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Month: March 2023

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Respect and Love Everyone by Bako Suraya Akbar Brahan, Munir Primary School

Respect and Love Everyone by Bako Suraya Akbar Brahan, Munir Primary School

This year during the first term holiday, my mother sent me to the market. She wanted me to buy cassava so I asked my half-brother Bruno to come along with me. A short distance away from home, we met an old man. He was carrying a bag made out of dry palm leaves, looking very poor and old. I wondered from village he might be coming from. He smile and greeted us, Bruno responded by I kept quiet. I did not like the way he was dressed. He then asked us to direct him to the house of a lawyer, Mr Mutebi. I never wanted to direct him but Bruno did direct him to our home. This hurt me so much that I felt like fighting Bruno, only for him to tell me that it was not right to treat strangers bad.

Immediately we got back home, my mother welcomed us. She was happy to have a visitor; the visitor was the old man we met on our way to the market. She asked us to greet him; Bruno went immediately and shocks his hand while I pretended that I was taking the cassava to the kitchen. My mother was very angry with me; she continued to shout at me saying that the old man was my grandfather. “Calm down my daughter, Bako has heard” said the old man. He then picked a watch from his old bag and handed it to my half-brother. “Bruno may God bless you my grandson”, said the old man.

Oh my God, I just missed a very beautiful watch. I was ashamed before my mother and grandfather too. Fellow candidates, I advise you to always respect elders. It is also important to help and direct strangers. Always respect, love and care for everyone.

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Letter to Parents by Hafizu Zubair Khamis, Munir Primary School

Letter to Parents by Hafizu Zubair Khamis, Munir Primary School

Dear parents,

The lockdown has been a hard period. Many children joined bad groups spending their days loitering and became a problem due to the boredom especially where there was no money for home schooling. Televisions and Radio programs also influenced young people, learning vulgar languages.

Parents, go to the garden and farms with your children so that they may learn the value of hard work. Teach them the ways of the world, walk the journeys of your life with them and show them the meaning of sacrifice.

Children please listen to your parents and help them with work at home, do not admire what others have rather appreciate what you have and work hard to make your life better.

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Early Marriages and Teenage Pregnancy by Subra Hatima Baba, Munir Primary School

Early Marriages and Teenage Pregnancy by Subra Hatima Baba, Munir Primary School

My name is Subra Hatima Baba; I am 14 years old and pupil in Primary Seven at Munir Primary School. During lockdown, many girls got pregnant everywhere in Uganda. Some girls were moving at night playing with boys and men who ended up into sexual intercourse, pregnancy and STDs.

A girl called Sisia used to live with her step mother, the woman was so cruel and harsh on Sisia. Sisia ended up meeting a man who gave her money and luxurious gifts; she fell in love with the man. The man forced Sisia to have sex with him; she got pregnant on top of that she also got HIV/AIDs. When Sisia’s step mother got to know about her pregnancy, she chased her away from home making her life in danger and hard because the man who impregnated her did not even want her.
Abstinence is the best way of avoiding pregnancy!

THE END!

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Shadia Nashreen, Munir Primary School: Importance of being in School

Shadia Nashreen, Munir Primary School

Importance of being in School

My name is Shadia Nashreen, I live in Dodoronga Village. This village is one kilometre from Munir Primary School. Every morning I go to this school on foot carrying my black bag where I put a cup and books.

At our school, lessons begin at 7:30am. Mr. Sadam teaches us social studies, he is always the first teacher in Primary seven. During break time, we line up for porridge under the big tree found in front of the head teacher’s office. Our head boy Sidiq serves us this porridge; those who forget their cups at home wait until we finish taking porridge and we help them with our cups. We eat lunch, after eating; we rest under the trees in our compound. When afternoon lessons begin at 2:00pm, all of us are fit because we are always healthy. When lessons end at 4:00pm, we all walk slowly back home.

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Shadia Nashreen, Munir Primary School: Transport and Communication

Shadia Nashreen, Munir Primary School

Transport and Communication

My name is Shadia Nashreen, I live in Dodoronga village and I am in P.7 at Munir Primary School.

