIDS.

"Our climate is hot and we suffer a long drought. We have learnt to keep trees in our gardens. We do not cut them. Instead we plant more of them.

•Good food helps them to be healthier, live longer, resist infections.

Teacher Kitimbo Lutuya from Kaliro CoU PS says:

When we have to cut trees, we do so selectively. This means that trees with good shade, leaves that easily decompose and able to fix nitrogen are left when clearing land for farming. I learnt all this in school. I tell my parents that we need not cut down every tree to give way for farm land. This made my parents maintain some trees in our garden."

"Pupils,

when there is HIV/AIDS in your family, food production can drop. So you need to help your family to grow enough food." Nabwire Betty a teacher from Bukumankola PS says: "Someone with HIV/AIDS may be too weak to work. This can lead to food shortage. A pupil who comes from such a family needs to work harder."

gi Key message for boys and A maize garden at the foot of Agoro Agu hills in Kitgum. The farmer left a big tree in the garden to conserve the environment. Good farming and a good environment go hand in hand.

Chandiru Rauda, P7, Omba PS, Yumbe.

Do not burn your land Farm Talkers, Traditionally, many people burn bushes to clear land to farm. Some boys simply burn them for fun. Stop this! Bush burning: • destroys vegetation that could be green manure • makes the soil drier • kills earthworms and other living things necessary for healthy soil

• makes soil alkaline. Lots of ash harms plants. • reduces organic matter and make soil poor; soil erosion increases because there is less organic matter to hold the soil together. • increases carbon dioxide in the air. A lot of this gas is changing the weather all over the world, making it drier and shifting planting seasons and yields. • can spread and destroy gardens.

ood. • People with HIV need good f a family member has HIV. • Harvests may go down when in the family gardens so • So, boys and girls, work hard t. that the family has plenty to ea er. • Learn how to be a great farm

When you plant crops such as greens, okra, dodo and beans, the person with HIV will eat a balanced diet. Shipuya Lasmir, 13

Alternatives • Slash and let grass root instead of burning

• Spot hoe. This means digging a hole only where you want to plant crops like bananas and pineapples. This reduces the need to burn an entire field.

Pupils of Bukumankola PS in Kaliro weed their maize in their great school garden. Pupils, be active when your teacher asks you to go to the garden. Good farming is the road to wealth in Uganda.

Get

prizes

and dodo seed from

Farm Talk!

Farm Talkers at Kaliro CoU PS talk about farming and HIV

Always advise your friends to avoid setting fires.

• Avoid heaping grass outside the garden to prevent fires from spreading

rls

I grow tomatoes and sweet potatoes so I get my own money instead of relying on boys or men. I buy my own body creams and handkerchiefs. When a man gives you money, he may ask you for sex! Kiza Lydia, 14

Farming gives income • You get money to meet your needs, instead of depending on someone who may infect you with HIV, such as a sugar mummy or boy lover. • Farming can keep you busy so you do not go in for drinking alcohol or other risky

behaviours that can lead you into sex. • Farming can earn you money so that you can help your family members who have HIV. • Be careful! Do not use money from farming to con girls!

Cabbage!s for sale

Boys who waste time instead of digging end up with bad friends. They start going for discos where they get girls who are also loitering. They end up having sex. These girls could have HIV. Wandera Emanuel, 14

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I15I

STF conceptual thinking

In 2007 STF expressed its model as a rainbow (see back cover). This year STF is also using the metaphor of rivers and water. STF has three streams of communication, which create a river from which young people and adults in all life stages and states can take what they need. After being used -- generating conversation and action -- this “water” evaporates and returns as rain. Like the water cycle, this cycle of communication for social change constantly renews itself.

I16I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

radio A young warrior clasps his wind-up-solar radio, one of over 5000 distributed by STF in 2008. STF’s Nga’karimojong youth show affirms Karimojong culture, while at the same time destigmatising education and talking openly but appropriately about sexuality. In addition, the show gives youth a chance to hear the voices of young people from other Karamoja sub-groups, which may be in armed conflict with their own. “I have learnt about education as the tool to success,” said Kodath, 19 year old male from Moroto. “So I am making sure I do not waste time when I am at school so that I can get to where I want in future.”

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I17I

S

TF began work in radio in 1999. The aim was to use radio to reinforce the “conversations” of Young Talk and Straight Talk newspapers. The first Straight Talk radio show was in English. Once STF gained competence in radio, it moved rapidly into broadcasting in Ugandan languages. Lwo, the language of the north, then in the midst of conflict, was the first. As new languages were added year by year, radio became far more than a reinforcement for those already receiving STF papers. For adolescents who do not speak English, STF radio shows are their main and often only source of correct knowledge on HIV, growing up and staying safe. By mid 2008 STF was working in English and 13 of the largest of Uganda’s 36 indigenous languages. This was one more than in 2007. The extra language was acquired by splitting the “4Rs” language, which is spoken in 16 districts in Western Uganda, into two sublanguage groups: Runyankole-Rukiga and Rutooro-Runyoro. Radio is now a far larger work stream than print at STF, though both are indispensable. Excluding salaries, in 2008 STF spent about $849,537 or 26% of its total budget on radio. Of this, over 80% went on buying airtime on the forty radio stations it needs to reach the entire country. All in all, in 2008, STF broadcast 4160 half hour radio shows for youth and parents.

Radio for youth

Linguistically, STF covers about 85% of Uganda’s population with its youth radio shows. By the end of 2008 only the smaller though still substantial groups such as the Madi, Alur and Japadhola remained uncatered for. In 2008 STF’s team of 14 youth journalists conceptualised, conducted field interviews and wrote the scripts for a total of 728 half hour youth radio shows. Each show was then voiced by the same journalist in STF’s studios in Kampala. Because FM stations have limited reach, each show is broadcast on several radio stations - ranging from 14 stations for the English show to six for Runyankole-Rukiga to two for smaller languages such as Lusamia. Thus in 2008 STF aired 57 Straight Talk shows a week for a total of 2964 youth shows.

Radio for adults

Since 2005 STF has produced radio shows for adults, particularly parents. Parents are I18I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Gender: STF made strenuous efforts in 2008 to generate radio content relevant to girls. Most topics were handled twice: once from a girl perspective and once from the perspective of boy. Gender blind content runs the risk of helping neither gender. “super-protectors”: parental presence and the quality of the parental relationship are critical to adolescents staying safe. Called Parent Talk, these shows do more than just address parenting. They also focus on the sexual and emotional lives of parents, including adults living with HIV. Language

Launch

B/casts

Radio shows for adolescents/youth English Straight Talk Lwo: Lok atyer kamaleng Runyankore/Rukiga: Tusheeshuure Ateso: Einer Eitena Lugbara: Eyo eceza tra ri Lusamia: Embaha Ngololofu Lumasaba: Khukanikha Lubuula Luganda: Twogere Kaati Lukonzo: Erikania Okwenene Lusoga: Twogere Lwattu Kupsabiny: Ngalatep Maanta Karimojong: Erwor Ngolo Ediiriana Lufumbira: Tuvuge Rwatu Runyoro/Rutooro: Baza busimba

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 2005 2005 2006 2007 2008

14 5 6 3 2 2 2 5 2 3 3 4 2 4

Sub-total/wk

14 shows

57/wk

4Rs: Eriaka Ryomuzaire Lugbara: Nzeta Tipikaniri Lukonzo: Omukania owa’ babuthi Lusamia: Embaha ya bebusi Lumasaba: Inganikha iyi basaali Luganda: Eddobozi lya muzadde Lwo: Lok pa Lanyodo

2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006

5 3 2 2 2 2 4

Sub-total/wk

9 shows

23

TOTAL

23 shows

80/wk

Radio shows for parents

Ateso: Einer Aurian Karimojong: Erwor Angi Kaureak

2007 2008

2 3

This is vital as 75% of new HIV infections in Uganda are now occurring among adults aged 25 plus, the vast majority of whom are married or co-habiting. In 2008 STF introduced a new radio show for parents in Nga’karimojong, bringing to nine the number of shows STF produces for adults. All are in indigenous languages as less than 15% of adults are comfortable with English. Each Parent Talk show is also broadcast on multiple stations. Thus in 2008 STF aired 23 Parent Talk shows a week for a total of 1196 half hour shows.

Radio as interpersonal

STF radio journalists make four trips a year to the field, collecting material for 13 shows each trip. In 2008 the youth journalists visited 79 out of Uganda’s 80 districts. Communication theory distinguishes between mass media and interpersonal communication. However, there is a large interpersonal element to STF radio work. In 2008, STF’s youth journalists reached 2500 youth in oneon-one interviews and almost 25,000 in FGDs. The nine Parent Talk journalists also reached hundreds of adults. Meaningful radio cannot be done without extensive face-to-face.

