A beauty queen has taken it upon herself to advocate for the health of adolescent girls living in refugee settlements in the West Nile districts of Adjumani and Moyo. Crowned Miss Ma’di on 26 May 2017, the beauty queen, Miss Brenda Abio has partnered with ACORD, a UNFPA-supported implementing partner in the West Nile region to organize mass sensitization activities for adolescents on teenage pregnancy and early marriage.

 

Recently, ACORD involved Miss Ma’di in the campaign that was attended by over 1,000 pupils where she distributed over 50 hygiene kits to girls in Boroli Primary school which is in a refugee settlement.  As a member of the host community, Miss Ma’di encouraged the adolescents to remain focused on who they want to become in life so as to avoid diversion from their academic goals.

 

She encouraged them to report Gender Based Violence cases of any kind to their teachers,  parents and even to local leaders while at home; she also informed the girls that menstruation is a natural process and normal for all girls and women  and should not be a reason for them to feel bad as it is what shows that they are healthy.

 

The head teacher of the school Ms. Edea Esther Akomi showed gratitude to UNFPA-ACORD for the support provided to the school through “Anti - GBV clubs.” She noted that interaction with young girls promotes interest and willingness for them to stay in school as well as building their resilience skills against child marriages, engagement into early sex and its related negative consequences.