There lived two men called Juma and Nazif, Juma was Nazif’s conductor. One day Nazif was sick, Juma took his vehicle and started driving towards Arua. When he reached Kuru, he knocked down a cyclist. The people who witnessed the incident wanted to beat him up but instead he ran away for his life leaving the vehicle and Nazif’s card behind. When traffic officers came to the scene, they took the vehicle and the card with them to the police station. They recorded Nazif’s name in their book. When Nazif heard of the accident, he went to the police station to record a statement but instead was just arrested. He tried to plead with but the police men told him; “your offence is a capital one”, we have to put you in the cell until your witness comes to testify. On the wall, there was a police notice reading; “NAZIF 46 WANTED BY POLICE”, as Nazif entered the cell followed by a police man with a gun, he saw the notice and got worried. In the cell, one of the prisoners asked him what offence he had committed, he answered; “Juma committed an offence instead I was arrested.”

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Siraje Afeku Kassim, Munir Primary School, Choosing a Team Captain (Sports)

Siraje Afeku Kassim, Munir Primary School,

Choosing a Team Captain (Sports)

Our school has got two football teams; there is Under 14 and Under 12 team. Our sports teacher Mr. Omar Kusayi called all the 14 team players to choose a team captain on Thursday morning. He told us that a team captain must be an active boy with interest in sports, Farid Ahmed who plays number 5 suggested Guma Kuhafa to be our captain. He told us that Guma is active, humble and wise. However, Job Akram who plays number two suggested Mustafa Ashraf because he is a quiet boy. He also said that Mustafa is strong and brave.

Out of the thrity team players, Guma was supported by eighteen players winning a majority vote. He was announced as the winner by our sports teacher.

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Bako Suraya Akbar Brahan, Munir Primary School Marriage Customs around the World

Bako Suraya Akbar Brahan, Munir Primary School

Marriage Customs around the World

All over the world, people of different cultures differ in their ways of choosing their partners, the number of partners they have and in their marriage ceremonies. In most western countries, a man may have only one wife at a time and a woman may have only one husband. In many parts of Africa and in most Islamic societies, a man may take several wives but the marriage of one woman to several husbands is very rare. Sometimes there is a rule that one must marry only within the community- the caste or religious group or the local settlement. In all societies marriage is forbidden between close relatives, such as a parent and child or a sister and a brother. In the United States of America, many states forbid marriage between first cousins.

In many societies in many parts of the world, marriages are arranged. Negotiations are handled by the parents of the young couple or by the go-betweens. Sometimes betrothals are completed while the future partners are still children. Marriage partners must often be chosen from outside an individuals’ own kin group or community while in other societies, people have to marry within some particular group.
Marriage may also involve the transfer of property in many African countries; the bridegroom’s family must transfer cattle or other valuables to the bride’s family. This is known as paying bride price. Elsewhere, for example in some Mediterranean countries, the bribe’s parents transfer property to the groom. This is called dowry.

Marriage customs vary according to religion. In many Christian countries, there is both a religious marriage ceremony in church and state marriage. The bride who is married in church usually wears a white wedding gown and carries a bouquet of flowers. She is accompanied by her matron of honour and brides maid for flower girl, while the groom is accompanied by his best man. Wedding bells are rung after the ceremony to celebrate their marriage. Among the Hindus and Sikhs, the bride and groom wear red. In a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony, offerings of roasted grain are thrown on fire. The groom takes the brides hand and they recite traditional mantras or chants, they take seven steps together around the fire as a symbol of their common journey through life.

