Supporting Fields of Life’s “I am Girl” project

The McClay Foundation exists to make a meaningful improvement in the advancement of human health and is proud to be playing its part during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The following project is partnering with Fields of Life (FOL), an international development organisation based in Northern Ireland.

Fields of Life is an international development organisation, based in Northern Ireland, with 27 years’ experience of working in East Africa. Its mission is to bring about positive change through the provision of quality education, clean water, health promotion and enterprise programmes.  It works with partners in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan to promote sustainable community development.

This essential charity relies on significant donations typically received via monthly events and fundraising. However, the pandemic, and associated lockdown, has threatened this due to the cessation of all usual activities.

Fields of Life

The I am Girl (IAG) programme established by FOL is a key activity seeking to enhance
women’s empowerment and gender equality in East Africa by reducing barriers to girls participating
in education associated with menstruation, the absence of safe environments and poor nutrition. It
adopts a multi-faceted approach to develop safe, child-friendly environments where girls are
empowered to attend and complete primary education. FOL will be implementing a new 3-year
project focusing on rolling out IAG to 40 schools in 120 communities.

This project is distinctive because while many interventions are targeted towards girls’
empowerment, few engage with men and boys to challenge gender norms and behavioural patterns.
 Therefore, as well as working with teachers, parents and school management, the project
intentionally extends the gender equality and child protection programmes to include men and
boys. The focus is on engaging groups of men in the communities who are known to have a higher
tendency to abuse women and children, including the unemployed and those engaged in transport
business e.g. motorcycle taxi drivers.

Foundation Support

Funding from the McClay Foundation is helping to support this work which will see:

Increased school attendance and retention, particularly of girls.
More children completing primary level and proceed to further levels of education, later becoming meaningful contributors to development in their communities.
Improved personal hygiene of boys and girls through the provision of adequate infrastructure such as latrines, washrooms, and hand washing facilities.
Girls attendance at school will improve as a result of training in making liquid soap and reusable sanitary pads.
Improved school feeding programmes, which will positively impact the health, well-being, and nutrition of pupils.
Reduce absenteeism and encourage them to complete their education.
Increased awareness of children’s rights and adults’ responsibilities regarding issues related to WASH, child protection and gender-based violence.
Address and reduce negative, societal stereotypes about gender and menstruation.
Improved and safer school environments in which children, particularly girls, feel safe as
they become more aware of their rights and are respected by others. Their perceptions of
self-worth will also improve.

Apply

If the aims and purposes of your organisation align with the strategic focus areas of the McClay Foundation and you wish to partner with us in the furtherance of those aims and purposes, please get in touch.