Who Says Kids Can't Make a Difference?

Girls and womens' empowerment story that I submitted (#436)  to Nicholas Kristof's "Half the Sky" contest

Sanyu Provia’s description of her experience as a student at the URDT Girls’ School in rural, western Uganda. Sanyu’s schoolmates are girls from the ages of 12 to 18 years old, who come from low income rural families. Sanyu applied to be admitted to the boarding school, did well on the interview, and has been not only receiving an education in the 3R’s, but also in sanitation, nutrition, organic farming, carpentry, solar technology and visionary leadership. While in school, she has helped her family improve their income. She describes how this works:

"· The backhome projects have helped to increase our income. Our family got involved in sugar cane growing and out this we were able to buy a motorcycle (TVS); thanks to URDT.

· Backhome projects have improved our sanitation and health standards through improvements on our house, constructing a good drying rack, and a good birth room.

· We as family members we have managed to get school fees for our sisters who are in secondary schools to proceed with their education.

· Back home projects have helped my family to improve on nutrition, which has been done through planting different vegetable gardens and rearing some animals like pigs and goats.

· They have helped me to improve on the co-operation in family through working together to earn a living as a family.

· Back Home projects have helped me to increase on the relationships with our neighbours. This has been done through sharing with them what we have as they also get attracted and take these seeds to their families to plant them.

· I have also realized that the back home projects have helped me to have a shared vision with my family members. This is through bringing my suggestion towards our family as they agree after talking about it."