It is customary for Jewish couples to celebrate their marriage under a canopy. The marriage contract is read and the bride receives a wedding ring. During the marriage service, the couple recite the seven marriage benedictions and the groom crushes a glass under his foot to show that love is finely made and easily destroyed. For the Muslim, the groom takes gifts to the bride’s home on the eve of the wedding. On the wedding morning, the bride washes in water that has been blessed and waits at her home while the groom and his family go to the mosque. The bride’s brother sits beside the groom during the wedding ceremony while the sheikh reads the Quran. The bride’s brother accepts the groom’s offer to marry his sister and shakes his hand. There after they proceed to the bride’s home with the sheikh. The group touches the bride’s hand as a symbol of accepting her as a wife, and then the first prayer is read.
The bride in Japanese wedding ceremony dresses in an elaborate traditional costume. The marriage ceremony usually ends with a feast at the groom’s parental home where the couple must drink three cups of rice wine to celebrate their union. After most weddings, there is usually some kind of party with food and music where the two families meet each other both formally and informally with a treat of a wedding cake and gift sharing between relatives, friends to the newlyweds to celebrate the occasion.

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Essence Nadia, Munir Primary School

Essence Nadia, Munir Primary School

My name is Essence Nadia; I am in primary 7 at Munir Primary School. Many children in Uganda are facing problems in schools, parents and sugar daddies.

A girl in our class call Naima sat dreaming under a shade of a big tree besides her jerrican of water, she was on her way to fill it at the well but stopped for a short rest. Naima was just 13 years and very beautiful; she was not good at school because she was always day dreaming and never paid attention in school. She dreamt about the husband that she wanted to marry one day, he would be a handsome young man. Naima didn’t think about her studies, she was thinking about the big house the husband would have a handsome businessman. He would have a beautiful car, many servants and would keep her in comfort for the rest of her life.

Hello Naima! Come here my dear a voice said. Naima woke up from her day dream and saw Mr. Jamal standing nearby. Mr. Jamal was the richest man in the area; he was forty years old, fat and ugly. Nevertheless, Naima was not thinking about studies, she smiled at him because he was kind to her. Mr. Jamal said that it was a shaming to see a beautiful girl like her going to the well to carry a heavy jerrican of water, look at the old dress you are wearing, if you had some little money, you could buy some nice clothes then a rich young man would notice and marry you.

I know Mr. Jamal said Naima; I was thinking the same thing myself. I cannot afford these things you just told me. Mr. Jamal came closer to Naima and whispered softly in her ears, I could help you with the money. My dear, come to my shop tonight and we talk about it. Naima knew that Mr. Jamal was suggesting that he should become her sugar daddy. She did not really like him but he was rich, if he gave her money, she could go to Kampala where she would meet the young man of her dreams. Naima after filling her jerrican that night decided to visit Mr. Jamal’s shop. Naima went to Mr. Jamal’s shop twice a week for about three months. Mr. Jamal had sex with her and gave her little money every time she came; she bought perfume, handkerchief and some skin lotion with the money. Then one evening when she wanted more money to buy skin lotion and fees, her parents told her that they didn’t have. Naima decided to go to Mr. Jamal’s shop; he told her to go away. She heard another girl laughing behind the shop.

Naima felt very angry, she made up her mind that she would never have anything to do with men like Mr. Jamal ever again. Then one month later, she missed her period; she was frightened and surprised I cannot be pregnant with him because he knew all about family planning and contraceptives. When she missed another period, she really got worried and decided to discuss her problems with me. Please advise me! Nadia I think I might be pregnant, what should I do? I cannot have the baby. My father is very strict and will kill me if he found out. What do you think I should do? Please help me I am very worried. Fortunately my mother was a social worker with the local council. When she heard of Naima’s problem, Jamal was guilty of child abuse and if Naima reported him; he would be arrested, taken to court and tried for defilement. But she also knew that Mr. Jamal would plead not guilty and that without any witness the judge or magistrate would declare him innocent of the crime.

Naima’s father would be so angry and force her into early marriage, with no hope of allowing her to continue with her education. In such a marriage the young girl might be mistreated by an elderly husband while the real criminal Mr. Jamal would not be imprisoned but would enjoy his freedom and escape being sentenced for his crime. My mother talked to Naima and her father and explained the position to them and talked about the rights of Naima and her unborn baby. Naima’s father was indeed very angry, but he agreed not to punish Naima instead she was sent away to stay with her aunt in Gulu until the child was born. This was the end of all her day dreams.

