As IGA group we take care of pregnant mothers, we don’t go to traditional midwives we call ambulance or go by cart to clinic. We discuss about how we care for each other during pregnancy and baby care through access to local health service and advice from female health extension workers. We learned this from ADAA. We learn about family planning. We guard our girl children from early marriage. Medina Salia, Member of Kindesitu, IGA group in Jarti Bakule, Siraro The contribution of Kinderpostzegels funded projects implemented by the three partner NGOs have consistently produced positive impacts in all the places visited by the evaluation team. The creation of such effective impacts have been corroborated by information gathered from individuals, groups and institutions ranging from school clubs to WEOs and students to community leaders as discussed above. 3.5.3. Project contribution to breaking the silence with regards to FGM and other HTPs The evaluation team believes that the above presented points on the contribution of the project towards the reduction of child labor and particularly the section on combating HTPs are demonstrations of breaking the silence with regards to FGM and HTPs. However, for the purpose of being specific and also producing additional evidences on how much impact the projects created on this agenda, we have provided particular explanations to substantiate the above findings. The changes that the project introduced in terms of standing against FGM and other HTPs which were widespread before the project interventions in the three project regions have been strongly expressed by the girls themselves, leaders and the different structures One of the people who testified on the impacts of the project in these areas is the local kebele administrator of Afer Gebeya in Este, Kindu Girmaye who stated that before WCAT educated them, HTPs were common practices. People rarely spoke against them. After the project even children especially the girls became expressive and started resisting. He continued saying “in the past, if a girl is married early she just accepted but later after the project they refuse and expose their parents to administration”. He reported that several early marriages have been cancelled as a result of reports by the girls themselves to police, women affairs office and PTAs. 48
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