Quality and listenership

How many listeners write in is a measure of a

A second measure of listenership is field data. In 2008 STF reviewed its 2006-10 Strategic Plan. This qualitative evaluation shed light on what communities thought of the youth and parent shows in Kasese, Bugiri and Kitgum districts. Responses were deeply positive with radio the most mentioned STF intervention. Young people could list lessons they had learnt and repeatedly praised shows for five features: being “straight”, interactive, comprehensive, youth-specific, and in the local language. “The radio show has done a lot of guidance for us young people,” said a girl in Bugiri. “All your questions are answered. You feel relieved.”

Parent Talk listeners in Katakwi: The show

promotes couple dialogue but STF is still struggling with how to address polygyny.

With only four trips to the field per year, STF’s radio team may appear to be cut off from listeners. In reality, they are touch by letters and phone. “It’s a daily contact,” says Radio Director Annette Kyosimiire: “They know what’s happening because of the letters. Adolescents write and say, ‘Last time you were here, you gave us seeds. Now it’s raining and we have planted.’” “I get called by counsellors,” says Charity Cheptoris, STF radio journalist for Sabiny youth. “They might say that the girls are getting married, and we are having problems in the hospitals. Please talk about it. Once a nurse called me to say that they have mobile VCT but people fear to come for counselling. She asked me to announce it on radio and tell them to feel free.”

show’s following. After a disappointing year in 2007, where STF received 14,000 letters down from 24,000 in 2006 and 29,000 in 2005, STF replaced the journalists who had produced the shows for years. The turn around was instant. With the shows once more sounding real, 27,700 letters flooded in.

“I get my information from the Straight Talk show every Sunday at 6:30 pm on Radio Messiah,” said a boy from Kasese. “With my friends, we talk about it. I try to do what I hear. For instance, if I must meet a girl, I use a condom.”

Adults also appreciated the shows. Said a local council chairman in Kasese: “I know STF has two shows on Sunday. I am a parent so I listen to the parent one, although I also sometimes listen to the one for young people. I find all of them useful.” For some adults, Parent Talk has been a revelation. Said one father: “I have learnt that women are not supposed to be forced into sex, that sex takes the consent of two people and that if she says no, I should respect her feelings.” Quantitative data on listenership collected in 2009 showed that over 70% of parents listened to Parent Talk in Sironko and Mbale and over 70% of Karimojong adolescents had heard their youth show. This is similar to the Population Council survey (2005-6), which found that 83% of adolescents in Apac, 86% in Arua, 84% in Ntungamo and 83% in Soroti had ever listened to their local language show. STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I19I

When radio is also face-to-face

I

n 2008 STF’s youth radio journalists demonstrated condom use on every trip upcountry, reaching about 15,000 youth. Only about 30% of sexually-active 15-19 year olds used a condom at first sex (UHSBS, 2004-5). Seeing a condom demonstration is the best indicator of knowledge of correct condom use (National Adolescent Survey, 2006).

when they see the dildo. Some boys put it in the front of their pants to demonstrate. Girls are shy to demonstrate but always listen. They believe that it is a man to put on the condom, not them to put it on their partner.” In line with Ministry of Education guidance, STF never distributes condoms in schools, though students ask for them. Even before the MoES formulated guidelines, STF had reasons not to. For one, students can be expelled for romantic relationships.

Hardened to embarrassment, STF radio journalists slip condom demos into Q&A sessions. Says Paula Amaniyo, the Lugbara A listener demonstrates how to use a condom in a radio focus group youth radio journalist: “When discussion. Below: Paula Amaniyo. Paula feels STF’s restraint is they ask something like ‘are right: “It’s not good for us to condoms 100% safe?’, you invite give out condoms. People will a volunteer from their side to think we are the ones making them demonstrate. They always accept. have sex. We refer students to shops, You keep observing what they are clinics and the family planning doing and correct them if necessary. association. After listening to us, Yumbe SS was the only school that those who need go and get.” ever refused me to do it. They said the Moslem religion did not allow But the balance is delicate. Many it.” students do not make that trip for condoms and have unprotected sex. Adds Paula: “Students get excited

Counselling is part of radio duties: Zaituni Nabateregga, STF’s Luganda Parent Talk radio journalist, in Masaka with a family of orphans headed by the 16 year-old-girl on the left.

I20I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Six months later, STF’s M&E team traversed the area to determine how the “blue radios” were being used and the impact of STF conversations. It found far greater exposure to radio than before. Many people were listening in groups, as STF had advised. “We always bring the radio to the tree to listen to STF shows,” said a boy, 16. “We get it from the leader of the manyatta. After we listen, we take it back.” But some, particularly males, admitted to taking it for themselves. “We use it when we take the cows for grazing because it is very lonely,” said a boy, 17.

Working in hard places: STF journalist for the Nga’karimojong youth show, AnnaMary Lokwii, interviews a child.

STF radio shows and news were the most listened to programs. “I learn news, like vehicles being ambushed,” explained a girl, 15. “From educative programs, I get to know that it is time to go back to school.” Indeed, the biggest impact seems to have been improved attitudes towards education. Traditionally an educated Karimojong is seen as deculturalised. Education is said to turn girls into prostitutes. “I did not go to school,” said a young woman, 20. “But I have learnt that I will take my children to school. This is because there are many benefits like they tell us on that show. This is the most important thing I have learnt.” In 2009 STF will expand its work in Karamoja, adding weekly radio shows in Pokot and Lepthur, languages spoken by Karamoja subgroups.

Hard to reach: Karamoja

STF’s most spectacular radio effort in 2008 took place in arid Karamoja, where traditional cattleraiding has evolved into armed conflict. In 2008 security was better but over 700,000 out of Karamoja’s 1.1 million inhabitants needed food aid. STF started its Nga’karimojong Straight Talk show in late 2006. Further funds from Unicef allowed STF to set up an office in Moroto and launch Parent Talk in Nga’karimojong in 2008. Radio ownership in Karamoja is low: less than 30% of adults listen at least once a week compared to 87% nationally (DHS, 2006). So STF also distributed 5139 windup-solar radios to schools (353), health units (97), literacy groups (373), nonformal education groups (292) and “manyattas”, the fortified homesteads (3721). Every manyatta received two radios - one for males and one for females. The radio had to be demonstrated and signed for. It took four teams three weeks in October 2008, often moving with army escorts, to deliver them all.

Field visits/work by STF radio staff in 2008 Language

Districts Villages IDIs visited visited

FGDs

Lukonzo

2

40

208

1412

Ngakarimojong

5

30

156

5139

Luganda

11

40

156

1288

Runyankole-Rukiga

9

40

162

1470

Lusoga

6

40

199

2089

Urufumbira

2

40

156

1043

Ateso

7

42

166

1218

Lugbara

5

63

160

1915

Lumasaba

4

40

192

3689

Lusamia

2

48

224

1006

Kupsabiny

2

40

156

510

Luo

8

40

208

1272

11

40

208

880

5

40

198

1305

79

609

2549

24,238

English Runyoro-Rutoro TOTAL: 14 languages

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I21I

Youth radio journalist: how do you get the courage to talk?

W

ilberforce Musimana, 24, joined STF in January 2008. At the time he spotted the STF advertisement for a Lusamia journalist, he was working on construction sites to put himself through business school at night. Like many rural youth, it had taken him many years to complete high school. “I went to five different high schools, I would study, the bill would accumulate and then I would have to leave. Sometimes I would attend for just three weeks in a term but I would always get notes and learn.” He never knew his father and grew up with his grandparents. His mother remarried and now lives in Kenya: the Basamia people inhabit both sides of the border. Wilberforce knew STF papers as a child. “In primary school, they would bring us Young Talk. Of course, they were few and we would share. I started reading the papers for fun but as I went on I saw they were educative.”

Wilberforce interviews a school girl in Bugiri: There is a

synergy between print and radio. Areas with local language ST shows have higher readership of the English STF papers.

Wilberforce’s background of resilience and hardship makes him perfect as an STF youth journalist. Small, slight and not yet married or a father, no youth would perceive him as an older person talking down to them. In primary school, Wilberforce witnessed a scene that made him want to work for young people. “It never went out of my head,” he says. “A girl had stained herself. Pupils were shouting ‘you have blood on your dress’, like it was a dirty thing. The girl almost collapsed. It seems it was her first time.” Christmas parties in the village also made him uneasy. “I saw things that were not right. A girl goes there very innocent and young. The boys make her drink and then use her up. When she goes back to school in January, she is pregnant.” When WIlberforce started at STF, he had never

I22I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

used a computer. Everything was hard. “You get these interviews, then have to come in with narrations, so you have to do research. Like if I am talking about menstruation - what are the main issues I put forward?”

