Vandaag heeft de Youth Advocacy Network een bezoek gebracht aan het dorp Fadudu, 25 miles van Kabala. Het doel was om ervoor te zorgen dat mensen het belang van onderwijs, vooral voor onderwijs aan meisjes, in gaan zien. Dat lijkt een onmogelijke opgave maar nu na een jaar kunnen we zeggen dat vanuit de dorpen die een jaar geleden zijn bezocht, er toch meer kinderen naar school gaan en er zelfs een paar nu de middelbare school bezoeken. Dit hoorde Sajor van het hoofd van de basisschool van Semamaya village, het dorp dat wij in 2017 ook bezochten.

Het is nog te vroeg voor de verhalen van deze dag maar de foto’s zeggen ook heel veel.

Op deze speciale dag, die in heel Afrika wordt gevierd, wordt er (al jaren) actie gevoerd. Je ziet hieronder een verslag van achtereenvolgens: de voorbereidingen in het kantoor, de grote optocht op straat van de diverse groepen jongeren en het aanbieden van het verslag van noden van jongeren aan de autoriteiten. Dit verslag is door de jongeren van YAN zelf gemaakt. Voor deze dag heeft YAN tevens 2 jongeren uit Kondembaia en 2 jongeren uit Sememaya laten komen om met hen te vieren. Het organiseren en vieren van deze dag was zeker een hoogtepunt in het korte bestaan van YAN!

 

 

YOUTH ADVOCACY NETWORK (YAN)

A POSITION PAPER PRESENTED ON THE 2018 DAY OF AFRICAN CHILD (JUNE 16)
COMMEMORATION THEME:“NOR PIKIN NOR FOR LEF BEHEN FOR SALONE E BETEH WAN”

YOUTH ADVOCACY NETWORK (YAN)

16TH JUNE 2018

INTRODUCTION
Mr. Chairman, the Chief Administrative Officer of the Koinadugu District Council, Heads/Representatives of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Heads/Representatives of the Civil Society Organisations (CSO), our noble Paramount Chiefs, members of the forth estate, colleague children, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, all protocols observed.
It is obvious from the theme of this year Day of the African Child commemoration that in so many ways, so many of our colleague children had been left behind in the development processes of our country Sierra Leone and Africa a whole. The reasons for this may not be unconnected to the many challenges and problems facing us the children. In relation to this, we, children from different school communities met on the 15th day of July 2018 at the Conference Room of the YAN Office to discuss and bring out our position and as well as our recommendations on some of the pressing issues that are ought to be addressed, if no child should be left behind for Sierra Leone’s and Africa’s development. These problems include but they are not limited to the following four; (1) Early/Child Marriage, (2) Teenage Pregnancy, (3) Poor Education (4) Child FGM and (5)Children With Disabilities.

OUR POSITION ON CHILD/EARLY MARRIAGE
The rate of child/early marriage is high especially in rural communities.Public awareness on child/early marriage is not enhanced in rural communities.
The laws on child/early marriage are highly neglected and not being fully enforced.
The laws that are guiding children against child/early marriage, are not clear as the Customary Marriage and Divorce Act contradicts the Child Right Act.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
The government in collaboration with non-governmental organization should embark on more effective and efficient awareness raising campaign on child/early marriage.
Laws enforcement bodied should ensure that the laws are fully enforced.
There is a need to review the Customer Marriage and Divorce Act.
4 Community bye-laws against early marriage should be made and fully enforced.

OUR POSITION ON TEENAGE PREGNANCY
The rate of teenage pregnancy is high especially in rural communities.
Public awareness on teenage pregnancy is not enhanced in rural communities.
The laws on teenage pregnancy are highly neglected and not being enforced.
There is high level of compromise at all levels- (parents, community stakeholders, law enforcement bodies).
Many perpetrators of teenage pregnancy enjoy impunity.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
The government in collaboration with non-governmental organization should embark on more effective and efficient awareness raising campaign on teenage pregnancy.
Laws enforcement bodied should ensure that the laws are fully enforced.
The government and its partners should provide effective and efficient livelihood support for the rural people (especially women).

OUR POSITION ON POOR EDUCATION
There are inadequate teaching and learning materials in both primary and secondary schools.
There are inadequate accommodation in both primary and secondary schools.
There are inadequate trained and qualified teachers to teach in primary and secondary schools.
There is lack of Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) facilities in many primary schools.
Academic malpractices.
So many schools environment are not child friendly.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
The government and NGOs should provide more teaching and learning materials in both primary and secondary schools.
The government and NGOs should provide more accommodations in both primary and secondary schools.
There are inadequate trained and qualified teachers to teach in primary and secondary schools.
The government and NGOs should provide Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) facilities in many primary schools.
The government should put in place robust monitoring and inspection systems at educational institutions.

OUR POSITION ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITY
Children with disabilities are still facing discrimination and stigmatization.
There is inadequate teaching and learning material at the School for the Blind.
There is absence of education opportunities and facilities for the deaf and dome.
There are poor medical facilities and attention for children with disabilities.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
Community stakeholder should set by-laws that will prevent children with disabilities for discrimination and stigmatization.
Government and NGOs should provide more teaching and learning materials at the school for the blind, and should also provide other facilities for other categories of disabilities.
Education and medical facilities should be at free bases for children with disabilities.

