Morris is a resident of Aridai parish in Lotuke Sub County, Abim district and a teacher of O.J Nursery and Primary Community School. He is the child rights club patron in the same school.
He says that when Share an Opportunity Uganda (SAO U) with support from Help a Child formed the club in their school in 2017, he did not know that it was going to be of great value to the school and the community at large.
But since its commencement, children have increasingly used the club to report key issues that affect them and also spoken on behalf of those who fear to speak on their own.
“Initially children did not know that it is important to report any kind of child rights violations like beating, bullying and others but they can now report” Morris explains.
He adds, “I think every child has a right to be at school but some parents intentionally deny their children the right to be in school’’ said Ivan the chairperson of the club in reference to a child rights abuse case that was happening in his community.
Morris and Ivan decided to go to the community to find out the truth. “To our surprise, we found out that Michael one of the children in nursery was not in school yet his desire was to be in school. Michael is a child with disability and he couldn’t walk alone to school because of his physical impairment. His locally made walking sticks were spoilt and he couldn’t go to school that week.
Morris, fellow teachers and some pupils mobilized money to repair Michael’s walking sticks. Currently Michael goes to school every dayfully participates in club activities however there are some challenges that he faces. Our hope is that we get a partner who can and he is a newly recruited member of the child rights club.
“We are planning as child rights club to visit Michael’s family and teach them about children’s rights so that they can always bring Michael to school even when his walking sticks are spoilt”, Morris says. He adds, “We are also trying our best to ensure that Michael fully participates in club activities however there are some challenges that he faces. Our hope is that we get a partner who can support us with materials which children with disability can play with like chase, draft and snakes and ladder among others”.
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