[pronut-hiv] Uganda: School Feeding/AIDS Project Launched in Kaberamaido District

["ProNut-HIV" <pronut-hiv@healthnet.org>]

Uganda: School Feeding/AIDS Project Launched in Kaberamaido District


The Monitor (Kampala)

April 26, 2006
Joseph Olanyo
Kaberamaido

A project aimed at increasing HIV/Aids awareness, improved nutrition
and sanitation among school children has been launched in Katakwi and
Kaberamaido districts.

Feed the Children Uganda (FTCU) project with support from Feed the
Children UK, will be implemented in 10 primary schools of Kalaki,
Okongol, Kadinya, Kakere, Osudo, Kakuya, Ogolai, Kakwe and Opungure.

It is funded to a tune of Shs133 million while the school community
will cost-share with Shs18 million.

Under the joint project, to be implemented over a one-year period, the
World Food Programme will continue providing relief food items to feed
the children while FTCU will be tasked with HIV/Aids training and
counselling among the youth, promotion of environmental related
activities like tree planting and environmental education.

Mobilisation

The districts, with the technical and political support, will assist in
mobilising the local community to provide local materials and unskilled
labour.

The school feeding project has so far been launched in Kadinya Primary
School in Kalaki, Kaberamaido district.

During the launch on April 7, Kaberamaido District Education Officer
Moses Ocung commended the FTCU and the WFP for their efforts and pledged
that the district commitment to work with them.

"We shall create a conducive environment for the project so that it
achieves its set objectives," Ocung said.

The Chief Executive Officer of FTC in UK, Mr Brian Main, assured
stakeholders of the availability of funding and noted that they were
exploring more ways of working together to ensure that the quality of
life of ordinary Ugandans is improved.

Soroti WFP head Geoffrey Ebong said the WFP had continued to operate in
Teso because of the need to assist people in resettlement and recovery
from the 2005 LRA insurgency.

Poor performance

Ebong acknowledged that despite increase in enrolment of pupils in
schools, their performance is the worst in the country.

FCTU country director Feed the Children Sarah Mangali said FCTU hopes
to use the good relationship they have with WFP and local leaders.