Interviews were easier: “A person tells you part of their life, and you advise them. I tell them what I went through, that you can make it if you use every chance that comes.” Like all STF radio journalists, WIlberforce is a well-known figure at home. “People in the villages know me. My friends are so proud. They say ‘Hey man, how do you get courage to talk about those things?’ You know, when we were growing up, we were not meant to talk about sex.” Wilberforce has 47 listener clubs. “We normally give them seeds and sometimes piglets, “ he says. “These cause collective efforts so that when they come together they can share.” He received 1781 letters in 2008 and is on course to get his required minimum of 3000 in 2009. “Radio is a good way to reach people.” he says. “The STF papers are in English. But when you talk on air, you get a chance to explain in your mother tongue what they do not know.”

Straight Talk youth radio shows

STF broadcasts for youth and adolescents in 14 languages. All of Uganda receives the English Straight Talk radio show. Thirteen groups receive broadcasts in their languages.

Trend in the ratio of male to female writers 2005-2008

GENDER STF youth shows used to receive 3 to 4 letters from boys for every one letter from a girl. But in 2008, the shows had increasingly girl-focused content, and boys and girls contributed almost equally to six out of 14 shows. Only to the Lwo and Lugbara shows are over 70% of letters still from boys.

4

3.8

3.5

Alur, Madi, Kakwa and Japadhola-speakers had no STF show in their language (white areas). The red circles show some of the 40 radio stations STF used to air its shows in 2008.

3.4

3 Ratio

2.7 2.5

R atio

2

1.6

1.5 1 2005

2006

2007

2008

Letters recieved by language-2008 4403

ST youth radio shows received 27,700 letters in 2008 up from 14,504 in 2007.

4500

Despite the conflict and greater poverty in the North, the Lwo show No. of letters brought in the greatest number, followed by the English show and the two shows for 4Rs- speakers in western Uganda.

3000

3500 2676 2657 2309

2500 2000

2175 1896 18201754

1500

1577

1447 1254 1030

1000

833 810

500

g on K'j

glis h sh uu Ba re za Bu zim ba Lu kh on zo Ate so Lu ma sa ba Lu sa mi a Ru fum bir a Lu so ga Lu gb ara Lu ga nd a Ku ps ab iny Tu

sh e

En

o

0 Lw

Per capita the Lukhonzo show attracted the most letters, with one in every 67th Mukonzo youth writing in.

4000

Language STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I23I

Topics of the 52 Straight Talk youth radio shows 2008 1. Staying safe 2. Alcohol and relationships 3. Sugar mummies/daddies 4. Responsible living 5. Working as adolescents 6. Using condoms 7. Domestic violence/alcohol 8. Staying in school 10. Sex for something 11. HIV prevention 12. Behaviour change 13. Early pregnancy 14. Fighting poverty 15. Casual sex 16. Sex for marriage 17. Sex and poverty 18. Extra marital sex. 19. Alcohol and relationships 20. Gender and culture 21. VCT 22. Gender equality 23. Quiz review 24. Polygamy 25. Stigma 26. Disability and violence

27. Sexual discrimination 28. Bride price - boys and girls 29. PEP 30. Menstruation 31. Technical Education 32. Quiz round up 33. Sex at first sight 34. Sex for adventure (boys) 35. Sex for adventure (girls) 36. Sex for revenge 37. Sex without love 38. Bride price (girl’s view) 39. Bride price (boy’s view) 40. Bride price & violence 41. New year’s resolutions 42. Virginity (boys) 43. Christmas show 44-52. Doctor/counselor shows

record eight topics originating with the community; five on topics decided in Kampala and based on the national drivers of HIV; and three doctor shows. Thus, for example, the Lufumbira journalist produced two special shows on child prostitution in Kisoro and the Batwa pygmy community. Lumasaba journalist, Peter

Matanda,

produced two shows on traditional male circumcision, an event usually accompanied by risky merrymaking: the young male must test his unhealed penis by having sex.

There is some variation between language streams as communities themselves suggest topics, and the shows are audience-led. On every trip upcountry, the journalists

Bust and boom: letters rebound in 2008

A

ll communication projects need an in-built feedback mechanism. Letters are the best gauge of whether a communication activity still hits the mark. Letters to radio had been declining since 2005. Longstanding journalists were getting older and had begun to sound like health workers. They had disengaged from the listeners, with whom they

no longer fully identified, and lost the passion for listener dedications. Listeners who wrote would receive a reply often after months or sometimes not at all.

by name and answers three listener questions. Letters increased for all shows, even those still run by older journalists. The target for 2009 is 40,000, derived from the number that STF would receive if all listeners responded as much as Bakhonzo youth do.

In 2008 STF brought in new journalists for its youth radio shows in English, Lwo, Ateso, Lugbara, Lumasaba, Luganda and Kupsabiny. It insisted that every letter be answered within the month. Every show now dedicates songs to 12 listeners

Com parison of letters to ST Youth Radio show s 2005-2008

No. of letters

8000 7000

Y r 2005

6000

Y r 2006

5000

Y r 2007

4000

Y r 2008

3000 2000 10 0 0

I24I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

bir a

g

ufu m

Ur

K'j on

y ps ab in

Ku

so ga Lu

ba

nd a Lu ga

ma sa

ar a

Language

Lu

Lu gb

a

o

ho nz o

Lu k

Lu sa mi

es At

En gli sh

4R s

Lw o

0

Bottling Biira: making radio ”thick” with meaning STF youth journalist Wilberforce Musimana (see p.21) was like a time bomb. He ticked along then suddenly exploded, seizing the power of personal narrative. Listeners can distinguish great from OK. The challenge is to convey to the “just OK” journalists what STF seeks. And can it be taught? Or is it instinctive or personality? Peter Matanda, STF’s new Lumasaba journalist, was great from the start, doubling the letters from his area in 2008. If STF could “bottle” what journalist Biira Gedi does, STF’s youth shows would receive 60,000 letters a year.

Warmth: Biira Gedi, STF’s Lukhonzo journalist with a mother in Kasese.

S

TF radio shows are not of equal quality. Some are “great”, others “OK”. STF mentors the journalists who produce the “OK” shows; a journalist who is capable of “great” coaches them. Sometimes the issue is attitude: they look down on the people they interview. This can be corrected, and most OK journalists click with time.

Great radio is thick with images and insights. The personal stories are lived - not correct versions that the interviewee thinks the journalist wants. It embraces complexity. It is not bland. Listeners think “that could be me!” and “I was wondering about that!” It contains inspiration. Great radio journalists reflect intelligently on what the interviewee said and ask the question the listener would ask if she or he were there. All these are cardinal rules of good journalism. Communication for social change adds another one: involve the audience.

Topics of the 52 Parent Talk radio shows 2008

P

arent Talk is funded from three sources: Civil Society Fund, PSI and UNITY, a USAID education project. So there is some variation between the language streams. The following is a composite list of topics. 1. Breastfeeding in mothers with HIV 2. Men and pregnancy 3. Male family involvement 4. Parent-child talk 5. Discordance 6. Immunization 7. Girls’ education 8. Protecting children from abuse 9. Identifying children’s talents 10. Handling children with disability 11. Faithfulness in marriage (men) 12. Faithfulness in marriage (women) 13. Extramarital relationships

14. Personal hygiene 15. Gender and agriculture 16. Diarrhorea in positive people 18. Couple communication 19. Domestic violence 20. Defilement 21. Disclosure 22. Early marriage 23. Meeting children’s needs 24. Extramarital relationships men’s perception 25. Extramarital relationshipswomen’s perception 26. Work and marriage 27. Brideprice 28. Women’s rights 29. Parental responsibilities 30. HIV and family planning 31. HIV and violence. 32. Children’s rights 33. Partner communication 34. Polygamy

35. Child abuse 36. Christmas highlights 37. New year’s resolutions 38. HIV and nutrition 39. VCT 40. Caring for people with HIV 42. Family planning 43. Alcohol 44. Taking children to school and retention 45. STDS: Gonorrhoea 46.-52. Quizzes

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I25I

Crowd sourcing: the wisdom of many

S

“My husband hits me every night. I have nowhere to go. My father drank the brideprice. My brothers will not house me. Should I remarry? Become a prostitute? How will my children grow up?” To this, a listener wrote: “She should not leave her children. She should go to the women lawyers for help. Imagine leaving your kids with a step mother who will mistreat them like orphans.”

