‘Teens 2 teens’ project increases the participation of vulnerable teens in education, sexual and reproductive health services and rights (SRHR) promotion in the sub-counties of Kibalinga, Kigando Bagezza, and Nabingoola -Mubende districts. The project will use participatory theatre approaches (music, dance, drama, poetry, discussions, puppetry, life testimonies, and storytelling) to reach the public. The project builds capacity in participation and involvement for SRHRs and education promotion and protection to address gender norms and harmful social-cultural practices. This includes school dropout of girls leading to child marriage on one hand; discrimination and stigma on commercial sex workers and girl children with a disability on the other. At the end of the project, young girls will have access to education, there will be reduced discrimination, and stigma as well as improved protection and promotion of  SRHRs. This will promote the girl child, commercial sex workers, and empower Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) as well as improve service delivery in SRH and education to have a meaningful impact and gains for the vulnerable voiceless girls and children with disability.

Creating equal opportunities for girls and boys through music and talent 

Different approaches have been used to increase youth access to Sexual and Reproductive Health products and services yet getting youth involved and engaged to ensuring full access and enjoyment of their sexual and reproductive health remains a challenge due to multiple reasons.  Reaching a critical mass of young people with these services, especially the vulnerable teenagers who also have poor health seeking behaviors, was motivation for setting up SORAK Development Agency’s Teens 2 Teens project that uses Community Theatre Approaches to raise voices on sexual reproductive health and education, rights of the voiceless young people in Mubende district.   

Employing a three-pronged approach, this project sought to increase the participation of vulnerable teens in education, sexual and reproductive health services and rights promotion through three main approaches. First, the project sought to strengthen the capacity of 5000 in-school girls with disability and 200 adolescent female sex workers in SHR and education rights participatory theatre led initiatives in Kabalinga, Kigando, Bagezza and Nabingoola-Mubende sub counties. Secondly, the project intended to promote and raise the voices among 15000 in-school and 5000 out-of-school voiceless girls, adolescent female sex workers and children with disability through engagement in SRH and education service delivery. Lastly, the project expected to contribute to the increase in the level of awareness about SRH and education rights among 50000 young people in the selected sub counties. 

This was achieved through participatory theatre approaches of music, dance, drama, poetry, discussions, puppetry, life testimonies and storytelling. This built the capacity of marginalized rural teens in advocacy, active participation and involvement in demanding for accountable education and SRHR services. It also built civic consciousness and capacity of young people in participation and involvement in SRHR and education promotion and protection as well as addressing gender norms and harmful socio-cultural practices that lead to girl child school drop outs and child marriages, stigma and discrimination of female sex workers and discrimination of the girl children with disabilities. Marginalized rural teens include girls with disability, young people living with HIV, female sex workers, in-school girls at risk of dropping out of school and out-of-school rural adolescents.  

Nakabuusu Swabrallah is a 13-year-old girl studying at Precious Child Learning Centre, and is SORAK’s participatory theatre group leader. Through this model group, she performed songs at different platforms carrying messages of access to education, child marriage and menstruation management for girls and children living with disabilities.  She performed at both rural and national levels and during her excellent performances received gifts in form of money by those appreciating her outstanding performance. Each time she received money from the audience, she gave it to her mother for safe keeping and in 2019 she bought 4 goats.  Within a short while Nakabuusu was the proud owner of 8 goats and was planning to sell the goats and purchase a cow. Nakabuusu was not only excited about the financial gains she received, she was also very pleased to share pertinent issues affecting the communities via songs she sings.  After a performance at Kasana C/U Primary school where they were sensitizing parents on the value of girl-child education and the dangers of early marriage she overheard some parents converse and say, “Obwanabutulangidde, ate munangetubikoola” literally meaning that “these children spoke exactly what we do in our communities”. This made me happy and proud of the work we are doing”. 

Nakabuusu’s future plan is to study, attain a degree in mass communication, and become a TV presenter and prominent music artist. She notes that both her parents are very supportive, and want the best for her. Her songs are already featuring on BBS terefayina Eyaffe during the Saturday music Kusomero show as shown on this link; https://www.facebook.com/bbstvUG/videos/12877822347608  

Robert is a professionally trained carpenter. However, he possesses rare music talent.  He is a writer, composer, trainer and a producer. SORAK first came in touch with Robert in 2011 when they engaged a cultural group he was working with for a campaign on prevention of TB fused with a blend of music. He was at the same time working part time with a local FM radio station, Heart FM where he received limited chances to explore and develop his music career and talent. 

