“We live in a completely interdependent world, which simply means we cannot escape each other. How we respond to HIV/AIDS depends in part, on whether we understand the interdependence, it’s not someone else’s problem. This is everybody's problem” - Bill Clinton
Jalia Muntu completed her four-month project on Strengthening HIV/AIDS prevention, education and addressing its impact on rural girls, women & orphans of Mbara City in Uganda. Muntu is a GPW Leadership Academy (GPWLA) graduate from Uganda and is a recipient of the GWD Grant from GPW in collaboration with Service for Peace Korea. She Through the project, Muntu aimed to reduce the high rate of HIV/AIDS spread among women living in poverty through awareness, sensitization and testing. She also provided participants with household economic strengthening activities.
The project reached 30 women, girls and orphans aged 15-35 years old. The participants were educated on HIV/AIDS, its causes, preventive measures and on living positively. Muntu and her team provided HIV/AIDS testing and talked about its importance in mitigating the spread.
Among the household economic strengthening activities, participants learnt how to make liquid soap, snacks and cakes for income generation and backyard gardening for nutritional support in their homes. Muntu believes that income generating activities will help participants practice saving habits. The team made regular home visits and volunteered for at least three months to monitor progress.
Additionally Muntu partnered with local governments, community development officers and health workers for the project to ensure sustainability and continuity of the project. The health workers tested participants for HIV and gave counselling to them. By the end of the program, the participants showcased skits on HIV testing and awareness. They also got to know about the mission and vision of GPW and were empowered to train other members in the community.
Muntu faced her own sets of challenges from the Covid19 pandemic coupled with the participants’ absenteeism, time constraints, language barrier and data management to bring the project to completion.
Mushabe Maureen, one of the participants shared “There are two places you need to go to often: The place that heals you and the place that inspires you.” and thanked GPW for the “combining effort to support and fight against HIV/AIDS” and for truly showing “One Family Under God”. Kanshabe Brenda, one of the volunteers, reflected. “It’s bad enough that people are dying of HIV/AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance. I thank Global Peace Women for coming out to sensitize people, educate them and eradicate poverty.”
GPW looks forward to supporting women leaders like Jalia Muntu who are passionate about transforming families and communities through GPW's values-based approach to peacebuilding. GPW with its partner Service for Peace Korea is proud to advance women-led initiatives through the Global Women Dream (GWD) Grant.
Global Peace Women International announces open call for the Global Women Dream (GWD) grant proposals twice a year (March & September). Please check our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GPWInternational for announcements.