TF’s youth shows run “Quizzes” on dilemmas that young people face. Listeners send in answers that are read on air. The apparent motivation for listeners who write in is that they may win prizes such as hoes, buckets, seeds and exercise books. But STF’s motivation in posing the quiz questions is to get listeners to sit quietly pen in hand and reflect on a difficult life issue that they too could encounter. Says Radio Director Annette Kyosimiire: “For us, it is a way of provoking them to identify what they would do if they were caught in such a scenario. These quizzes give them an exercise in thinking about their lives.”

Radio director: In

office (above) and in the field in a real crowd (below).

Quizzes in 2008 included: Q1: A girl with HIV loves a boy who

Q3: The girl is in secondary school. A

man who employs her mother says he will sack her if the girl refuses to have sex with him. Her mother’s job pays her school fees. To this, a listener wrote: ”This girl should avoid offers from this man since they can make her give in to him.”

promises to marry her. Her mother tells her not to tell him that she has HIV. She wants to tell the boy but fears he may end the relationship. To this, a listener wrote: “It would be merciful if the girl told the boy that she has HIV so the boy can make his choice. A counselor can give them advice on how to marry or separate kindly.”

Q2: A young woman is anguished:

Radio partnerships in 2008 Basic Care - PSI/CDC: Parent Talk shows in

Luganda, Lumasaba, 4Rs and Lwo on positive living, adult relationships and sexuality. Eight spots in eight languages on 32 stations on palliative care (e.g. making a will, managing a patient in pain).

Unity - MOES/USAID: Parent Talk shows on

education, parenting, HIV and adult sexuality in Ateso, Lwo, 4Rs, Luganda and Lugbara.

Rock Point 256 - USAID: Youth soap opera

HIPS - USAID: Produced 13 half-hour shows

for the Good Life at Work Campaign in Lugwere, Runyoro-Rutooro and Luganda on TB, malaria, FP, HIV.

SPRING - USAID: Supported live and pre-recorded radio shows in Acholi and Langi on post-conflict topics. Produced 12 one-minute spots.

ALREP - FAO: Five live talk shows, five pre-

recorded in Luo and Ateso and post-produced in Luganda, Luo and Ateso: 152 half-hour episodes.

recorded shows and five spots in Langi and Acholi on reconstruction of agricultural livelihoods in northern Uganda.

Crane survey - CDC: Translated/recorded lengthy

MDG3 - Danida & Grameen AppLab- (see p35)

research questionnaire in English/ Luganda.

Limelight Ltd - Road safety: Eight spots in English/Luganda.

ACS - Unicef: Eight spots in

Lepthur, Pokot and Nga’karimojong on accelerated child survival (e.g. immunisation, diarrhoea). Spots aired on three stations for two months; also live talks shows.

I26I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Some radio team members 2008: Because of travel, the whole team is rarely in the office together.

face2face

OTD’s Godfrey Walakira joined STF when he was 18, one of a cohort of bright and determined adolescents that STF took in 2000-1. STF invested heavily in mentoring and training these youth. Godfrey has repaid this by growing into an extraordinarily talented trainer. Such young people are often poached from STF to projects with much higher salaries. This is a grave challenge faced by indigenous NGOs.

People reached by STF face-to-face work in 2008 In primary schools • Teachers sensitised • Pupils trained as peer educators

982 250

In secondary schools (and some tertiary) • Teachers sensitised • Students trained as peer educators • Girls (PSI: Cross-gen, Go-getters) • Students reached by int’l volunteers • Students reached thru “on call” visits • Girl scholarship beneficiaries (Mvule)

85 239 184 26,130 11,542 205

In the community • District advocacy meetings (adults) • Village fairs (youth and adults) • Workplace sensitisations (HIPS) • Parent dialogues • Parent dialogues (Mvule)

143 13,874 1834 171 521

Sub-total

58,245

Gulu Youth Centre Kitgum Youth Centre

86,173 37,275

Total

181,693



STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I27I

F

ace-to-face work with adolescents, parents and teachers is the third prong of STF’s behaviour change strategy. It has a history. Once headteachers saw Straight Talk newspaper in 1993, they wanted the people behind it to visit their school. With health workers, the editors would answer students’ questions. In 1998 STF recruited staff to work full-time to satisfy the desperate need in schools for HIV and sex education.

were secondary school students, 1005 primary and secondary school teachers, and 16,000 out-of-school youth and adults. The cost was about $4 per person directly reached. Individuals were reached with different “packages”, e.g., primary teachers received two day trainings while parents reached in village fairs were exposed to several hours of “talk” -- testimonies from people with HIV, question and answer sessions with local nurses and drama by out-of school STF clubs.

Today the need is just as great, and STF has eight full-time Kampala-based staff and teams in Gulu and Kitgum devoted to “face time” with young people and important people in their lives.

A woman teacher speaks up at a primary school teacher sensitisation: Just 39% of primary school teachers are female.

In 2008, STF estimates, these face-to-face communicators, including those from the northern youth centres (see p31-33), reached about 180,000 people, a sharp increase over 2007. Increased funding allowed more people to be reached, but STF also performed better on capturing the data on those reached. In 2008 STF spent about $550,00 (UGX 1 billion) on face-to-face work, abut 16% of its total spend. This works out at about $3 per person reached directly by an STF trainer, fieldworker or counsellor.

Outreach and training

In 2008 the Kampala outreach and training department (OTD) had a budget of $237,000 (UGX 450 million). It reached about 58,000 people through teacher sensitisations, school visits and community work. This was almost double the estimated 28,245 reached in 2007. If youth reached by peer educators are counted, the figures rises by a further 60,000. Of those reached by OTD in 2008, about 39,000

However, the common denominator of all face-to-face work is a commitment to prevent HIV/AIDS by situating it in the context of relationships and sexuality. STF uses a sexual health promotion, not disease prevention, approach. In 2008 the OTD team worked in over 800 schools. The literature on HIV prevention distinguishes between curriculum-based school interventions and non-curriculum-based ones, such as spontaneous question and answer sessions, stories about HIV at school assemblies, and opportunistic counselling. (WHO/UNAIDS/Unicef. 2006. Preventing HIV/AIDS in young people: a systematic review of evidence from developing countries) Curriculum-based efforts are thought to be more effective, but non-curriculum-based interventions can also have great impact if the implementers are skilled and sensitive. STF does both. Its largest non-curriculum-based efforts in school are visits by international students and the “on-call” scheme.

School visits

In 2008, led by STF club mobiliser Moses Ssebbale, students from Birmingham and Munich universities reached about 26,000 secondary students in 45 schools in Tororo, Busia and Bugiri with skits, condom demos and discussions in boy/girl groups. STF reached a further 11,500 students after being summoned to schools. “On call” visits are often

Primary school teacher sensitisations 2001-2008 Year

Teachers

Schools Districts

2201/3

6971

2588

Lira, Neb, Arua, Palissa, Gulu, Rukungiri, Kamuli, Kalangala, Apac

2005

4144

2000

Hoima, Soroti, Kabarole, Mbale, Kumi, Apac, Mukono, Kiboga

2004 2006 2007 2008 TOTAL

2840 3814 1328

982 18,765

920

Hoima, Luwero, Masaka, Mukono, Soroti

1907

Hoima, Soroti, Kabarole, Mbale, Kumi, Apac, Mukono, Kiboga

476

Katakwi, Amuria, Kabarole, Arua, Karamoja, Pader

476

8367

I28I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Mayuge, Kitgum, Yumbe, Moyo



triggered by ASRH calamities such as abortions or drug use. Says Ssebbale: “A headteacher might say ‘My two best students have just dropped out due to pregnancy. Please help me out. Talk to the boys, talk to the girls’. Sometimes they call us to help start a club that can solve such issues.”

Peer education training at Onduporaka PS, Arua: Pupils act out a role play.

Though lacking a set curriculum, these efforts contain a “minimum package” of talk on delaying/ stopping sex, condom use, VCT, body changes and handling life pressures. “Just answering questions does not help everyone because there are always people who are too shy to ask,” says Ssebbale. Headteachers are profoundly grateful. After one on-call visit, a headmaster said: “STF. when you visit our schools, you cure many of our worries and make us settle down to read.”

Primary school sensitisations

In 2008 STF also carried out curriculum-based work, such as primary teacher sensitisations. Since 2000 STF has helped almost 20,000 primary teachers from 8000 schools to help adolescents and to know more about their own sexual health. These sensitisations help to sustain PIASCY, the vital but flagging MoES HIV and sex education programme. Notes an STF report on the sensitisation in Kaberamaido: “The knowledge acquired was reflected in the post-test. On the pre-test most participants could not say what gender roles are or how to support a young girl with menstrual pains.” A teacher from Otuboi PS said: “STF touched not only the pupils’ lives but also helped us to reflect on how to lead healthy married life.” Another said:

“I like the way you facilitate on how gender roles bring HIV infection in a relationship. Culture has made us believe that females are inferior.”

