Raising Teenagers Uganda (RTU) was founded in 2014 to provide girls in Uganda with a platform to engage in issues that impact their lives. To do so, RTU focuses on girls’ education, understanding that education is essential for girls to make informed decisions about their future. The organization focuses on breaking down common barriers, including poverty, gender discrimination, and harmful social norms. RTU has several programs which support this goal, focusing on related issues like child marriage, sexual and reproductive health, menstrual health management, and leadership development.
The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will support RTU’s Girls Matter Clubs. Girls Matter Clubs are safe spaces, often hosted at schools, for girls to speak freely about issues affecting them. The Clubs will focus on important issues like child marriage and teenage pregnancies, which are significant challenges in Uganda. Specifically, 34 percent of girls in Uganda are married before age 18 and 25 percent are pregnant by the age of 19. As a result, many drop out of school and are unable to continue their education.
Girls Matter Clubs will be guided by the goals of increasing school attendance, enrollment, and retention. Clubs will include workshops and training on life skills, leadership, and sexual and reproductive health. These workshops will be delivered in creative ways, including debates and performances. Girls will also have the opportunity to engage with female mentors, who will serve as role models and share their personal experiences to inform girls’ about the importance of education. Finally, girls will also have the ability to engage in community advocacy, working to combat harmful social norms which deny girls access to education and other opportunities. With the skills and knowledge they gain, girls will be able to make more informed decisions about their lives, including if they want to marry or have children and when they decide to do so.
As a long-term vision, RTU hopes to decrease the number of girls who marry early and become pregnant at a young age. As a result, girls will be able to pursue their education and other aspirations. Through its Girls Matter Clubs, RTU hopes to empower girls to find their voices and challenge social norms which underestimate girls’ potential and abilities. To learn more about Raising Teenagers Uganda, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
See more projects: Africa, East Africa, Child Marriage, Leadership & Life Skills Development, Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights