Twekonyere - Let's help each other

Twekonyere is a Runyoro word meaning let’s help each other/ help ourselves. This is a project name that was inspired by Patricia Kajumba's mother, Ms. Betty Kyomuhendo. It is very significant because this carries a perfect meaning of the Twekonyere project intentions.

Twekonyere project aims at capacitating young people with knowledge and skills to be able to fend for their full potential. The Twekonyere project journey is one that started in May 2018, with an application to participate in the African Women Leadership Institute (AWLI) training that was organized by Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMWA) in Uganda. Twekonyere founder Patricia Kajumba was selected to participate in the training. From the amazing learning, unlearning and relearning sessions, she got inspired to create advocacy and raise awareness about less prioritized issues that affect the young people especially young girls in her community.

After carrying out research, Twekonyere project was born with the first major role to advocate for Menstrual Health Rights, promote menstrual hygiene and start uncomfortable conversations (break the silence) about Sexual and Reproductive Health challenges that limit young people from staying in school and achieve their full potential. Patricia and Victor set out to initiate conversations about menstruation by approaching Buswekera Primary School in Hoima. They specifically went to this school because it is where many adolescents in the area go for schooling. After discussion with the school, their inspirations were put together in a project proposal that was submitted to AMWA that was successfully supported.

Twekonyere has been able to steadily raise awareness about menstrual health rights and promote menstrual hygiene among young girls, women and boys in Hoima district. In this way, the project has also gone ahead to debunk myths and beliefs that are associated with menstruation in different parts of Uganda. The Twekonyere project has also been actively engaged in various campaigns such as the Happy Flow Campaign, Hike for Girls Uganda and End Child Marriage. The Twekonyere Club Campaign has also kicked off with their first activity of training different stakeholders how to make reusable sanitary wear.

“Let’s break the silence” - The Twekonyere project is working towards living in an Africa where young people are able to speak about issues that affect us. They believe that young people should be limitless in order to be at the fore front of developing their lives and communities.