SORAK realised his unique talent and engaged him on a part-time basis from 2015. During that period, he struggled to fit in and complement SORAK’s wider approach to advocacy, communication and social mobilization via music, dance and drama. All these outlets did not fully serve to provide Robert the opportunity to develop his career and music talent until the birth of the ‘Teens 2 teen’s project. 

Robert was now not only tasked to compose Sexual Reproductive Health Rights and education promotion songs, but was also assigned the work to oversee the musical and message content of all participating teens in the project.  He worked with over 56 participating performing art groups. His SORAK teen’s group earned him respect and prowess in the community and within the district as he has also now earned the name and title of music trainer.  

Since the project started, he has been approached by more than 10 schools seeking for his music composition, production and training services. He has also earned prominence to the extent that he has started staging shows and seeking collaboration with other big artistic names in Uganda. He has produced his own songs besides those for the project, which are receiving air-time on national media houses like Bukeede FM and Buganda Kingdom CBS radio among others. 

With the outstanding performances made by SORAK participatory group at different levels, influential people got to know about Robert’s talent. In July 2019, Robert was contacted by the newly appointed Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Kabarole who is also a director of a private primary school in Mityana District to compose a congratulatory song thanking God upon the new appointment. Several other prominent individuals who have shown interest in political office have approached Robert to compose for them songs to be used in campaign. For example, in February 2020, Robert was requested by the Chairperson LCV to compose a song to be used in his 2021 campaigns. Robert used this opportunity to share with the top leaders the key pertinent issues affecting the rural communities especially the young generation. Robert has additionally composed and produced 5 songs that depicts issues affecting marginalized persons especially youth and women. These songs are now aired on different media platforms including Bukedde FM, CBS, Simba and Heart FM. He is soon making videos of the same songs 

Robert appreciates the Teens 2 teens VOICE funded project that linked him to different prominent people. He further notes that the project changed people’s mindset about music and now believe that music can be an way to deliver pertinent issues to responsible parties. 

 “SORAK has nurtured me and developed my talent….my self-esteem is built as a result of this project and that is why I also decided to compose and produce my own songs. My future plan is to establish a music school to help young generation develop their music talents” 

Life in school with a Public address system (PAS) – Kirume Public P/S Kiyata parish Nabingoola Sub County –Mubende district Uganda 

Like other limping schools under the government’s Universal Primary Education programme, (UPE), Kirume public primary school was a typical example before 2018. Hope came to Kirume public primary school when they were invited to participate in the SORAK Teens 2 teens project. At the beginning after an invitation to participate, the head teacher, Miss Jalia had been hesitant to participate in the project because she thought that the Kirume Public could not effectively compete with other schools at both parish, sub-county and district-based levels. However, Ms. Jalia shared the news with teachers and school management committee who welcomed the news and assured Jalia support for the participatory theatre competitions. 

Like other schools, Kirume was tasked to compose one song, play and a poem with a message on access to education and including girls and children with disabilities. Kirume public participated and won the parish and sub-county-based competition and was selected to compete at the district-based level. Kirume Public’s outstanding performance led to their victory over 8 schools selected from the 4 sub-counties to participate in the district-based competitions. As a token of appreciation, the school received a total cash prize of 1,500,000 Ugandan shillings, which they used to buy a public address system for the school. This address system is used during the speech days, parents’ meetings and also the community hires it at a cost of 50,000 Ugandan shillings. The revenue earned from the public address system helps to pay for the support staff.   

Ms. Jalia appreciates the Teens 2 teens project that helped to market her school. The community invites Kirume Public to perform the same songs at community events including weddings. She further narrated that; 

“Our school is now a model school in the community. After the competition we registered new pupils and our enrollment increased to 610 pupils. All was possible because of this project, also pupils’ absenteeism has reduced…” 

Ms. Jalia further acknowledges that parents now provide scholastic materials to their children as a result of the tremendous sensitizations through music on the purpose of education especially girl-child and children with disabilities.  

She adds, “Parents now bring children with disabilities to our school.  We received a total of 5 children with disabilities who are now with us studying for free…all these are the fruits of the Teens 2 Teens project…Thank you SORAK, great thanks to VOICE for the financial support extended”