ACTIVITIES OF UGANDA HUMANISTS

In the short time since UHASSO was set up they have made remarkable progress, which has been reported in a series of articles in IHEU's International Humanist News and in the New Humanist. The range of their activities includes:

CAMPAIGNS

Corporal punishment in schools in Uganda.
UHASSO joined a successful national campaign to outlaw beating in schools. Legislation has now been implemented by the Government of Uganda and the practice is now illegal.

Witchcraft and superstition.
Many people, particularly old women, are killed each year in Uganda and other African countries after being accused of using witchraft and sorcery to cause harm to others. Sudden illness and deaths can lead to the search for scapegoats. UHASSO has an educational campaign to counter the harmful effects of witchcraft and superstitious beliefs, by explaining that illness and deaths have rational causes.

Religious propaganda
UHASSO has been campaigning against the damaging activities of certain fundamentalist Christian sects operating in Uganda. Unscrupulous evangelican groups have been preaching against the use of condoms, which are crucial in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS. They have been reported as saying that HIV/AIDS sufferers can be physically cured if they join the particular sect and embrace God. Preachers, from religious doomsday cults, are travelling around Uganda urging people to convert and be saved when the imminent end of the world comes. Many of these groups are extorting money from very poor families under false pretences in order to build churches and schools, that only the faithful are allowed to attend.

COMMUNITY ACTION

Humanist Volunteers Project
You've heard of "Send a Cow"? Well UHASSO has been identifying needy groups of subsistence farmers and providing pigs and goats. The dung is composted and used as fertiliser and mature animals are either used as meat or sold to provide some cash income. The deal involves the farmers giving two young animals to UHASSO so the scheme is, over time, naturally expanding. When UHASSO volunteers go to the villages to provide training in animal husbandry they also use the talks to support their campaigns for rationality and humanism. This project is supported by the Norwegian Humanists.

Parent and Volunteer Project Meeting

Education
Several of the core members of UHASSO, as trained and practising teachers, are keen to promote secular-humanist education in Uganda. As well as promoting education through their meetings they are doing it by making their presence felt within formal secondary education.

Since 2005 they have set up three secular schools, which promote humanist values and admit children irrespective of whether their parents have a particular religious faith or none. All of the schools provide free places for AIDS orphans and operate activities to support the communities in which they operate.

The Isaac Newton High School, the first school to be established, seeks to develop a specialism in science education. The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has provided start-up capital for buildings and the North-East Humanists funds 17 sponsored places for AIDS orphans. Our South Cheshire and North Staffordshire (SCANS) Humanist group has provided books and learning resources to the school.

The Mustard Seed School was established in 2006. The school has been adopted by the New Humanist magazine and readers have sent substantial donations to the school.

IHEU provided money for land and a classroom block to enable UHASSO to open a third secondary school, the Humanist Academy. It aims to develop a strong emphasis on community service and to offer adult education courses within the school in practical skills such as bee keeping, fish farming, tree planting and crop improvement. SCANS members have provided some funds to the school to pay for a roof, some books, administration costs and have acquired a laptop and microscope from other UK organisations.

Prostitution
One of two women's groups within UHASSO has been trying to understand the plight of prostitutes in Uganda. They have met prostitutes in Kampala to hand out condoms but, more importantly, to understand the mechanism by which AIDS orphans are being drawn into prostitution. By providing training opportunities in hairdressing and secretarial skills the group has helped over 30 young vulnerable prostitutes to find alternative ways to support themselves.

The group has also started a project to provide a support and advice network for female students who have moved to Kampala for University education from rural settings. The aim being to protect such girls from exploitation and abuse.

The leader of the group, Betty Nassaka, has written her thoughts on "What Humanism means to me".

Domestic violence
Another women's group has had meetings to discuss the concerns of women in Uganda, including domestic violence. They are trying to establish a refuge and counselling service for women who are the victims of such violence.

Further details of Humanist activities in Uganda are on the IHEU Website.