SUPPORT FOR ALL FOUNDATION
PURCHASE OF PERMANENT OFFICE AND SHELTER PREMISES, PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES AND EDUCATION SPONSORSHIP |
PROJECT PROPOSAL |
PROJECT SUMMARY | |
Title | -Purchase of Permanent office and Shelter Premises, Provision of Health services and Education Sponsorship. |
Time Framework | -1 year |
Project Area | -Makindye Division, Kampala-Uganda |
Project Beneficiaries | -100 young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities. |
Proposed Implementing Organization | -SUPPORT FOR ALL FOUNDATION Kampala-Uganda Tel: +256772 554699 / +256704 410686 |
Objective | To secure a permanent office and shelter premises, provide health services and Education sponsorship for the youth in need. |
Project Cost | $ 65,000 (Sixty five thousand US dollars) |
ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION
SUPPORT FOR ALL FOUNDATION was established in 2019 by young men from Kampala and Wakiso Districts with the aim of creating a platform for young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communitiesin Uganda to address their challenges, overcome barriers and promote their rights.
The organization also aims at preventing gender based violence and abuse, HIV prevention and Education and creating job opportunities.
Support for all Foundation is a Non-Governmental and Non-profit making organization registered as a company limited by guarantee without share capital under the laws of Uganda. This enables individuals and communities to provide support towards target groups development and our projects.
Mission Statement:
To create a platform whereyoung men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities in Uganda can address their challenges, overcome their barriers and promote their social and economic development.
Vision Statement:
A generation with health, social and economic protection.
Core values:
Support For All Foundation members and their governing bodies affirm and promote the following values:
Transparency/Openness
Participation
Equality
Responsiveness:
Tolerance:
Mutual support:
Integrity:
Learning:
Trust:
Sharing:
Interdependence.
Courage.
Leadership
Charitable.
Creativity
Organization aims and Objectives:
The Aims and Objectives of the Foundation among other include:
To create a platform where young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities in Uganda can address their challenges, overcome their barriers and promote their social and economic development.
To promote good shelter, food, basic needs and health/medical services for stigma and discrimination victims.
To offer education support and sponsorship to young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities.
To offer HIV/AIDS Education and Promote Sexual Reproductive Health Services.
To empower young people so that they get/have life sustaining skills and working knowledge.
To improve on the social and economic situation of young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities through Entrepreneurship, Skills training and employment opportunities.
To enhance awareness on needs limitations, potentials and rights of young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities so as to improve society’s attitude.
To promote the inclusion of young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities and their interest in mainstream development, education, social and technological environment.
To provide a forum for exchange of information, experience and advice to the young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities and others.
To bring together young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities, enforce solidarity and unity amongst the entire members of the Foundation.
To develop and offer training opportunities for the members and the entire community to enhance their working knowledge.
To represent the views of the members to the Government and Non- Governmental Organizations.
To protect and promote the rights of young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities.
Establishing self-sustaining project in nearby localities to ease accessibility of the Foundation services by the members.
To invest money in any income generating activities for the benefit of the members as deemed fit by the board of trustees & the executive committee.
To assist its members in drawing all possible ways, in overcoming problems in respect of operations of the Foundation.
To endeavour and establish good working relationship between the Foundation and the Government and other civic authorities so as to ensure that, the Association’s activities are put on sound.
To help the needy and disabled including taking and offering services to the aged, widows, destitute and to the displaced, and refugee communities and settlements who accept to subscribe as members of this Foundation.
To work in creative partnership with central government, local government business leaders, educational and financial institutions both local and international organizations and charities to seek innovative solutions to social problems like poverty and unemployment, especially in rural communities and create a social-economic awareness amongst people of Uganda for promotion of a more sustainable development.
To work closely with the other Organizations of a similar nature share information and education programme for the sustainable development.
To work in partnership with other individual groups and organizations dedicated to sustainable development and to promote greater awareness through research and education.
To raise and acquire the necessary funds and property that will support the foundation in carrying out its operations for the purpose of fulfilling its aims and objectives.
To undertake other incidental activity necessary for the attainment of the vision and mission of the Foundation.
To solicit, collect, funds and other assistance by way of contribution, donation, grants and any other lawful methods as well as gifts of property or any description (whether subject to any special trust or not).
To devise ways and means of greater involvement and participation of all its members in all aspects of the Foundation in Uganda and thereby particularly providing venues of the get together of its members and the various organs of the government or its agencies and those of other civil authorities.
