August 2013
Dear friends and
partners in the journey, in 1989 when I first walked 52 kilometers to escape
witchcraft training I never thought I would revisit that walk or that it would
become a cornerstone for Rose’s Journey and the campaign to End Child Sacrifice
(ECS) in Uganda. For the last four years
I have become increasingly convinced that a collective effort is what is needed
to ECS. That hopeless journey in 1989 has birthed something much greater and
more relevant; and I am so grateful that out of such pain and tragedy I have so
much more to celebrate and a greater reason for using the past to shape the
future not just for myself, but more so for others around me…and for my
community. I want to continue to be a
Ugandan that makes a difference in my community and beyond.
The practice of and
crimes related to child sacrifice make us all uncomfortable. Every time we see a news clip of yet another
death, we have a kneejerk reaction to the event: “Those people should be killed
too!” It’s a sentiment shared by many.
Sadly, these sentiments do very little to address the problem. However, they highlight a desire by many
people to at least do something to address child sacrifice.
One of the goals of
Rose’s Journey is to be able to foster a collective approach to ECS. We hope to do this by identifying strategies
that address child sacrifice as well as through strategic partnerships with
relevant stakeholders. We recognize that
individuals, families, communities and policy makers all have a critical role
to play and that such partnerships will be crucial to attaining the broader
goal of ECS in the country.
What are we doing this year?
1.
Formulating a
comprehensive Behavior Communication Strategy[1]
for ECS in Uganda: We hope to continue
to understand and address perceptions, values, attitudes surrounding the
practice and rituals related to child sacrifice. Domains of communication are encouraged at
these levels:
a.
Individuals
b.
Family units
(including extended family members who are often involved in the kidnapping of
children)
c.
Community level
(Community leaders; Opinion leaders; Religious groups; Frontline health care
professionals; Civil Society groups and NGOs; Mass Media;
d.
Policy and Political
Stakeholders
2.
Establishing
collaboration and strategic alliances to foster advocacy at above levels
3.
Mobilize stakeholders
and encourage participation in a global 10K walk on Saturday August 24th as
part of our solidarity to increase awareness to ECS. Meeting point in Uganda will be at IDC plot
37 Yusufu Lule Road at 6:30AM. In the
USA folks can register at info@narrowroad.org
4. Obtain one million
signatures on a petition urging the government to draft and enact appropriate
legislation addressing the practice of and crimes related to child sacrifice.
How you can help?
1. Come walk
with us on August 24th
2. Walk in
your community and sensitize others about the issue of child sacrifice (engage
your community leaders, partner with local organizations such as Kyampisi
Childcare Ministries: http://www.kyampisi.org/KCM or others
involved in similar work.
3. Tell us
about your walk and work to end child sacrifice
4.
Connect us to key stakeholders: the media, policy makers, community groups
etc.
We are using what we have (our
hands, our feet, our voices, our talents, and passion) to partner with
government and other stakeholders in ending the practice of child sacrifice in Uganda.
Too many innocent lives have been affected, too many futures broken, too many
communities traumatized …child sacrifice must end. Increasing awareness and
engaging in focused conversations about the practice and devastating effects of
child sacrifice is a crucial step to ensuring that this country has the right
thinking, the right laws and the right environment to protect the vulnerable
and innocent lives. A child kidnapped, mutilated or sacrificed could be
anyone’s … s/he could be yours. Join me
with solidarity in the journey. Add your
voice to mine. Together we can do
this. It is work worth doing
In Journey,
Rose Nanyonga Clarke
[1] Behavior
Change Communication (BCC) is a research-based consultative process of
addressing knowledge, attitudes, and practices through identifying, analyzing,
and segmenting audiences and providing them with relevant information. Can be achieved through a mix of group and
mass media channels, including participatory methods (individuals, families,
communities) (McKee, 2002).
Nanyonga’s area of research interest is HIV/AIDS; specifically strategies to improve access and quality of care for people living with HIV/AIDS in resource limited settings. Some of her studies include identifying policy strategies or gaps to increase access to HIV medications and interventions, and examining the linkages between global and domestic policies and their influence on the preparation and capacity of the health workforce to meet national health priorities.
When we asked Nanyonga about the connection between nursing and Rose’s Journey, she said, “Two slogans that have been at the core of Rose’s Journey are ‘Hope, Heal, Empower’ and ‘Love is a way of saying to one another, it is good that you exist, it is good that you are in the world.’ I don’t know of many other professions that embody these elements as well as nursing does.”