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Izama Amir Yusuf, Munir Primary School

Izama Amir Yusuf, Munir Primary School

My name is Izama Amir Yusuf, I am in Munir Primary School, and I am in primary six. I have a sister whose name is Zuriat. During lockdown, my mother sent her to sell samosas at the trading centre. One evening, at around 7:00pm she met a boda boda man who had been asking to marry her but she refused. He called his four brothers who came and carried my sister to his house, locking her inside and defiled her. A few months later she found out that she was pregnant. Getting pregnant as a teen, resulted in her stopping to attend school making her feel sad and alone, this is especially with teenagers who are afraid to tell their parents or guardians when they are pregnant, scared and alone. Without the support of the family or other adults pregnant teenagers are likely to go for antenatal care which is very important for the health of the mother and the baby. If you suspect that you might be pregnant visit the health facility near you. The common signs below do not necessarily mean you are pregnant; missing menstrual period, vomiting (morning sickness), sudden dislike of certain foods, pain in the nipples or breasts, breasts may become large and feel tender, feeling tired frequently, frequent urination, feeling dizzy, weight gain, dropping out of school and health complications.

Teenage mothers are likely to suffer from health complications during pregnancy and during birth than older woman. This is mostly because as a teenager, the body is not developed enough to handle the process of giving birth. These complications include high blood pressure, bleeding, infections, obstetric, fistula a condition whereby a hole develops in the birth canal leading to leakage of urine.
My uncles wanted the man to give money to my mother in order to marry her but she refused. After giving birth, my mother encouraged her to return to school and promised to support her to complete her studies. The baby is now one year and four month old who spends the day with my mother while my sister is at school.

I advise parents to stop sending children especially girls to the market and shops in the evening and girls should not walk alone at night for it is dangerous and school is the safest place to be. At school, you acquire knowledge and learn new skills like reading and writing; these skills will help you now and in the future. Education also prepares you to achieve your dreams like becoming a doctor or teacher. I encourage all children to stay in school and focus on their studies. Teachers please guide and counsel learners, they went through a lot of challenges during lockdown and looking upon us to give them hope. Do not listen to sweet words from strangers or accept anything for free. Stay at home and report to your parent or trusted adult when you feel disturbed by anyone to avoid trouble from men, give them a serious No! And also refuse to listen to them. Walk away from strangers and to not be in trouble avoid bad peer groups which might lead you into alcoholism. If you have a problem, do not fear to ask your parents.

A girl in our village was defiled on the way as she walked with a man, the man was arrested and she was taken to hospital for testing. Girls should avoid being alone with boys and men!

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Mr Mugagga Muto a Young Richman by Medina Bilal, Munir Primary School

Mr Mugagga Muto a Young Richman by Medina Bilal, Munir Primary School

In Buule village, there lived a young rich man called Mr Mugagga Muto. This name was given to him by the citizens of Buule village because he became rich at a very young age. Mugagga Muto dropped out of school after completing primary seven. This is because his parents never had money to pay for his secondary education. Having dropped out of school at the age of fourteen years old, Mugagga Muto never lost hope. He simply asked his father for two acres of land. After getting the piece of land, Mugagga Muto started planting tomatoes season after season. Since his dream was to buy a car, he kept all money he got in the bank account which he had opened in Stanbic bank.

After three years, Mugagga Muto had enough money to buy a car, he then asked his close friend Kigongo to accompany him to a car bond. At the car bond, there were different cars from Mugagga Muto chose Raum. Mugagga Muto was so excited to buy a car. He felt like the whole world was under his control. He therefore drove the new car with a lot of excitement when he reached Buule Town, he increased the speed. In a few minutes Muto lost control and got into an accident sustaining serious injuries with his friend. They were admitted to Mpumudde Hospital for months, from that day Mugagga Muto learnt a lesson never to over speed again.