Participatory Development Alternatives on 14th January 2022 embarked on a support visit to Amuro community to monitor women peer education networks to discuss the challenging topics from the PEP manual. The meeting which was held at Amuro community had the gathering of 4 PEP groups (Amaelu-Amuro, Ezi Acha, Ezi Ajah and Ezi Onya groups). The clustered meeting started with an opening prayer by Regina while the program officer Ekuma Emmanuel welcomed and appreciated the women group for coming to the meeting within the short notice and appreciatedthe efforts of the groups in organizing themselves to ensure they roll out for the PEP sessions. He explained that the purpose of the gathering was to have an interactive session in order to discuss success stories, challenges emerging from the groups; to treat difficult topics and also identify those PEP sessions who are rolling out faithfully and those who are not stable; and to suggest possible solutions to their challenges.
Meanwhile, findings from the visit to Amuro PEP revealed that the women of Amaelu Amuro, Ezi Acha, and Ezi Onya women peer education are taking their classes serious, their meetings are regular but very few come to lesson sessions. While the Ezi Ajah PEP group no longer roll out PEP sessions. They complained of lack of space to gather for their meetings. When Emmanuel asked whether there are any difficult topics which would need the support of PDA to handle. They said that they understood all the topics from the manual.
Experience sharing- The Peer Education session gave women opportunity to share their experiences on how the PEP sessions have helped to change their lives from idleness to being productivity. Their experiences are captured below:
“The women peer education sessions have really changed me in such a way that I no longer depend on my husband or anybody for anything. It has also change situation of things in my community. In the past women especially, widows do not have access to land for farming. During the planting season, the men alone are given portions of land for cultivation. It was a taboo for a woman to own or access land. Even when a woman wants to purchase the land with her money, she is asked to come along with her husband or a man who would stand in for her. As a result, women, especially widows suffered hunger and malnutrition. Then, PEP happened, giving us women the opportunity to gather, deliberate on why women should own and access land. With the help of PDA, the issue of women’s access to land was considered. Now, portions of land are given to women during planting season and they equally have the right to own a land. This has helped encourage more women into farming. The income they generate from their farm produce has boosted and improved their standards of living” – Oko Oti Victoria.
Rebecca Nnachi one of the members of Amelu women Peer Education group was very excited for being part of the group as she has learnt a lot especially on how to be independent. In her words she said, ‘’the group loaned me five thousand naira which I invested into farming. Today, I am happy to let you know that I have paid up the loan and its interest and I am generating income from my farm produce which I use to care for my children and me”.
With smiles, Uko Nnachi Onyekachi added that, she was equally given a soft loan of N5,000 which she used to start up a small business of cooking beans and plantain. According to her, she has paid up the loan and also makes N2,000 gain daily. Mary Obiala was also a beneficiary of the N5,000 loan she used to start up her fufu business. She has also refunded the loan and is still enjoying and generating income from her business. Another woman Eze Eunice explained that, “I easily get angry with people around me on little issues that don’t mean anything but ever since I joined the PEP group and I started relating with my fellow women, I noticed that I no longer get angry or quarrel with my neighbours”.
On health, Bridget Echem narrated that people in the community, especially women have benefitted from the health centre that was built in her community. According to her, the only hospital (Mater Misericordia Hospital) in the whole of Afikpo North used to be far from them. Pregnant women end up losing their babies before they get to the hospital. She added that when the opportunity came and PDA in partnership with ActionAid asked them to choose a physical project, they chose for the provision of a Health centre. Bridget Egwu Echem and other women were proud to expand on how the Health centre offers low cost of treatment, free Malaria treatment and free Family planning. Oko Precious further described that patients need only to get a registration cards at the rate of 100 naira, this, enables them have access to free medical treatment for one year. She and her family have been benefitting from the free malaria treatment at the health centre built in her community she said.
Challenges/ Responses – The major challenges expressed are:
- Availability of Space during raining season to roll-out- The group complained that the rains and community activities hinder them from frequently meeting. When asked how many times they do, they responded that it is twice a month. The program officer suggested that the group could make use of their community school classrooms since the school is close to them and gaining access could be easy since some of them are teachers in the same school or members can volunteer their living rooms during the raining season.
- No monitoring from PDA- The women complained that PDA have stopped monitoring their roll out sessions. Responding to their complaint, the program officer, Emmanuel explained to the women that the organization has the intention of mentoring the PEP group. Unfortunately, the organization works with budget which guides her work with the community people.
- Diversion of Resources- Ugwu Rita complained that she was not a beneficiary of the Covid-19 relief materials that were distributed. The program officers explained that they were not for everybody but was distributed based on specific criteria such as to widows, PWD and female headed households. He added that same relief material was also distributed in Abakaliki axis using the same criteria.
- Lack of incentives to women Peer Education group: The expressed that incentive used to be one of the motivations they get whenever they roll out for PEP session. However, they complained that PDA no longer gives incentives such as rice, soap, slippers as they used to. They added that lack of incentives to the women have greatly reduced numbers of attendance. However, they suggested that the programme would be better if PDA support them with incentives for their refreshment. It was also observed that they do not pay monthly dues, is meant to assist the group have a common purse from where they can be running their affairs. Emmanuel encouraged them not to relent in rolling out PEP classes especially as ActionAid is about to phase out in Ebonyi State. He explained further to the Amuro PEP that there have been several success stories coming out from PEP groups in Abakaliki and have sort for sustainable ways of generating income. He advised them to embark on seed and oil banking so as to help them generate income especially during the farming season.
The session ended with the women delighted as all their question and concerns were addressed.