To take such steps such steps by personal or written appeals, public meetings or otherwise, as may from time to time be deemed expedient for the purposes of procuring contributions to the funds of the Foundation in the shape of donations, annual subscriptions or otherwise.
aa)To subscribe to any local or other charities and to grant donations for any public purpose, and to provide a superannuation fund for the servants of the Foundation or otherwise to assist any such servants, their widows and children.
bb) To establish, promote or participate in establishing or promoting any Association or Organization, the establishment of or promotion of which shall be considered desirable in the interest of the Association and to subscribe from, underwrite, purchase or otherwise acquire the shares, stocks and securities of any such Association or Organization.
cc) To increase technical and financial assistance to the Foundation members for liable projects and self-help, potential with a view of adverting culture of groups from being job seekers to creators.
dd) To enter into any agreement with any international organizations for them purpose of promoting and facilitating attainment of the objectives of the Organization.
ee) To conduct meetings, seminars, workshops of particular interest in relation to Health and Development matters in the community.
ff) To create, publish and distribute books, magazines, news and journals that the association may deem desirable to promote its aims and objectives in society.
gg) To carry out other lawful and gainful activities as shall be fulfilling the aims and objectives of the association.
PROJECT INFORMATION
BACKGROUND
CHALLENGES FACED BY YOUNG PEOPLE IN UGANDA
Though Africa has registered tremendous gains ever since independence though still considerable challenges still face the continent especially the youth who in 2015 where 226 million aged 15-24 and expected to increase by 42% by 2030 therefore there is need to utilize the youth population so as to take advantage of the demographic dividend therefore Uganda’s youth problems aren’t different from the rest of the countries in the Sub Saharan Africa. Unemployment is one of the major challenges faced by Uganda with statistics putting the unemployment rate at 64% of the youth population national definition (15 to30) according to National bureau of statistics as of 2012. Uganda has gained relative stability in the 32 years of the NRM government but its hasn’t been able to create enough jobs despite the growth of the private sector over the years as a result of the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) carried out in1992.The majority of the youthful population are still employed in subsistence farming whereas graduates lack skills that are employable due to the theoretical nature of Uganda’s education system.
Poverty and Ignorance: Despite the gains made Africa and Uganda in particular still suffers from high levels of ignorance and poverty. Uganda has had 21 years of free universal primary Education (UPE) plus 12 years of Universal Secondary Education (USE) which has greatly increased the number of enrolled students in both primary and secondary schools especially the girls who weren’t attending school due to economic and cultural problems but questions are being asked about the quality of education, teachers, shortage of classrooms, rate of drop-outs in both primary and secondary schools due to early pregnancies for girls and boys are asked to help out in the farms rather than go to school.
HIV/AIDS: There has been a resurgence in the virus amongst the youth. There is a high infection rate among girls and boys aged 15-22 despite Uganda having been one of the pioneering countries in the fight against AIDS on the continent during the 1990s though there is still a decline in the general infection rate in the entire population. The resurgence has been as a result of unemployment, Lifestyle changes among the youth, Concurrent multiple partners.
The World Health Program has charactericized mental health as a sickness but in Uganda they is still stigma and misunderstanding about mental illness Uganda has only one major psychiatric hospital which serves the whole country. Mental health issues are on the rise among urban youth due to social economic vulnerabilities and drug abuse but hardly anyone ever gets treated for the conditions.
Their Other challenges faced by the youth in Uganda including Climate Change and its effects on Agricultural Output and food security, High Population growth rate which greatly affects living standards and creates urban slums, Land Ownership, Accessibility to Loans for development, Tribalism and Nepotism where people are employed basing on tribe rather than skills.
SHELTER IN UGANDA
The housing sector is very important in the overall socio-economic development of a country and has numerous multiplier effects, which include contribution to economic growth; fixed capital formation; employment creation; ensuring macro economic stability; enhancing quality of life and productivity of the population; shortage of affordable and decent housing; prevalence of slums and informal settlements; and a predominance of rental housing in urban areas. Despite housing being a basic human need for all, the government of Uganda still remains unable to meet the housing needs of all people and cannot afford to build and maintain pool houses. Subsequently, the Government has adopted an enabling policy to guide housing development, improvement and management. The policy is under review to enhance the role of various actors in housing delivery improvement.
