Bernard Tumwesigye a father of four and a resident of Bubukwanga in Bundibugyo district says safe family parenting sessions have laid a strong foundation for his family to thrive and protect children against all forms of violence. Chosen as a participant in the program, Benard faced challenges in his family, especially with his first-born daughter.

Despite initial disappointments and a costly decision to send her to an expensive school in Kampala, which resulted in her expulsion due to indiscipline, Bernard found solace and guidance through the safe family sessions.

The sessions helped him control his anger, manage stress, and approach situations calmly. He learned to communicate effectively with his children, understand their reasons for mistakes, and make decisions as a family.

“Applying these lessons helped me resolve issues with my daughter. For example, I keep guiding her and we agreed for her to find a local school and proceed with her education. I went against other people’s advice of punishing her to teach her a lesson,” Bernard says.

“The lessons have taught me patience and how to communicate better which has strengthened the relationship with my children,” he adds. Bernard acknowledges the positive impact of the training, underscoring it with preventing regrettable actions during moments of frustration.

Richard now shares the knowledge with other parents and urges continued support from Save the Children for such trainings in the community. Through these sessions, Save the Children is creating a violence-free environment for children to thrive.