Ugandan Nonprofit Stages Skits to Combat Widespread Domestic Violence and Empower Victims

In Summary

• A skit about domestic violence by the nonprofit Ourganda in Bundibugyo, Uganda, highlighted the widespread issue, with actors sharing personal experiences of abuse.
• Ourganda combats domestic violence using "reconciliation forms" to prevent escalation and gather evidence, and has established "Mankind Clubs" and "Soul Sisters" to intervene and support victims.
• Domestic violence is prevalent in Uganda, with 95% of women and girls experiencing it after turning 15, often sparked by financial disputes, sex-related disagreements, alcoholism, and illiteracy.
• Ourganda aims to expand its efforts, work with local officials to support prosecution, and help victims through community mediation and support systems.

Bundibugyo, Uganda-The scene of a man kicking a saucepan off the fireplace and hitting his wife with firewood played out as part of a skit aimed at raising awareness about domestic violence.

The audience's mixed reactions of amusement, puzzlement, and horror reflected the grim reality of many women's lives in this remote farming community near the Congo border. The skit, staged by the local nonprofit Ourganda, sought to highlight the issue of domestic violence, which predominantly affects women in the area.

Eva Bulimpikya, who played a woman fighting back in the skit, recounted her real-life ordeal of being attacked by her drunken husband the previous night. She described how past incidents had left her with impaired hearing and persistent headaches.

Domestic violence is rampant in Bundibugyo, a district about 400 kilometers from Kampala. Ourganda, affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, began its campaign against domestic violence in 2022 after encountering a woman and her child who had been severely beaten by the woman's partner.

The successful prosecution of the offender energized the group's efforts, revealing that 47 out of 50 women surveyed had experienced violence in the previous week.

Ourganda's strategy involves educating offenders and making them sign “reconciliation forms” to prevent escalation to police involvement while keeping evidence for potential prosecution. Vincent Tibesigwa Isimbwa, Ourganda’s leader in Bundibugyo, noted that only five out of about 100 offenders had violated the agreement.

ActionAid Uganda's Angella Akoth endorsed Ourganda's "male engagement strategy," which targets perpetrators. The group also established "Mankind Clubs" to intervene in violent situations and "Soul Sisters" to counsel and support women.

Globally, domestic violence remains a pervasive issue, with WHO figures from 2021 indicating that one in three women have experienced it. In Uganda, a 2020 survey showed that 95% of women and girls had suffered physical or sexual violence after turning 15.

Isimbwa reported threats from locals for empowering women but remains committed to expanding Ourganda’s work and fostering cooperation with local officials to support prosecution efforts. He noted that financial disputes, sex-related disagreements, alcoholism, and illiteracy often spark domestic violence, which peaks during the cocoa harvest season from October to February.

Many domestic violence cases go unreported. In 2023, only 54 out of 2,194 teenage pregnancy cases, which include forms of domestic violence, were reported to the police in Bundibugyo.

Pamela Grace Adong, the district’s probation and social welfare officer, highlighted the rising number of gender-based violence cases, underscoring Ourganda’s role in community mediation.

In the town of Sara-Kihombya, men often spend their days in bars, contributing to domestic violence. Linda Kabugho, a kindergarten teacher, shared her experience of repeated attacks by her husband due to his frustrations over soccer betting losses.

After seeking help, Ourganda counseled the couple, and Kabugho’s husband was warned of jail time if he continued the abuse. Kabugho now feels safer and is a member of the "Soul Sisters," helping others facing similar challenges.