A recently released housing survey by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics points at an improvement in housing, but states that there is still a gap to be filled i f the majority of the poor are to fully realize this right. The survey indicates that Uganda has a housing deficit of 550,000 units. About 160,000 of this backlog is in urban areas. Kampala alone has a housing deficit of 100,000 units. Uganda’s population of 38 million, which is growing at a rate of 3.3% per year, is projected to increase to 63 million by 2030. With a rapid rate of urbanisation, it is estimated that two decades from now, Uganda will have a housing shortage of close to 8 million units, of which 2.5 million will be in urban centres and one million in Kampala.
Housing is a basic need in life, but due to high levels of poverty in Uganda many families have no access to decent housing.
Kampala — Homelessness in Uganda, currently estimated at three percent of the total urban population, is steadily growing and posing a potential danger, a report by the Ministry of Works, Housing and Communications warns.
The report prepared by the National Habitat Committee notes the gravity of the situation saying that homelessness - absence of a house to live in - has been growing steadily in the urban areas since the late 1980s
HIV AND AIDS IN UGANDA
In a country where 1.4 million people are living with HIV, women and young women in particular are disproportionately affected.
There are many political and cultural barriers which have hindered effective HIV prevention programming in Uganda. As a result, new HIV infections are expected to rise in coming years.
While there have been increased efforts to scale up treatment initiatives in Uganda there are still many people living with HIV who do not have access to the medicines they need.
Key Points
Punitive laws and stigmatising attitudes towards men who have sex with men, sex workers, and people who inject drugs has meant that these groups most vulnerable to infection are far less likely to engage with HIV services.
In 2017, an estimated 1.3 million people were living with HIV, and an estimated 26,000 Ugandans died of AIDS-related illnesses.
The epidemic is firmly established in the general population. As of 2017, the estimated HIV prevalence among adults (aged 15 to 49) stood at 5.9%. Women are disproportionately affected, with 8.8% of adult women living with HIV compared to 4.3% of men.
Other groups particularly affected by HIV in Uganda are sex workers, young girls and adolescent women, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and people from Uganda’s transient fishing communities.
There has been a gradual increase in the number of people living with HIV accessing treatment. In 2013, Uganda reached a tipping point whereby the number of new infections per year was less than the number of people beginning to receive antiretroviral treatment.
However, as of 2016 around 33% of adults living with HIV and 53% of children living with HIV were still not on treatment. Persistent disparities remain around who is accessing treatment and many people living with HIV experience stigma and discrimination.
GROUPS MOST AFFECTED BY HIV IN UGANDA
Adolescent girls and young women
HIV prevalence is almost four times higher among young women aged 15 to 24 than young men of the same age.
The issues faced by this demographic include gender-based violence (including sexual abuse) and a lack of access to education, health services, social protection and information about how they cope with these inequities and injustices. Indeed, young Ugandan women who have experienced intimate partner violence are 50% more likely to have acquired HIV than women who had not experienced violence.
The lack of sexual education is telling. In 2014, only 38.5% of young women and men aged 15-24 could correctly identify ways of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV and rejected major misconceptions about HIV transmission.
Sex workers
HIV prevalence among sex workers was estimated at 37% in 2015/16.
It is estimated that sex workers and their clients accounted for 18% of new HIV infections in Uganda in 2015/16.
A 2015 evidence review found between 33% and 55% of sex workers in Uganda reported inconsistent condom use in the past month, driven by the fact that clients will often pay more for sex without a condom.
…you could be in a bad situation yet you are sick and on medication. At the same time you may not have anything to eat… you look for a man who can help you. Then that man will give you conditions… if you are going to have sex with him with a condom he will give you Uganda Shillings (UGX) 2,000/ =, then he says that if it is without a condom he will give you 20,000/=. Because you can't help yourself, there is no way you can leave UGX 20,000/= and go for UGX 2,000/=
- Female sex worker, Malaba
Violence is common, with more than 80% of sex workers experiencing recent client-perpetrated violence and 18% experiencing intimate partner violence. More than 30% had a history of extreme war-related trauma.
The criminalization of sex work and entrenched social stigma means sex workers often avoid accessing health services and conceal their occupation from healthcare providers. In particular, stigma towards male sex workers who have sex with men is exacerbated by homophobia. Indeed, many sex workers in Uganda consider social discrimination as a major barrier in their willingness or desire to test for HIV.
Men who have sex with men (MSM)
HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (sometimes referred to as MSM) in Uganda was an estimated 13% in 2013, the most recent data available.
