13th June is a memorable day in the lives of women and girls in Kisoko Sub County, Tororo district. They were blessed to host Lambert Grijns, Ambassador for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) & HIV & AIDS of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the company of Ms. Renate Baehr Executive Director DSW, and Ms. Dianda Veldman Rutgers Executive Director. The visited groups are beneficiaries of the women and girls empowerment (WOGE) programme supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the funds of leadership of women (FLOW).
The programme is implemented by DSW in partnership with EASSI in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia with a central objective of project of contributing to poverty reduction by strengthening women’s and girls’ voices for economic self reliance. It supports poor women & girls that have been marginalized from the decision-making process and economic opportunities. It focuses on increasing women’s voice and economic self-reliance.
The entourage was received with much affection and enthusiasm, followed by an engaged dialogue on the work of the women and girls in bringing change in the community, mobilization of women and girls towards collective SRHR education and raising their voices for economic self reliance and economic strengthening initiatives. The WOGE beneficiaries underscored the great achievements and change the project has made in their lives which include: ability to make informed life and health choices including family planning, improved well-being, due to increased household incomes and the engagement of Men and boys to end Sexual and Gender Based Violence and improved food security at household levels. The WOGE groups have been empowered to engage the local governments to improve access SRH services and supplies, access to land and property rights and inclusive markets for better health and development.
Renate was delighted to see how DSW projects in Tororo have empowered youth and women, enabling them to make informed choices regarding SRHR, family planning and safe sex for better lives. While Ambassador Lambert appreciated the women efforts in advancing their holistic empowerment agenda and applauded Tororo local government in partnering with DSW to bring change to the lives of rural women and youth for improved lives.
