Things that Happened on African Child Day
By: Niagaga Shakira
School: Rock of Ages
Class: Primary 3
"We were happy and celebrated Very much. Different types of
schools came and gave speeches and sang songs about early marriage. I learned
that early marriage is bad and that children should get their rights in this.
And I saw many schools playing games and presenting poems. And we saw the
headquarters and offices. We saw that our school is the one that ate well. I saw that
Rock of Ages cares for us very much. We enjoyed very much and played and
ate rice and meat and soda and it was very sweet and beautiful and very great.
Thank you Mr. Kalanzi
and Teacher, Betty Wasswa . Thank you for every thing you have done for us and
Teacher Kenneth and Teacher Hawa and the rest of the teachers.
God please
keep all my friends and teachers safe. And may God keep my school safe. May God keep this school very beautiful and very safe in all days. I love my school in the whole world.
The End"
Despite laws
against it, child marriage is a big issue in Uganda where 40% of girls are
married before the age of 18, often to older men. Cultural norms, poverty and tradition all
play into this number. More recently,
there is a belief that marriage protects girls from HIV/AIDS. However, studies have shown that married
women are 5 times more likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS than girls who have
never been married. Early marriage also perpetuates the poverty cycle. (See
girlsnotbrides.org/child-marriage/uganda/ for more on the havoc to girls lives and the society they are part of when early marriage is rampant)
The older
girls at ROA are very much at risk for being married off. When I was there this
past March, Betty, told me of a 13-year-old student who was married off
during a school break last year. Betty,
at the girls request tried to talk to the parents to no avail. The girl now has
a baby of her own. “Only 13!”, Betty lamented, with tears in her
eyes.
16 students
and three teachers attended the day long celebration. First they marched with 800 other children from schools across the
district, carrying a ROA banner and placards.
They spent the remainder of the day listening to
speeches, songs, and poems from other children and dignitaries on why child marriage
is bad and why it is good to stay in school. The essays and pictures tell their
story. What strikes me the most in the
essays is how thankful the children were to the teachers for letting them
attend this event. Also it is interesting to note the things that made an impact on them:
• many mentioned the food that the teachers
gave them and how other students were
not so lucky
• the comparison to other students (they were
rude, they did not speak English as well)
• the pride they felt in their school and
their teachers
I have included the rest of the essays below. They were read to the rest of the school. If you can,
take the time to read thru some of them. Please remember that English is not these children’s first
language. To me, that makes the writing
that more impressive. It is proof that
these children are learning. Even if you don't read each letter, I have highlighted a sentence or to from each child. Enjoy!
Junior: Primary 4
"I would like to tell you that keep the spirit of loving children"
Cyrus: Primary Primary 5
"I learnt that child marriage should be stopped in order for children to help their parents in the future"
Colleen: Primary 4 (Colleen is a boy)
"I love my school. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"
Albert: Primary 3
"I thank God because we got to with other schools. I thank the Lord we marched well. I thank all three teachers who took us"
Fridah: Primary 5
" Girls and boys I am advising you to stay in school to avoid the following things, suffering in a family and poverty. Staying on school helps you to live a settled life in the future"
Nuludin: Primary 5 (Nuludin is a boy)
"The MC told the band to play the east African Anthem, the Uganda anthem and the School Anthem. We stood up and sung. Some of the other schools were bad mannered, speaking vernacular. Rock of Ages was the best in English"
Also, Banas are banners.
"One of the presenters asked us questions. If we get them, we get sweets (candy). Some of our pupils got sweets. I would like to thank Teacher Betty and Mr. Kalanzi For the good care they gave us. May God bless you."
Mulushid: Primary 5
"For us, did not present anything because it was our first time to go there and the next reason is we were not told early. I saw that our school was the good caring school in all the schools I saw in African Child Day. For us, we ate food but other schools did not. I think next year we will present something"
Jonathan: Primary 5
" I thank our head teacher called Teacher Betty Wasswa. I thank you for what you have done for us. I thank you for what you have made us. I thank all the teachers for serving us with education". May the Lord our God Bless our Teachers and our School"
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