A 2017 study among men who have sex with men in Kampala reported high risk behaviours to be common, including 36% of respondents reporting regularl unprotected anal sex, 38% selling sex, 54% having multiple steady partners, 64% having multiple casual partners, and 32% injecting drugs.
Pervasive HIV-related social stigma and high levels of homophobic violence caused by conservative social attitudes and stigmatizing legislation result in men who have sex with men feeling less inclined to access HIV services. The 2017 study mentioned above found 40% had experienced homophobic abuse and 44.5% had experienced suicidal thoughts.
The Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act was passed by parliament in December 2013 and officially signed into law in February 2014. Although the law was annulled in August 2014 due to a technicality based on the number of MPs present during the vote, it is thought to have resulted in increased harassment and prosecution based on sexual orientation and gender identities. It has also triggered negative discussions from the general population on social media, in which violence and anti-homosexual discrimination are advocated.
HIV outreach workers and services providers working in Uganda with men who have sex with men have also reported heightened challenges in reaching this population.
People who inject drugs (PWID)
In sub-Saharan Africa, people who inject drugs (sometimes referred to as PWID) are highly stigmatised and open to severe discrimination. In many cases this marginalisation can be felt on a governmental level, leaving this group with very little in the way of adequate HIV and health services.
Since the Global State of Harm report in 2014 estimated HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs at 16.7% in Uganda, the government has pledged to prioritise innovative approaches to help this population. In 2017, the Ugandan Ministry of Health authorised a number of needle and syringe programmes to be piloted.
Fishing communities
HIV prevalence among Uganda’s fishing communities is estimated to be three times higher than the general population. A 2013 study of 46 fishing communities found HIV prevalence to be at 22% with no variation between men and women.
The reason for such high prevalence among this community is thought to be the result of a complex range of factors including a high degree of mobility, a high rate of fisherman who pay for sex, injecting drugs use, and a lack of access to HIV prevention and testing services.
HIV testing and counselling (HTC) in Uganda
Increasing knowledge of HIV status through HIV testing and counselling (HTC) is a key route to tackle Uganda’s HIV epidemic. HTC services have been expanded and the number of people testing for HIV is increasing as a result, from 5.1 million in 2012 to 10.3 million in 2015.
Testing is conducted in health facilities, in community settings and in people’s homes. In recent years there has been more emphasis to promote HTC services for couples, workplaces testing, outreach to most at risk groups, and mobile or mass testing, especially during testing campaigns. In 2017, the Ministry of Health piloted oral HIV self-testing kits among fishermen, female sex workers and the male partners of women attending antenatal care.
The proportion of women (ages 15-49) who have tested for HIV and received their results in the past 12 months increased from 47.7% in 2012 to 57.1% in 2014 and from 37.4% to 45.6% among men.
As a result of this discrepancy, only 55% of men and boys living with HIV know their status, compared to 82% of women and girls. Some men report they would rather avoid knowing their HIV status because they associate being HIV-positive with ‘emasculating’ stigma.
HIV prevention programmes in Uganda
There were 50,000 new HIV infections in Uganda in 2017, mainly among adolescents and young people, women and girls, and key populations.
The country’s 2015/2016-2019/2020 prevention strategy identifies three objectives:
to increase adoption of safer sexual behaviours and reduction in risk behaviours
to scale up coverage and use of biomedical HIV prevention interventions (such as voluntary medical male circumcision and PrEP), delivered as part of integrated health care services
to mitigate underlying socio-cultural, gender and other factors that drive the HIV epidemic.
Condom availability and use
Data reported by UNAIDS in 2017 suggest 55.5% of men and 41.2% of women used a condom the last time they had higher-risk sex (defined as being with a non-marital, non-cohabiting partner).
Condoms distributed by the government rose from 87 million in 2012 to around 240 million by the end of 2015. However, this is far below the number of condoms required, given the population size. Strengthening the supply chain for both male and female condoms, and a coordinated approach to consistent condom promotion is an integral element in preventing the transmission of HIV in Uganda.
HIV education and approach to sex education
In 2015/16, more than 2 million people were reached with prevention information through religious congregations and cultural institutions programmes. Millions more were reached with HIV prevention messages through mass media channels including billboards, radio, television, and print media.
Modules for life learning, with particular focus on sexuality education, were developed as part of the curriculum review process for lower secondary school classes. In addition, outreach to over 800 primary and secondary schools was conducted to provide HIV prevention information, with a focus on the risks of multiple partnerships, cross-generational, transactional and early sex. In total, just under 360,000 children were reached with 1 hour HIV and health education sessions in 2015/16.
