‘Vulnerable’ girls, education and non-governmental organisation sponsorship programmes in Kampala

Abstract

Many non-governmental organisations exclusively sponsor education of ‘vulnerable’ girls who are seen as poor, oppressed and sexually abused. Based on fieldwork conducted in Kampala, Uganda, in 2012, we explore the views of sponsored girls, non-governmental organisation staff and educators on ‘vulnerability’ and scholarship programmes. Educators and non-governmental organisation staff agreed the sponsored girls were at risk of having relationships with ‘sugar daddies’ and becoming pregnant. Although the girls acknowledged their lives had been tough, they did not see themselves as ‘vulnerable’. While western representations of Third World women identified by Mohanty mostly apply for ‘vulnerable’ girls, the sponsorship programmes might change the girls’ self-image.

Money, Status, Love, and Death: Sexual Relations With Considerably Older Persons in African Societies—A Systematic Review

“…We think that, “when you have sex with a particular man then we will at least have a “visa” for eating that particular day.” (p. 302).Most studies, however, focused on the combination of both financial and social motivations, which, as they emphasized, could not be separated. These included the desire of adolescents or young women to be with older wealthy men who could provide them with nonessential material support (jewelry, fancy restaurants, fashionable clothes) that would improve their standard of living and enhance their social status (Chant & Evans, 2010; Chappell, 2017; De Wet, Alex-Ojei, & Akinyemi, 2018; Gorgen, Yansané, Marx, & Millimounou, 1998; Hawkins et al, 2009; Hoss & Blokland, 2018; Ísfeld Óskarsdóttir, Baldursdóttir, & Einarsdóttir, 2016; Kamndaya et al, 2016; Ketema & Berhane, 2017; Leclerc-Madlala, 2003; Longfield, Glick, Waithaka, & Berman, 2004; Masvawure, 2010; Ranganathan et al, 2017; Silberschmidt & Rasch, 2001; Strebel, Shefer, Potgieter, Wagner, & Shabalala, 2013; Wamoyi et al, 2018; Zembe et al, 2013).…”

“…During the analysis, it appeared some of the studies described one-sided constructions of these relationships, such as abusive relationships only, with the older partner perceived as taking advantage of the adolescent or younger partner (Hoss & Blokland, 2018). Others described relations of mutual benefit or abuse (Eller, 2016; Ísfeld Óskarsdóttir et al, 2016). In another study (Kaufman et al, 2014), participants described adolescents or young females involved in relations with older persons as either the “innocent and naive schoolgirl, deceived by false promises” or the “ill-disciplined, promiscuous seductress” (p. 818; see also Strebel et al, 2013).…”

“…Both the educators and the girls in the program studied by Ísfeld Óskarsdóttir et al (2016) indicated these relations were likely to end up in pregnancy, following which they will usually be expelled from school, stop receiving NGO support, and fail to return to the program after the birth. Similarly, most female participants in Longfield et al (2004) referred to the risk of becoming pregnant and noted that when this happens, adolescent or young unmarried women can be expelled from school and even thrown out of their parents’ homes, and that the resulting loss of reputation affects their marriage prospects.…”

“…their standard of living and enhance their social status (Chant & Evans, 2010;Chappell, 2017;De Wet, Alex-Ojei, & Akinyemi, 2018;Gorgen, Yansané, Marx, & Millimounou, 1998;Hawkins et al, 2009;Hoss & Blokland, 2018;Ísfeld Ó skarsdóttir, Baldursdóttir, & Einarsdóttir, 2016;Kamndaya et al, 2016;Ketema & Berhane, 2017;Leclerc-Madlala, 2003;Longfield, Glick, Waithaka, & Berman, 2004;Masvawure, 2010;Ranganathan et al, 2017;Silberschmidt & Rasch, 2001;Strebel, Shefer, Potgieter, Wagner, & Shabalala, 2013;Wamoyi et al, 2018;Zembe et al, 2013). Some papers used the terms consumerism (Kamndaya et al, 2016;Zembe et al, 2013) or prestige (Masvawure, 2010).…”

“…Educators in a nongovernmental organization (NGO) program for girls at risk interviewed in Ísfeld Ó skarsdóttir, Baldursdóttir, and Einarsdóttir (2016) indicated that girls who had sexual relations with older men are often abandoned, as the latter usually terminate the relationships after a while: "It is not sustainable, sugar daddy runs out. They start suffering when sugar daddy runs out" (p. 415).…”