STF’s primary school teacher curriculum clearly has impact. But with just one teacher for every 53 pupils and 30% of teachers absent on any one day, schools struggle to impart numeracy, let alone HIV and sex education. Thus, in 2008, STF decided to also train pupils as peer educators. “The teachers get so busy that we thought to bring the children on board,” explained OTD’s Peter Mubala. “We wanted a stronger multiplier effect.” STF was leery of the term “peer educator”, often used for lightly-trained youth who “do something” with other youth. So in July 2008, 35 STF staff underwent training by Kenya’s National Organisation of Peer Educators. STF then embarked on a project under which teachers receive the same sensitisation as before but six learners per school undergo a three day peer education training, “focused on life skills, body changes, HIV, sexuality, and values and goals,” according to Mubala. The results were encouraging. Backed by busy but supportive teachers, the pupils undertook a plethora of activities. Mubala says: “It is amazing what they are able to do -- talk at assemblies, give HIV messages during breaks in sport, even do private counselling of other pupils”. At Bondo Army School in Arua, STF researchers found that the peer educators had “reduced on the PIASCY teacher’s work. They hold health talks which would have been held by the PIASCY teacher.” STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I29I

“If I had to choose between this and a straight teacher training, I’d choose the peer education model because it encourages dialogue in the school,” says M&E manager Patrick Walugembe, who evaluated the pilot in 2009. In total, STF trained 250 primary school pupil peer educators and 142 teachers from 45 schools in Arua and Moroto and 239 secondary school peer educators and 85 teachers from 49 schools in Kampala and Kaberamaido. No model is failproof, however. Peer educators are “demoralised when they see their peers involved in risky behaviours they have addressed in school,” reports Walugembe. “They are ever reporting on friends who have failed to follow what they teach.”

between older men and young females, sex where one partner is aged ten or more years older than the other is a bridge over which HIV passes from one generation to the next. Under the project STF has trained 579 girl peer educators, who have reached an estimated 50,000 other young people. STF also ran three PSI Gogetters camps for girls in tertiary education. Many girls at university get ensnared with older partners. These high profile camps were opened by Her Royal Highness, The Nabagereka of Buganda, and closed by the speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga.

Above: The final day of the Go Getter camp: a young woman walks up to make a presentation on cross generational sex.

Mvule Trust sponsors 1828 students in secondary school and on professional courses such as forestry and nursing: 75% are female. Mostly from families where girls’ education is little valued, these girls need constant support to stay in school and avoid pregnancy.

Below: to talk and be listened to: A girl in West Nile talks to STF counsellor Girls need extra attention if Adrine Kanyesigye, who listens intently. they are to stay safe. So in 2008 STF worked intensively STF counselors moved with the with Population Services International and sister Mvule team to Teso and West Nile to talk faceNGO Mvule Trust STF to challenge the thinking to-face with the girls, many of whom are under of about 1000 girls. PSI supported STF to work in pressure to marry to bring brideprice to their Mukono, Wakiso, Luwero, Mpigi and Masaka districts families. It also facilitated a science camp for 120 of to reduce cross-generational sex. Most common the best Mvule science students.

Special for girls

I30I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Work in communities

STF’s Falal Rubanga with young fishermen in Lugala village, Bugiri: ready cash from fishing puts them at risk of HIV.

As a precursor to face-to-face work in districts, STF carried out advocacy meetings in Pader, Kaberamaido and Moroto. These one-day workshops convene district officials, youth and political leaders, and CBO/NGOs. In total STF worked with 143 opinionmakers to raise the profile of ASRH. At the Kaberamaido meeting, a police officer gave data on defilement and complained that parents prefer to be compensated by the family of the boy rather than take the case to court.

about Straight Talk and never dreamt that one day I would be sitting with these people who talk about healthy sex. Straight Talk makes it easy to understand what our parents avoided to tell us.”

Other work

STF trainers supported the HIPS-USAID project to reach 1834 workers on plantations and with Tullow Oil and the Kasese cobalt mine with information on TB, malaria, family planning and HIV/AIDS.

In Kisoro, OTD reached 1281 young people face-toface. Funded by Cordaid, STF has ten clubs with 780 members: four clubs are for in school youth, six for the out-of-school. Kisoro is densely populated with small landholdings. Men migrate to Kampala for work. When they return, often after several years, they want to resume sex with their wives, “although we are not sure that they are safe,” as one young In 2008 STF organised 24 fairs in the eight districts woman explained. Male club members said that they of Pader, Nebbi, Masaka, Pallisa, Kabarole, would refuse to test for HIV with their wife Kabale, Kaberamaido and Kayunga. In The STF on return. “Only a prostitute could ask me Pader, as an example, STF collaborated outreach and to do such a thing,” said one man. Facewith GOAL, CESVI and Kalongo Hospital. training team: to-face discussion is the best way to help Costing a total of 30 million UGX, these M Ssebbale, A Kanyesigye, J communities untangle such complexities. fairs reached over 13,000 people at a Omach, F Rubanga, cost of about $1.10 per person. In total B Bainomugisha, P Finally, in 2008, OTD also worked with: 1692 people underwent VCT: 175 were Mubala. G Walakira • 171 parents in Moroto and Arua • 296 found to have HIV. Most startling was appears on p.27. parents as part of the that 108 out of the 169 people “cross-gen” project • 32 who tested in Masaka were staff from seven CBOs positive: prevalence around on SGBV and teachers Lake Victoria is many times from seven primary the national rate of 6.4% . STF schools to set up Young choses underserved areas for Talk clubs in Pader. • village fairs. adolescents with hearing disabilities through In Anyara, Kaberamaido, the Uganda Deaf Link. chief said: “I grew up hearing To reach out-of-school youth and parents, STF holds village fairs. These are grassroots events at which STF distributes local language Straight Talks and facilitates local health units and CBOs to carry out VCT and hold dialogues on healthy sexuality.

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I31I

Youth Centres

G

ulu Youth Centre (GYC) is located in

the largest town in central northern Uganda. Set up in 2004, it was STF’s first attempt to provide services and create a youth-friendly space. It opened during the night commuter crisis, when thousands of children trekked into town nightly to avoid the rebels. 2008 was a year of peace in the north, with no rebel attacks and about half of the camp population returning to their family land or temporary camps nearby. This transition threw up new risks. As parents left to open up their fields, children and adolescents remained unsupervised. Defilement seemed to proliferate in the half-empty camps. Camp leaders destroyed deserted huts to make the environment safer. But as in all previous years, GYC faced a youth population with profound needs. GYC has a small library for youth to study in, a room for watching videos, a lab, areas for sport, and rooms for counseling. Funded by Civil Society Fund and USAID in 2008, in GYC received $210,365 (UGX 400 million) or 6% of STF’s total budget to implement a range of clinical and talk activities. This works out at about $2.40 per person reached. GYC provides daily VCT and medical services such as family planning and STI treatment. GYC also invites all boys and girls to attend separate talks to help them think about risky gender norms, such as pride at having multiple partners for boys and submissiveness on the part of girls. Northern Uganda has a culture of masculinity that is probably more exaggerated than elsewhere in Uganda. Notes a GYC report: “at one outreach a man said that in Acholi culture, females don’t

I32I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

have any rights apart from seconding what a male has decided.” Such beliefs have a great impact on health. GYC staff made weekly outreaches to eight camps (Kal ali, Cwero, Tegot Atoo, Olam Nyungu, Bira, Otong Paboo, Jeng Gari) in Paicho and Pabbo subcounties. For Save the Children, they also oversaw and extended VCT and sexual and genderbased violence (SGBV) services to youth centres in Paicho, Alero, Atiak, Lalogi and Bobbi. In 2008 GYC reached an estimated 86,173 young people in Gulu and Amuru districts. This large increase on 2007 is partly due to better record keeping. The estimated cost per person reached was $2.40. A total of 15,129 young people were reached with general counseling; 14,893 with VCT; and 10,578 through GYC’s 210 peer educators.

Above: young women return from their fields in Gulu. Below: GYC has 23 staff including peer educators, counsellors, lab technicians, nurses, a clinical officer and a manager.