OUR POSITION ON CHILD FGM
1.The practice of Child FGM is still in practice especially in rural communities
2.The Child FGM is still causing health hazards to girls
3.Child FGM is still causing girls to get in to Child marriage
4 Drought out of school due to Child FGM
5.No by-laws against child FGM

OUR RECOMMENDATION
1. By-laws should be made against Child FGM and it must be clear that it against the right of the girls and the laws must be enforced
2 Community awareness about the danger of Child FGM
3.Fines must be levelled against any perpetrators of child FGM
4.Follow up on the enforcement of the laws
5.Engagement of traditional leaders and Sowei women about Child FGM

REPORTS FROM THE YOUTH ADVOCACY NETWORK ON FIELD MONITORING AT KOINDEMBAIA
Date = 21 May 2018
Location= Diang Koindembaia

YAN had a monitoring at Koindembaia.The purpose of the visit was to see how our previous activity have created an impact on the people.Whether it is a negative impact or positive.

The meeting was chaired by Mohammed D Turay. The meeting started with prayers, introduction of members and the community stakeholders.Then Next was purpose of the visit.The President said the purpose of the visit is on monitoring and to ask the people what are their problem so that YAN can Advocate on their behalf on issuing that is affecting then.
Paramount Chief
The representative from the Paramount chief said he is happy that YAN is working in their chief dom and they are always ready to welcome YAN because of the changes YAN have created especially in the reduction of teenage pregnancy.

Teachers
One of the teachers said, they want to thank YAN for the advocacy they have done but still they are some things that they need in school.The things he highlighted was
1.Blackboard
2.Slates
3.Text books
4.Inadequate buildings
Alusine A Thullah
A representative from the pupils of the school.He said presently their school is lacking water facility not only the school but the whole village.He also mentioned about the recreational materials they lack in School.Even toilet facility is lacking in the school.
Principal
The principal of the school said,due to the activity of YAN in October 11,2017.
There is a mass reduction of teenage pregnancy and child marriage.He said the cases he used to record in the past years is far greater than as it is now.He advised YAN to continue doing this good work

Head Master
The head Master of the primary school said he have more than 345 Pupils in his school.But the problem he is facing is that, school buildings, text books, toilets facility,water facility is the greatest need the school need now.He also continued to say that,water facility is not only need by school but the community as a whole
Presentation of gifts
During the Presentation of gifts, Sajor said he has heard all the needs of the people.YAN is going to carried the messages to the institution, individuals for immediate response.He thanked the boys, girls and community people for their fight against any forms of child abuse.The President presented the gifts on behalf of the group.During the presentation of the gift,he admonished all the pupils to make use of the gift.Vote of thanks was done by one of the elders of the community.

Prepared and Signed by
……………..
Secretary General
Amadu Wurie Shaw

Op 17 mei bracht YAN een bezoek aan Semamaya Village. In februari van het vorig jaar hebben wij dit dorp tijdens onze reis ook bezocht en er viel toen al op dat er weinig kinderen naar school gingen. Het dorp ligt 1 uur rijden vanaf Kabala op een berg in de bush. Je moet ver lopen om water te halen en er is grote armoede. Sommige bewoners zijn het dorp hun hele leven nog niet uit geweest. In het dorp wordt Limba gesproken. Gelukkig is er een tolk die het een en ander kan vertalen. In het dorp is een kleine basisschool die gebouwd  door een familie naar aanleiding van de begrafenis van een jonge Italiaanse vrouw. Haar foto hangt in het kantoor aan de muur.

Twee maanden geleden is Amadu Wurie, de secretaris naar het dorp gegaan om te kijken hoe het ging en wat bleek, er was geen enkel kind op school. Er was feest in het dorp. De aanleiding: jonge meisjes waren besneden en werden uitgehuwelijkt.
Maar YAN laat zich niet uit het veld slaan en brengt dus nu weer een bezoek aan het dorp om met de dorpsoudsten en leraren te praten hoe de situatie te verbeteren en wat er nodig is om de kinderen naar school te sturen. YAN realiseert zich goed dat dit een kwestie is van lange adem; eeuwenlange en vastgeroeste tradities kun je niet zo maar door breken maar ze zeggen ook, je moet ergens beginnen.

Door middel van foto’s en commentaar zullen we verslag doen van het bezoek ter voorbereiding en de dag zelf.

Manty en Sajor komen bij de voorbereiding
ouders tegen die hun kinderen meenemen om op het land te werken

Er is eten meegebracht en er wordt samen gekookt en gegeten, mannen, vrouwen en kinderen apart.
Dannette heeft een video filmpje op de telefoon gemaakt met commentaar.

Onder de cottontree is de samenkomst.
Iedereen wordt voorgesteld en er is een gemeenschappelijk gebed. Isata Samura mag deze dag voorzitter zijn. Het doel van het bezoek wordt uitgelegd en verschillende mensen krijgen de kans om te reageren op wat gezegd wordt. Een en ander is mooi terug te vinden in het verslag van Amadu Wurie de secretaris. Dit verslag wordt aangeboden aan de lokale autoriteiten. Zij hebben interesse getoond in wat de bevindingen van YAN zijn. YAN is een advocacy, rechten en bemiddelingsgroep. Alhoewel deze groep nog erg jong is beginnen zij zich aardig te roeren voor de (nog) kwetsbaren in hun district!

Er zijn, na het uithuwelijken van de meisjes vooral jonge kinderen in de schoolbanken te zien.

Cadeautjes

Het was een geslaagde dag!

Het verslag van deze dag:

REPORTS FROM THE YOUTH ADVOCACY NETWORK ON FIELD MONITORING AT SEMAMAYA

En dan is het zover. De laatste voorbereidingen: koken voor de genodigden, de meubels nog even poetsen en dan kan het feest beginnen.