MIFUMI shelter offers safe space for women in Kalangala

Kalangala islands is predominately a fishing community and most of the residents are mobile.  They move from one island to the other following booming fish business.

Ruth Kwagala, a legal officer with MIFUMI a women's rights organization whose work revolves around protection of women and children, says when fishermen move they leave their families behind and some abandon them for good.

“There are also those that do not believe in providing for their wives and children hence the many cases of domestic violence we register daily,” she explains.

Under the Heroes for Gender Transformative Action Program (Heroes 4GTA) which is run by MIFUMI, they set up an advice center and shelter where victims of domestic and Gender Based Violence (GBV) seek help.

“We also provide community-based support services for survivors of violence and abuse,” Kwagala says.

Social worker interacting with survivor support group in Kalangala

Mary Lucy Athieno, GBV expert with MIFUMI says defilement cases are also high in the islands because the fishermen’s lifestyle involves a lot of drug abuse and  promiscuity.

They also believe that there is no young snake on the island, which literally means that all young girls are adults and therefore ready for sex. Those who resist men’s advances are sometimes raped.

Athieno says they have advice centers and shelters across the country.

Meanwhile, Kwagala says, weekly, they receive 20 to 30 cases of rape, GBV and child abuse at the advice center.

“The center is at Mugoye Sub County near the police station and Mugoye Health center 111. Mugoye is a hot spot with many victims,” she says.

She says, they also recently renovated and opened a shelter at the center where victims stay for some time.

Kwagala adds that they work with champions (volunteers) at community level to handle cases through mediations and those that are beyond them are referred to the advice center.

Survivor support group interacting with medical workers at Kalangala Advice center

“Our staff follow up big cases to ensure justice is achieved through the proper referral network; coordinating with police, health centers and courts of law,” she says.

The staff also work with the state attorney to ensure witnesses appear in court as well as conducting pre court trainings.

“The shelter space was offered by the district and it is a safe space for survivors of GBV as staff plan for their resettlement or reintegration,” she says.

On the other hand, Assy Nakigudde, a local leader and resident of Mwena village in Buggala island says Ssese islands has for long been a hiding place for criminals and people resented by their communities. They leave the mainland and hide on the islands.

“Many people here are traumatized. They lost hope and gave up on life and behave recklessly,” she says.

 “We always caution couples to live responsibly but some remain adamant,” she says.

Mary Lucy Athieno at an advice centre in Iganga

About Kalangala district

The district is located 55km from Entebbe. It has 84 islands but only 63 are habited with Buggala being the largest. The population is about 67,000 people.

Other popular islands include; Bukasa, Buyovu, Bufumira, Bubeke, Kkome, Nkese and Degaya among others.