Alur Kingdom revives youth fireplace gatherings to curb teenage pregnancy

NEBBI: The Alur Kingdom has called for the revival of traditional youth fireplace gatherings as a cultural solution to the escalating teenage pregnancy crisis in the kingdom.

The call forms part of the kingdom’s Kura Matira project, an ancient Alur philosophy rooted in community, humanity, care and good conduct. The kingdom is using the initiative to restore lost cultural values among young people.

Under the banner “Ending Child and Forced Marriage through Returning to the Fireplace,” the kingdom has been holding community dialogue sessions across its chiefdoms. Kingdom officials say modern distractions and the loss of parental guidance have left girls particularly vulnerable. Traditionally, the fireplace served as a space where grandparents and aunts taught adolescents about virginity, faithfulness, reproductive health and proper conduct, values that helped prevent early pregnancies.

Speaking at a youth fireside held at Kaal Pawong Palace, Prince Ochaya Orach Vincent, Deputy Prime Minister and Executive Director of the Alur Kingdom, underscored the continued relevance of these gatherings in addressing teenage childbirth.

The event, known as the “Kaoi Fireside Conversations,” is an initiative of the Protect SRHR project. It is implemented by a consortium of civil society organizations; Reach A Hand Africa, the International Rescue Committee, Humanity & Inclusion and World Vision with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Presided over by Chief Rwoth Justino Opar, Chief of Pawong Chiefdom, the gathering took place on 22 September 2026 under the theme “Culture, Identity and Power to Shape Young People’s Future.” Prince Ochaya delivered remarks on behalf of the Chief.

He emphasised that fireplace gatherings help strengthen the family unit, which remains the foundation for tackling early childbirth among young people.

“A session like this one allows us to speak to young people together with their parents,” he said. “If we can have even more of these, I can tell you all 56 chiefdoms would benefit from Kaoi.”

Prince Ochaya’s comments were made against the backdrop of persistent teenage pregnancies in the district, a concern repeatedly raised by speakers at the event.

Ronnie Japiemo, the LCIII Chairperson of Central Division in Nebbi Municipality, described the gathering as a timely reminder of how traditional engagements once brought communities together.

“It also reminds us of the story of those days,” he said. “It is interesting when you bring groups together because nowadays young people are heavily influenced by technology. So it is better to have these conversations.”

He noted that such engagements previously helped shape behaviour and contributed to lower rates of teenage pregnancy. According to him, on average at least two per cent of girls become pregnant every year across the six schools in Central Division.

“The fireplace is a good intervention, but most of our youth have taken it for a simple ride. This calls for more cultural engagement with the youths because of the modern leisure places available today,” Japiemo added.

Albert Ongom, Programme Officer for Reach A Hand Africa in Nebbi District, said teenage pregnancy remains a significant concern and is also linked to rising HIV risks. The engagement, he explained, sought to understand how communities around Kaal Pawong traditionally handled issues affecting young people and what lessons could be drawn from those practices.

Discussions also highlighted parental neglect and the exclusion of persons with disabilities from conversations on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

For some young people, the challenge is not simply the absence of conversations with parents but the manner in which those conversations take place. Onyuthi Brian, a youth participant, said many young people find it difficult to listen to their parents because of the way the discussions are handled.

“Parents sometimes return home after drinking and speak to their children in a harsh or confrontational manner,” he said. “That makes young people reluctant to engage with them.”

According to the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, 23.5 per cent of girls aged 15–19 had already begun childbearing—18.4 per cent had had a live birth and 5.1 per cent were pregnant with their first child. The proportion has remained largely unchanged for more than 15 years, fluctuating between 24 and 25 per cent between 2006 and 2022. By age 16, one in every ten girls aged 15–19 had begun childbearing; by age 18 the figure rises to nearly four in ten.