Tuesday 13 May 2014

PEER EDUCATORS RESTORE BROKEN FAMILY


According to Mrs. Akuguzibwe Phiona a peer educator in Kanshenyi Village, Rukondo Parish, Nyakishana Sub County, alcohol drinking has become a lifestyle in Buhweju district. Men and women spend hours in local bars drinking from morning to evening. Accordingly, the men start their beer parties as early as 8:00am with no regard to work. Only to return home in the evenings, demanding for food from their wives. Failure to provide this food or any complaints about a man’s drinking habit only earns the woman a beating or even being chased from the home. So is the life in Buhweju district.
Bihererrahi Savino of Akakombe Trading Centre is one of the men that had been living such a life style until Community Awareness and Response on Aids (CARA) with support from IDF intervened into his appalling family situation. Savino sold 90% of his land and drunk the money. He also chased his wife away because she had refused to sign on the land sale agreement. He swore never to bring her back to his home ever again. In the absence of their mother Savino married off his two daughters at 15 years each. He additionally refused to send any of his children to school claiming he had no money.
One day three peer educators of the area Kaboneire Davidic, Akuguzibwe Phiona and Adrine went to visit Savino about the matter. They educated him about women and children rights and also prayed with him. Savino repented his bad ways and promised to be a better man. First he went and brought back his wife and also promised to stop drinking and to send his children to school. The couple is now living happily and their last born is in school at Katiba Primary School.