Tuesday 9 August 2011

MOYO BLIND UNITY – MOYO DISTRICT.


MOYO BLIND UNITY – MOYO DISTRICT.
The unit for the blind in Moyogirl’s primary school has started a way back in late 1960’s to cater for handicapped children who were taught with practical skills by Comboni Missionaries sisters.
Later on, the government of Uganda, ministry of education and culture by then took over the running of the unit.
The children in this unit come from parts of the world especially from the district of Adjumani, Moyo Arua and Nebbi. Others are coming from the democratic republic of Congo (DRC) and the republic of southern Sudan.
The children gathered together with their teachers at the old dormitory.
Currently, the unit for the blind holds others disabilities such as those who have communication difficulties (dumb) physically disability, partial visual impairment and those with ear problems.
The unit for the blind although has a hand of the government, it goes through many difficulties such as; lack of teaching personnel’s, lack of instructional materials, lack of proper facilities for toilets, dormitories and above all , poor feeding.
The above difficulties impels the school management to call for the parents of the unity to form an association which in future many do local fund –raising of collecting either food stuff or other materials that can give support to the unit in anyway.
Many parents, however during their meeting have expressed disappointment to some parents who have failed to care properly for their blind children.
                    Mr. Adrari who is blind giving a practical lesson to the pupils in the class room.
Testimonies were given by both parents and some of the blind people on the difficulties through a blind person go every day.
They expressed difficulties on the need of the blind child among which includes, love security, provision of basic needs, education and name them. It has been realise that many people like calling the disabled persons with nickname such as (Mio) in madi meaning without eyes or (Agavuru) meaning one who crawls etc………….certainly , this is not the case with the children in Moyo girls unit the blinds because they are loved and called by the names; they learn inclusively with the other children.
                                               The pupils are for their class work exercise.
In all, the unit has twenty seven children who are boarding and others who do operate from their homes especially the partial visual blind. The school has thirteen teachers with two have specialized in special needs education.
The school is located in Moyo sub-county near the catholic mission parish.
The location seeks to find favour from good Samaritans who may be church goers and extend hands to these needy children who have poor background.

Prepared by:
Tamale Robert (one of the teacher at the unit of blind).

(YAWA –MOYO MOYO)

(YAWA –MOYO MOYO)
The community of Metu /Moyo generally have a common locally produced alcohol called Moyo-Moyo. The Moyo-Moyo is produced by preparing cassava through fermenting, drying and pounding the cassava, once the cassava is pounded; it is mix with water and roasted on fire. The roasted substance is socked in water and mix with yeast to ferment for at least three to four days.


The process of distillation

It is then distilled and what people consume is the distillate; the soft drink.
However, this locally brewed alcohol is widely consumed by the locals.

Elders and youths gathered in a group at their leisure (for drinks).
Despite the side effects, many parents who brewed this local alcohol have succeeded in paying their children in school.
But since the alcohol is cheaply sold, and always available and affordable by majority of the populace (people); this has resulted into low labour production since majority of the mature and youths are involve in the heavy consumption of the drinks.

Too much consumption of moyo-moyo warms temperature.


Disadvantage.
Moyo-moyo the local alcohol brewed in Moyo district/Madi sub-region has left many families separated or divorce. This is because; too much consumption of this alcohol has left many men un-functional (They can’t provide the service expected of a man) indeed, many homes have collapsed and many children are suffering as a result of separation of their parents. Many children could not go to school or afford secondary education because of the family neglects or loss of job by parents because of drinking too much of moyo-moyo.
The Madi community (people) in their birth customary rites drops the alcohol in the mouth of the child on the day of naming the child after three days for male and four days for female.
This however has been castigated by the modern parents in order to get rid of these rites in the communities.
This locally brewed alcohol was formerly used for work. It is called (Oya) and people consumed it after the fatigue (work) of the day. It encouraged high production in labour and low level of food shortage (food insecurity in homes or community). But this is a vice versa with current/todays life.
It is still hoped that, the Madi people will revive the spirit of working together to uphold their livelihood.
Prepared by
Field officer , Metu Maarifa Centre.
Jurugo Simon Drikota.