Uganda

School-aged Ugandan children who participate in extracurricular activities are more open to assuming leadership roles and are better equipped to face the challenges that come with adulthood. ChildFund Uganda supports extracurricular clubs in sports, music, dance and drama, which not only teach those specific skills but also help children learn how to resolve conflicts, make decisions and think critically. We also have trained teachers to make their classrooms more child-friendly, involving student participation to a greater degree. More than 23,000 children in 112 schools also received educational materials in 2015, which helped them remain in school and be more productive students. ChildFund also encourages community involvement in school governance, a policy that has helped schools respond to local needs and also spend resources wisely.

Underemployment among Ugandan youth remains a problem, particularly in rural settings, but ChildFund offers training in vocational, business and entrepreneurial skills, as well as startup funds and tools. More than 850 young people benefited from this program in 2015. We also promote health education, including family planning and HIV prevention. Often, this takes the form of peer-to-peer conversations, as well as helping youth access counseling and health examinations. As a result, young people are empowered and educated to make smart decisions regarding their future.

HIV has remained an enormous problem in sub-Saharan Africa, despite some reduction in infections since the 1990s. According to a 2015 estimate by UNAIDS, 7.1 percent of Ugandans ages 15 to 49 — 1.4 million people — are living with HIV, and 660,000 children ages 17 and younger have been orphaned by AIDS. ChildFund’s work addresses multiple issues, including HIV prevention through education and health services, improved care for HIV-positive children, and finding safe and nurturing homes for children orphaned by AIDS.

In the hard-hit Gulu district, a new grant is allowing us to build stronger community services and healthcare options for children affected by HIV and AIDS, including those who are positive. We expect to reach 300,000 children by the conclusion of this project. Also, our ongoing Project Multiply initiative uses a USAID grant to multiply the value of each donation 5.75 times to find safe, loving homes for children and youth living in orphanages or on the streets.