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT)
In 2017, more than 97% of HIV-positive pregnant women received antiretroviral drugs to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), equating to over 115,000 women.
In 2016, around 3,637 health facilities were providing antiretroviral treatment for pregnant women, new mothers and breastfeeding women living with HIV.
The positive strides Uganda has made towards PMTCT is evident by the 86% reduction in new infections among children between 2010 and 2016. However, the proportion of HIV-exposed infants tested for HIV remains low at 38% due to low retention of mother-and-baby pairs in PMTCT programmes.
Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC)
Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is a proven bio-medical HIV- prevention intervention, reducing female-to-male sexual transmission of HIV by 60%. In 2011, the most recent data available, HIV prevalence stood at 4.5% among circumcised men and 6.7% among uncircumcised men.
Although the percentage of eligible men receiving VMMC has risen to 40% in 2014 from 26.4% in 2011, problems with coverage and funding are hampering access.
As a result, annual circumcisions declined in 2015 and 2016. While traditional and religious circumcisions continue, they are far too limited in their coverage and safety to contribute to the success of this intervention.
In 2017, 847,633 male circumcisions were performed, falling short of the country’s projected annual coverage target of 1 million.
Access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)
There are currently only an estimated 400-500 user of PrEP in Uganda. However, through a combination of clinical trials, demonstration projects, and implementation initiatives, this number could increase to 12,000-14,000.
Antiretroviral treatment (ART) availability in Uganda
In 2016, around 1,730 health facilities in operation in Uganda were offering antiretroviral treatment (ART). In the same year, nearly 898,200 people living with HIV were enrolled on treatment.
In 2015, Uganda introduced World Health Organization treatment guidelines, which state that all people testing positive for HIV should be enrolled on ART regardless of their CD4 count (which indicates the level of damage to the body’s immune system). However, in 2016 only 67% of adults and 47% of children eligible for access were enrolled on ART.
Just under 60% of adults living with HIV on treatment are virally suppressed. Increasing this percentage is a key target for the HIV response, as people who remain virally suppressed are unable to pass HIV on to others. Ugandan men on treatment are less likely to be virally suppressed than their female counterparts, with viral suppression rates standing at 53.6% and 62.9%, respectively. Children (aged 0-14 years) fare the worst in this respect, with just 39.3% virally suppressed.
Staying on treatment is difficult for certain groups. In particular, young people aged 15–19 in Uganda are more likely to drop out of HIV care, both before and after starting antiretroviral treatment, than are those aged 10–14 years or those older than 20 years. Studies suggest that stigma, discrimination and disclosure issues, as well as travel and waiting times at clinics, are among the reasons.
Civil society's role in Uganda
Civil society organisations (CSOs) play an active role in Uganda and many are dedicated to the protection of rights. The legal framework for civil society in Uganda is supportive of CSOs but only if their sphere of activity is politically and socially acceptable to the government.
In January 2016, the President assented to the Non-Governmental Organisations Act, 2016 which is a threat to the right to freedom of association. It prohibits CSOs and non-governmental organisations from carrying out activities in any part of the country unless they have approval from the government.
The Prohibition of Promotion of Unnatural Sexual Practices Bill, which was introduced in October 2014 poses grave threats to NGOs engaging in any advocacy work with men who have sex with men or others from the LGBT community.
We must come together. Anything that is targeting NGOs—for human rights, for oil, for LGBT rights—we must come together and fight for the space to discuss our views. Closing that space will affect us all. - NGO staff member, June 2012
HIV AND TUBERCULOSIS (TB) IN UGANDA
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major issue for people living with HIV in Uganda. HIV is the leading risk factor for development of TB, and TB is the leading cause of death among people with HIV. In 2016, HIV prevalence in Uganda was estimated at 7.3%, and 24% of people with TB were co-infected with HIV.
As a result, a focus on delivering integrated TB/HIV services began in 2010. Between 2011 and 2017, the USAID-funded programme Strengthening Uganda’s Systems for Treating AIDS Nationally (SUSTAIN) has resulted in a 13% increase (from 85% to 98%) for HIV testing and counselling for TB patients, and a 41% increase (50% to 91%) in initiation onto ART for people with TB who test positive for HIV.
BARRIERS TO THE HIV RESPONSE IN UGANDA
Social stigma and discrimination
Prejudices and social discrimination are some of the leading causes for certain groups of Uganda’s population, such as sex workers and men who have sex with men, to avoid seeking health care or HIV testing. However, even the general population of people living with HIV are subjected to social stigma and negative judgment.