In 2008, 4% of those tested were positive for HIV, slightly down on the 4.8% in 2007: 4.9% of females and 3.1% of males were positive. Infection rises with age from 0.8% in 10-14 year olds to 1.9% in 15-19 year olds to 7.3% in 20-24 year olds. Over 5400 youth received medical services, most commonly for rashes (16%); and malaria and genital itching (14% each). At 18.2 years, girls in northern Uganda have lowest age of first birth in Uganda. The national average is 19.1 (DHS, 2006). Abortion appears common and often fatal among school girls. Birth spacing is also a concern: some married girls have three babies by age 20 and report to GYC with exhaustion. Thus, besides providing “conversations” on delaying/stopping sex, in 2008 GYC focused on increasing family planning use in young women who have sex. The push was a success. In 2007 GYC supplied family planning to about 300 young

potentially-infected body fluids. Free PEP after rape is government policy, although this is not widely known. PEP can theoretically be accessed at any of the 336 health units with ARVs countrywide. With funds from MAIA, a new foundation, GYC had a doctor and social worker from Nairobi Women’s Hospital, which has given PEP to over 6000 females, train 44 STF staff and five district health workers. MAIA then funded GYC to reach out to communities. GYC sensitised 1198 people on 24 outreaches, and worked with 31 survivors. “We had planned for 300 but people do not know about PEP or are ashamed to report” says Jackline Akongo, the SGBV counselor at GYC.

Above: Counselling at GYC under a mango tree: adolescents use VCT as a chance to talk about their lives. Left: registration at GYC. women. This rose to 1692 in 2008. Says clinical officer Sarah Lanyero: “Unmarried girls have mixed feelings about FP. “They know they can get pregnant but wonder why they should be on regular birth control if they don’t have sex regularly.” Clients receiving condoms also rose from 797 in 2007 to 4568 in 2008. Almost all were boys. One disappointment was the relative decline in female attendance. In 2007, by placing girl greeters at the GYC gate and taking other girl-friendly steps, girl clients rose to 57% of the total. In 2008, this fell to 51%, a reminder that reaching girls requires constant extra effort: the most at need are the least likely to come for services. In 2008 GYC started a SGBV programme with PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), the month-long course of ARVs given to prevent HIV infection after exposure to

Of the 31 survivors, 12 received PEP; five received emergency contraception. Two were children; four were male. Four defilement cases were referred for legal aid. None of the survivors who received PEP became HIV positive, but Jackie’s notes make hard reading: “Girl, 6, defiled. Man, 30, took her to hut. When she did not come out, friends reported to police. Man caught. GYC took her to Gulu Hospital for PEP.” “Girl, 18, went to harvest G-nuts. Two men from the bush told her not to scream or they would kill her with her hoe. One grabbed her hands and stepped on her feet as one raped her. Then the other raped her. GYC took her to hospital for VCT, ECP and PEP.”

“Girl, 7, defiled by stepfather 3 times. Neighbors alerted mother as girl would leave for school late, walking strangely. Husband arrested. Girl negative. Put on PEP. Husband’s relatives chased mother from house. Survivor counseled to stay at school even after younger sister told other pupils about her situation.” Other cases were a boy bitten in a fight and a girl, 15, defiled by a witchdoctor. In 2009 GYC will focus on attracting more girls and balancing biomedical and “talk” interventions. Says Centre Manager Dennis Kibwola: “As families return home, we shall fight hard to reach young people. We do not want a fall back in behaviour. Young people need continuous talk. We also want to reach children with special needs such as the deaf, blind and adolescent sex workers, and we shall continue to be biased towards girls.” STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I33I

K

itgum Youth Centre (KYC) is the younger

sister of GYC. It opened its doors in April 2007. With a staff of 13 and no vehicle, KYC has a smaller programme, but is a critical actor in improving adolescent health and reaching parents in Kitgum. In 2008 KYC was funded by SIDA and NUMAT/ USAID. It also took part in a World Learning youth leadership project. KYC activities focused on Kitgum Council and Lokung and Mucwini subcounties. With funds worth UGX 195 million or $102,000 UGX, KYC reached a total of 37,275 people. Almost all were youth but this also included 1479 parents. This gives a cost per person reached of about $2.75. Almost 12,200 people were reached with VCT, of whom 4.3% tested positive. Just 620 tested as couples. Prevalence among females was 5.4%, among males 3.9%. KYC put much energy into school visits, reaching 3064 learners. It also worked with 229 young mothers. Family planning was modest with only 329 females receiving contraception. In addition, just 572 young people, mostly males, received condoms, lower than the 1200 projected in workplans. However, statistics tell only part of the story. In mid 2008, as part of its mid-term review, STF researchers conducted a qualitative study of how young people experience the work of KYC. STF found KYC deeply appreciated by youth, their comments centering around four positive attributes: free services, confidentiality, friendliness of staff, and low risk of running into parents.

Another boy said: “At KYC there are people who always look concerned. In other places the nurse may abuse you. Like if you have an STD, they can blame you that you sleep around.” A girl, 18 said: “At KYC you test with anyone knowing. So you feel encouraged. It is a secret. Only the counsellors know.”

VCT outreach to camps: A KYC counselor watches as a boy consents in writing to have his blood drawn to be tested for HIV in Ngomoromo IDP camp.

“At KYC we get newspapers, group teaching and also drama,” said one girl. “They also allow us to watch movies, which teach us many things well, like refusing sex.” Trevor, 18, said: “All activities here at KYC are free so you save money from going to other clinics where you have to pay. You know, we youth have no money.”

I34I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

On youth-friendly staff that maintain confidences and do not chastise them, Kenneth, 18, said: “When you go there you find people of your age and it is much easier to talk to them about your problem. Sometimes you can think that they have faced such.”

“KYC is the only place where you are sure you will not find your relative,” said a girl, 19. “In clinics or hospitals, you can find your parents and they ask you why you are there,”. KYC’s challenges are similar to those of GYC, and STF seeks to standardise the packages offered by both. KYC must attract more girls and balance “talk” with medical services. Says KYC manager Janet Akao. “We have found that talk is more powerful than testing.”

Special events/projects

D

enmark is STF’s biggest donor with $1 million a year committed for 2008-12. In 2008 STF interacted intensely with the Royal Embassy of Denmark on two special events.

The MDG3 campaign

The first was a one month campaign to promote Millenium Development Goal 3. The themes were “Do something extra for women everyday” and “Invest in women”. The goal was to promote national discussion about Uganda’s progress towards MDG3. Three outstanding women were supported as “torch bearers”: Her Royal Highness, Sylvia Nagginda, The Queen of Buganda; Atuki Turner, the director of Mifumi Project, which fights brideprice and gender violence; and Josephine Okot, managing director of Victoria Seeds. For the campaign, STF produced leaflets and posters in 5 languages and 52 half hour radio shows and 65 radio spots in 13 languages. The radio campaign ran on 14 radio stations MayJuly 2008.

DORA thing Some

EXWTOMEN for

YDAY EVER

Visit from Crown Princess

Second, on 27 September 2008, STF had the honour to be visited by Mary Elizabeth, the Crown Princess of Denmark, who was on a visit to Uganda to see Danida-funded projects.

ANDA se U oGf POVERTY ut Becau get o m

WHY?

ut the witho ?

cannot

ake it we m . Will omen t of w ermen mpow e is 3 MDG Design

: Michae

l Kalanz

You are welcome: radio journalist Zaituni Nabateregga explains STF radio to Mary Elizabeth, the Crown Princess of Denmark.

i, STF

New user-driven SMS service for sexual health information

I

n July 2008, Grameen Foundation Application Laboratory, Google, and MTN asked STF to generate content for an SMS-based health information service in Uganda. Using knowledge accumulated over ten years, STF journalists developed short answers (‘tips’) to common questions about HIV/AIDS, STDs and sexuality. With Marie Stopes Uganda, STF has created over 400 tips to-date. Users simply SMS questions to a short code (6001); Google’s SMS Search technology searches a database of locally-relevant tips, and returns an instant response. The tips are informational, but also aim to serve as a call-to-action, encouraging users to seek attention from a health worker or clinic. To support this behavior, there is also a “Clinic Finder” service, which helps users locate clinics in their area.

learning about sensitive issues while maintaining their anonymity. One said: “This has helped me answer questions that I feared to ask publicly.” Many users expressed trust in “6001” because it is linked to Straight Talk. STF will to use SMS to complement its other communication channels, empowering adolescents to access ASRH information in an exciting new way. STF will generate new content to ensure that the system remains relevant, accurate, and responsive to users’ interests and health information needs.

