Women’s Day: The day of Astounding Awesomeness!

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Imagine Korede Bello, Geosteady, Navio, Naava Grey, Fille. All on one stage, delivering a message of SRHR to a crowd of young people before wowing them with hit after hit. Now move out of the imaginative world, because on 8th March 2018, this actually happened and marked one of the most memorable celebrations of the International Women’s Day in our history yet.

Our Peer Educators in Focus Group Discussions with students

We set shop at Bethany High School Naalya, one of our partner schools with whom we have worked to empower the young people with sexual reproductive health information and life skills over the years. Four other partner schools were invited, in Bethany High School. These were Kisubi High School, Hana International School Uganda, Kinaawa (Kasangati) High School and Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Day and Boarding School. The venue was a bevy of activity, with our peer educators darting across the classrooms to facilitate different peer learning sessions. The demonstration of the effectiveness of peer to peer learning was clear that day. The students freely opened out and asked all the questions on reproductive health issues such as menstrual hygiene, relationships and teenage pregnancy.

The sessions where fully inclusive, taking up students, teachers and support staff. Our speakers Amon Mulyowa and Dr Chrisitine Mpyangu took the teachers through a detailed session on young people’s SRHR needs, rights and challenges.

Barbara Namuddu Speaking to young people

We rushed through a short lunch break, as we all geared up for motivational talks from some women who were redefining some of the fields that have for long been dominated by men (our kind of girls). These were radio and stage host gurus Flavia Tumusiime and Malaika Nnyanzi, rugby star Helen Buteme, red carpet’s most budding model and peer educator Barbara Namuddu, Miss Y+ and HIV awareness advocate Gloria Nawanyanga and cultural icon and diva and cultural icon Naava Grey.

“Work hard and work smart. Girls shouldn’t be discouraged that they can’t do certain things. That’s not true. Girls and women can be anything they want to be.” Zilla Arach overall Young Achiever 2017.

“We may not all be good at academics but that doesn’t mean we have no other talents. We can use our passions and talents to better community especially the life of a girl child.” Helen Buteme

MC Ronnie McVex hyped the crowd when he introduced the Dj for the day, Dj Roja, an NBS t.v based dj. Our inspirational speakers for the day included Naava Grey, Flavia Tumusiime, Helen Buteme Koyokoyo, Christine Wanyana, Faith Fameika, Malaika Nnyanzi and our very own 2017 peer educator Barbara Namuddu. Each and every one of these speakers walk a different path in terms of career and passion. From talented singers like Naava Grey to t.v and radio hosts to models and finally to our sports stars; Christine Wanyana and Helen Buteme. They emphasized the need for students to be focused, choose the right company in school and chase their dreams.

Our cultural icons and top musicians Navio, Fille, Naava and Geosteady gave hair raising, ground breaking performances. They advocated strongly for girls staying in school, accessible youth friendly SRH services and young people making informed choices through being availed enough information and services to make sexual reproductive health decisions. Above all, the call for abstinence and HIV/AIDS awareness was echoed from beginning till the end.

Korede Bello at Bethany high school

Having built excitement of the surprise guest for ‘Women’s Day’ through teasers, our long anticipated Nigerian artist signed to Marvin records finally showed up. Can you guess who it was? With the loudest roar from the students and extreme excitement to see Koredo Bello, the superstar had students jumping on stage to share in the moment with him singing some of his famous songs like ‘Doro Bucci’ ‘Mr romantic’ and ‘Godwin’.