Though the service only went ‘live’ with an official launch in June 2009, the pilot in Kyambogo, Mukono and Katanga indicates potential: 3000 users sent over 25,000 queries. Users express excitement over getting answers to their own questions - often

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I35I

Volunteers and interns I

n 2008 a steady stream of national volunteers contributed to STF’s mission. Most were S6 leavers waiting for university admission. They were Philip Byaruhanga, who worked on distribution; Charmaine Matovu, who worked on the Straight Talk English radio show; Susan Byenkya and Dennis Pato, who worked assiduously in editorial, logging letters; Cynthia Ibale, who worked on reception; Elizabeth Epenu, who assisted with ST clubs in OTD; and Alex Taban, who input data in M&E.

The print department was also joined by Nurru Kisitu (bottom left), a guidance and counselling student, 21, who is living with HIV. STF had met her at the Paediatric Infectious Diseases Clinic, interviewed her for the March 2008 Straight Talk, and invited her to join the team. Though often sick as a child, Nurru did not learn that she had HIV until 2005. “I could not believe I was positive. I was a virgin,” she told Straight Talk. Infected around birth, Nurru has lost her father. Her mother is also sick, although her three younger siblings are all HIV negative. STF counts itself lucky to have Nurru. Besides her excellent work, the editorial department learns from her and is humbled by the way she tackles ARVs, bouts of pneumonia, and the ups and downs of her life with her boyfriend.

International volunteers and interns Anna Dick, a graduate of the College of William and

Mary in the US, came to STF courtesy of Visions in Action. She worked on STF school club databases and in Northern Uganda on counseling protocols and calculating the radius from which GYC clients come. From VSO, STF received Michaele McConville, a project manager at Citibank, Dublin. She worked for nine months, helping STF to fully computerise its accounts, develop its financial manual and streamline its financial procedures.

Moriah Silver and Janice Ndegwa, students of

Mount Holyoke College in the US, worked for two months in Gulu Youth Centre. Moriah helped set up GYC’s rape crisis service.

Jonathan Pulik came as an American Jewish World

Service volunteer. A journalist in Jerusalem, he worked on STF’s newspapers.

Stuart Campo joined STF in July 2008 as a Princetonin-Africa fellow. As STF’s Special Projects Manager he ensures the smooth running of Tree Talk (WCSUSAID), Spring-USAID and all aspects of STF’s work in Karamoja. He also worked on the Grameen-Google SMS project.

I36I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Big contribution: (clockwise from above) Michaele McConville, Moriah Silver and Stuart Campo.

Monitoring and evaluation S TF follows the maxim: “to improve something, first measure it”.

crisis, while girls themselves spoke piteously about their fates. “Our parents do not want to pay school fees and force us to look for men to marry. But the men cannot marry you before they have sex with you and sometimes they give you diseases,” said one girl.

In 2008 STF undertook its midterm review of its Strategic Plan 2006-10. With consultant Dr Tom Barton, STF opted for a participatory evaluation. This, he suggested, would generate “thick description” not found in numeric summaries from questionnaires and, in contrast to “thumbs up or thumbs down” external evaluations, would have a better chance of resulting in findings that are owned and acted upon by STF.

STF trained youth to conduct interviews and FGDs: these research assistants then reached about 400 people in Kitgum, Kasese and Bugiri. Even in remote villages, youth, teachers and parents were found to know the STF radio shows and papers. In Kitgum the youth centre was well known. Often respondents described STF materials as their only resource on HIV and growing up and could identify positive change in their lives that they attributed to STF. From these findings, STF’s multimedia/multi-lingual approach seemed to be working. STF was also meeting its numerical targets. It had planned to have 15 youth shows and eight parent shows by 2008; it had 14 and nine respectively. It was reaching about 2.7 million more adults than in 2005 and had responded to new thinking on the drivers of HIV and most-at-risk populations.

In 2008 STF also examined Teacher Talk paper and Parent Talk shows funded by UNITY. About half of teachers interviewed had read the latest Teacher Talk, while data from 153 parents found “ever listened” to Parent Talk to be 94% in Kumi and 51% Masaka and Gulu. The most remembered message was the importance of education.

The midterm review: STF’s Isaac Kato in Kitgum: research assistants in Kasese. Below: Thoughtful analysis The STF M&E team (from L to R) I Kato, E Namiburu, P Walugembe and E Awour.

Respondents’ main criticism was that they wanted “more”: more shows, longer shows, more languages, more copies, faster replies to letters, more visits from STF staff.

Finally, in early 2009, the M&E team looked at the STF-Unicef Karamoja project in 2007-8. Asked if they had ever listened to ST’s local language youth show, 72.3% of adolescents in Nakapiripirit and Moroto said “yes”. This was up from 47.5% in early 2007, when show first aired. “I have learnt not to worry when menstruation comes. I used to fear those days but I now know that all the girls have it,” said Nangiro, 14, from Kotido. About 80% of parents interviewed in Moroto and Nakapiripirit had ever listened to “Erwor Ngolo Angi Kaurak”. Equal proportions of men and women had listened: 29% cited the importance of education as the key lesson learned. STF’s mid-term evaluation and other studies can be viewed on its general Scribd site:

http://www.pdfcoke.com/Straight%20Talk%20Foundation

Clearly, too, communication for social change could only do so much for severely disadvantaged groups such as out-of-school girls. Adults identified girls as being in STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I37I

Finance and administration

I

n 2008 STF received a total of UGX 7.8 billion, about $4 million at an average exchange rate of $1=UGX 1905. This marked a 61% increase from the UGX 4.9 billion received in 2007. Civil Society Fund (CSF) remained the single largest contributor to STF, with just over UGX 4 billion committed in 2008. The finance team: Michaele McConville, Juliet Waiswa, Nicodemus Ogwech and Patricia Amito. Not in the photo are auditor Robert Tumwijukye and cashier Cecilia Kandeke.

Managed on the financial side by Deloite Uganda, CSF is the conduit through which Danida, Dfid and Irish Aid/DCI channel funds to STF. USAID also gave $150,000 for GYC via CSF. CSF supported STF’s “core”: Young Talk and Straight Talk newspapers in English; 12 youth radio shows and two parent radio shows; district advocacy meetings, health fairs; secondary school training; M&E; and most salaries, rent and utilities. Longstanding donor SIDA contributed UGX 391,857,157 in 2008, supporting work in primary schools and Kitgum Youth Centre. Funding from UNICEF of over UGX 500 million allowed STF to open an office, produce radio shows and conduct face-to-face work in Karamoja. STF also collaborated with UNICEF on an accelerated child survival campaign. CORDAID, the Dutch funders, funded STF’s youth radio show in Lufumbira with club activities at a cost of UGX 83 million. USAID funding increased significantly in 2008, up 43% from 2007, with a total contribution of UGX 1,712,727,402 from nine USAID projects. Of note, 2008 saw the start of two USAID ‘specialprojects’ on which STF is a core implementing partner. Wildlife, Landscapes, and Development for Conservation (WILD - UGX 436 million) is supporting Tree Talk in northern Uganda. For the project Stability, Peace, and Reconciliation in

I38I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Northern Uganda (SPRING - UGX 163 million), STF is managing communication. Other USAID projects supported work across STF’s core areas. UNITY funded Parent Talk radio in five languages and Teacher Talk newspaper (UGX 171 million). UPHOLD and then NUMAT provided funds to GYC and later KYC, mostly for VCT. PSI gave funds for Parent Talk radio shows; a project to prevent crossgenerational sex; and Go Getters Camps (UGX 462 million). YEAH-USAID was a partnership to produce the soap opera Rock Point 256; SFS-PATH a partnership to produce the newspaper Scouts Voice for Kenya and Uganda; and HIPS a partnership to provide health education to company workforces. STF’s agricultural and environment projects received funds from a variety of sources. Farm Talk was funded by Danida (UGX 100 million). Tree Talk received funds from WFP, FAO, the British High Commission/Uganda Carbon Bureau and private donors Madeleine and Timothy Plaut. Including WILD, these funds amounted to UGX 525,685,405 ($276,000). STF’s youth centres were assisted by several partners. Save the Children funded GYC to supervise five youth centres (UGX 62 million). MAIA funded a pilot on sexual violence and the provision of PEP (UGX 32 million). World Learning partnered with KYC on a youth leadership (UGX 53 million). In Pader, CESVI gave UGX 6 million to STF for work with CBOs and schools. STF managed several small scholarship schemes with funding from MLK, Bottletop, Mvule Trust and actress Natalie Portman. STF also took part in three campaigns: with the Royal Danish Embassy to promote Millenium Development Goal 3 (UGX 580 million); with GTZ to promote vocational education (UGX 10 million); and with FAO to use radio to revitalise agriculture in the north (UGX 34 million).

Finally, STF and Centers for Disease Control worked together to produce research tools for high-risk groups (UGX 10 million), and Grameen Foundation worked with STF to generate a text messaging service on SRH for young adults (UGX 11 million).

Expenditure by department of all funds received by STF in 2008 OTD

452,329,000

KYC

194,705,375

GYC

400,745,620

Radio

1,618,368,687

Print

714,985,383

M & E

72,315,190

Capital Item

305,268,481

Capacity Building

93,298,401

Admin

643,837,182

Personnel

1,274,695,300

Loan

94,426,313

Partnership Projects

924,141,848

Natural Resources

525,685,405

Total

7,314,802,185

STF Expenditure ST F % ta g e co n trib u tio n

Pa rtn e rsh ip Pro je cts 13%

Na tu ra l R e so u rce s 7%

OTD 6%

Expenditure: programmes

Actual expenditure in 2008 was UGX 7.3 billion, althought the forecast was UGX 7.8 billion. Sixty-two per cent of STF’s budget went on programmes. Of programme funds, 37% went on radio, 23.4% on face-to-face activities (OTD, GYC and KYC), 16% on print, and 12% on STF’s Tree/Farm Talk effort. This is a great change from just five years ago. In 2004, 53% of all program money went on print and 23% on radio and OTD each. The stronger spend on radio is in line with STF’s Strategic Plan, which commits it to reaching as many adolescents as possible, particularly the out-of-school, rural and poor. Out of the total expenditure, radio consumes 23%, print 10%, Tree/Farm Talk 7%, OTD 6%, GYC 5% and KYC 3%. Monitoring and Evaluation took just 1%, almost all of which went to the mid-term evaluation of the Strategic Plan.

Expenditure: support

Salaries for its 124 staff constituted 17% of STF’s total expenditure. STF’s work is people rich, particularly its youth centres. The radio department also needs a journalist for every language show. In 2008 STF spent 9% of its funds on administration (rent, utilities, supplies, phones) and 4% on capital items, including a new vehicle.

Administration

In 2008 STF began an audit of its human resources. This led to the development of a new organogram.

KYC 3% G YC 5%

R a d io 23%

Loan 1% Pe rso n n e l 17% Ad m in 9%

With consultants, STF also developed a performance management system, with key result areas and key performance indicators for every category of staff. All staff underwent training in resiliency.

Prin t 10% C a p a city Bu ild in g 1%

C a p ita l Ite m 4%

M&E 1%

STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT I39I

STF ANNUAL REPORT FINANCE TABLE YEAR

2006

2007

2008

KEY DONORS DCI

368,164,560

84,315,000

-

DFID

1,310,737,247

582,914,388

-

DANIDA

1,142,888,760

-

-

470,000,000

594,208,000

391,857,157

-

867,500,000

4,094,761,318

3,291,790,657

2,128,937,388

4,486,618,475

SIDA CIVIL SOCIETY FUND

Sub Total USAID

UNITY/ECD

166,303,200

93,831,050

173,758,565

UPHOLD

309,579,589

185,000,000

81,697,875

-

-

40,652,700

214,450,500

168,000,000

462,547,778

155,119,500

62,010,450

-

NUMAT - GYC PSI CORE YEAH

298,609,402

206,297,165

149,653,105

SFS-PATH

169,815,690

142,856,050

85,640,625

-

35,741,991

5,441,700

30,500,000

17,718,750

-

AFFORD

-

216,245,490

-

HCP

-

63,256,922

-

HIPS

-

-

154,125,000

ENGENDER HEALTH ARC

SPRING

-

-

163,288,354

WILD

-

-

436,574,400

1,344,377,881

1,190,957,868

1,753,380,102

Sub Total OTHERS

WFP – TREE TALK

294,988,800

74,975,000

39,425,453

UNICEF - KARAMOJA

350,648,196

259,288,093

522,068,345

13,104,587

-

-

NEMA IRC MLK - SCHOLARSHIPS UNFPA FAO – RADIO MVULE - SCHOLARSHIPS DANIDA – BIRD FLU

2,600,000

-

-

-

5,083,000

5,026,205

31,500,000

69,400,000

17,350,000

-

-

34,511,001

201,730,100

210,234,000

29,000,000

92,250,000

-

-

DANIDA – FARM TALK

-

95,296,880

100,827,038

DANIDA – MDG 3

-

-

580,000,000

DFID – MONEY WORLD

-

782,686,455

-

HEWLETT/TIDES – S’SHIPS/TREE

-

65,949,420

25,091,500

BOTTLE TOP - SCHOLARSHIPS

-

16,483,688

-

CORDAID -

-

76,515,000

82,950,000

GTZ –VOCATIONAL CAMPAIGN

-

-

10,009,005

GRAMEEN FOUNDATION

-

-

11,371,500 22,155,714

UGANDA CARBON BUREAU

-

-

CESVI - PADER

-

-

6,000,000

MAIA – PEP/SGBV

-

-

32,100,000

SAVE THE CHILDREN – GYC

-

-

62,380,632

WORLD LEARNING – KYC

-

-

53,156,300

PATH – CHDC & AOG

-

-

10,290,500

986,821,683

1,655,911,536

1,643,713,230

5,622,990,221

4,975,806,792

7,883,711,770

Sub Total

Total Funds Received

DANIDA Department for

International Development

I40I STF 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

STRAIGHT TALK FOUNDATION is a Ugandan NGO, set up in 1997. It grew out of a teen newspaper, Straight Talk, which was started

in 1993. Today it practises Communication for Social change. Its main focus is preventing HIV in ADOLescents. STF takes a

Family-centred and life cycle

approach and follows a sexual health promotion model. It increasingly works with

Parents.

Parents who are present and who have a good relationship with their adolescents are

protectors.

Super-

STF also supports parents to

have their own safer and healthy sexual lives. Respecting the primacy of mother tongue

Finally, to have impact on the larger community and political context, STF holds community fairs and advocacy meetings and sends its papers to MPs, district leaders and other opinionmakers. Health units, faith groups and CBOs operate at this level and are influenced by and are key outlets for STF materials.

Finally, STF is not “messaging” to change people. Instead it practices communication for social change: it encourages critical thinking and dialogue to help people define who they are, what they need and how to move forward to a safer future.

languages, in 2008 STF worked in 14 languages. STF’s communication channels Radio, print and face-to-face. are

STF’s is concerned for the well-being of all adolescents and their families. However, it is particularly concerned about most-at-

risk adolescents, especially Girls and adolescents living in conflict.

STF Board of Directors

Board chair: Aggrey Kibenge, Principal Asst Sec., Ministry of Educ. & Sports Rev Gideon Byamugisha, Christian Aid Anne Akia Fiedler, Chief of Party, ACE Dr Frank Kaharuza, Director, Research, CDC/UVRI Justina Kihika, Freelance Consultant Oliva Muhumuza, Headteacher, Railway Children’s Primary School Charles Odere, Advocate, Lex Uganda Dorothy Oulanyah, HIV specialist/OVC/Prevention, UNICEF Hon Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, Member of Parliament Catharine Watson, Executive Director, STF, Ex-oficio

Aggrey Kibenge

A Fiedler

F Kaharuza

O Muhumuza

J Kihika

Rev Byamugisha

C Odere

STF follows an “ecological model,” addressing individuals in their environment with interventions at all the layers of influence around the individual. The adolescent is at the core of the model, under the first arch of the rainbow, benefitting from youth newspapers, radio shows and face-to-face work.

At the next layer, STF addresses parents and teachers: the most important adults in the lives of adolescents. For them, STF produces Parent Talk radio and Teacher Talk newspaper. It also conducts faceto-face work in schools and communities.

I

n 2008 Straight Talk Foundation (STF) produced over 8 million newspapers and 4,000 half-hour radio shows for adolescents and adults. It reached over 180,000 young people and parents through its face-to-face work. STF’s materials are the main and often only source of affirming, values-based and scientificallyaccurate information on HIV, sexuality and growing up in most Ugandan communities. STF sends its materials to 18,000 schools, 1,700 health centres and 1,100 churches and mosques, and 1600 CBOs. It also works with 450 NGOs.

L A U ANN T

R O P RE 2008

Report Design: Michael eB. Kalanzi

STF creates “conversations” to address the drivers of HIV epidemic and bring about social change.

In 2008 STF had 63 staff and interns in its head office in Kampala. However, with teams constantly traveling upcountry, it was never possible to get them all together. The above photo was taken in December 2008 as the year wound up. In total STF has 124 staff across Uganda.

Plot 4 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, P.O. Box 22366 Kampala, Uganda, Tel: (256 31) 262030, 262031, Fax: (256 41) 534858, Email: [email protected], Website: www.straight-talk.or.ug, General Scribd site: http://www.pdfcoke.com/Straight%20Talk%20Foundation

Communication for Social Change