A 2015 survey conducted by HIV support organisations, in partnership with the National Forum of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAFOPHANU), of people living with and affected by HIV in central and south-western Uganda found stigma, both
internal and external, to be high. When the study began, more than half (54%) reported experiencing some form of discrimination or prejudice as a result of having HIV.
During this survey, we found out that internal stigma, characterised by loss of hope, self-condemnation and suicidal thoughts, were predominant especially among those…who had just been tested positive.- Stella Katutsi, Executive Director of NAFOPHANU
The People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2013 found the most common forms of external stigma and discrimination directed at people living with HIV were:
gossip – experienced by 60% of survey participants
verbal harassment, insults and threats – experienced by 37%
sexual rejection – experienced by 21.5%.59 Experiences of all forms of internal stigma were higher among women than men.
Gender barriers
Since the Domestic Violence Act and the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act were both enacted in 2010, there has been a promising decline in rates of gender-based violence (GBV).
Nevertheless, the 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, the most recent available, shows 50.5% of ever-married women reporting physical or sexual violence from a spouse in the preceding 12 months.Women aged 20-24 are worst affected, with 40% experiencing recent intimate partner violence, compared to 31% of women aged 15-19 and 30% of women aged 25-49.
Legal barriers
In Uganda, a number of laws and policies exist that constrain HIV and AIDS responses. However, the capacity to challenge these laws has been enhanced through the training of government officials and law enforcement officers on HIV, stigma and discrimination. This process contributed to major revisions to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill – reflected in the Act that was initially passed in 2013. Although the Anti-Homosexuality Act is thought to have resulted in increased anti-gay sentiment, the training scheme also led to Ugandan authorities implementing effective policies prohibiting the spread of GBV.
The passing of the HIV Prevention and Control Act in 2014 has been a cause for concern. The bill includes mandatory HIV testing for pregnant women and their partners, and allows medical providers to disclose a patient’s HIV status to others. UNAIDS and other international agencies have discouraged such laws, which can disproportionately target women, who because of health care during pregnancy may be more likely to know their HIV status.
The bill also criminalises HIV transmission, attempted transmission, and behaviour that might result in transmission by those who know their HIV status. Human Rights Watch, HEALTH Global Advocacy Project, and Uganda Network on Law, Ethics & HIV/AIDS have criticised the act. They point to the fact that
mandatory HIV testing and the disclosure of medical information without consent are contrary to international best practices and violate fundamental human rights. They also described the criminalisation of HIV transmission, attempted transmission, and behaviour that might result in transmission by those who know their HIV status as overly broad, and difficult to enforce.
Structural and resource barriers
All Ugandan districts report frequent stock outs of HIV testing kits and inadequate human resource to offer comprehensive testing and treatment services. This is despite the presence of implementing partners that provide buffers stocks. Other prevention interventions such as VMMC and PMTCT services have been disrupted by a lack of drugs, medical supplies and staff. In general, the supply chain for antiretroviral drugs is good. However, at times some health facilities will run out of specific formulations.
Services are further constrained by lack of tools and health workers trained to meet the specific needs of key population groups, weak data management and tracking of clients who are on treatment, and limited coordination of efforts by the numerous implementing partners involved in Uganda’s HIV response.
Funding for HIV in Uganda
Uganda’s experience has shown that donor funding is not guaranteed, is unpredictable and is becoming less available. Additionally, funding often comes with conditions that may not be in accordance with Uganda’s national goals.
Funding for Uganda’s current National Strategic Plan (NSP) (2015/2016 to 2019/2020) is projected to require US $3,647 million. Care and treatment accounts for 55% of this, prevention interventions accounts for 23%, while social support and system strengthening account for 4% and 18% respectively. The cost of the NSP for the next five years is set against projected resources of US $2,868 million from domestic and international spending, which leaves a financing gap of US $918 million by the year 2019/2020. However, even this assumes domestic funding will rise to at least 40% of the NSP requirements from the current 11%.
So more efforts need to be made by Uganda to increase their domestic resource mobilisation. In July 2014, the government passed a law establishing the AIDS Trust Fund to mobilise domestic resources for the national HIV and AIDS response. It is estimated the government will contribute around USD $2 million each year towards the AIDS Trust Fund through money raised by taxing alcohol and bottled water. However, as of 2016, regulations for the Trust were still awaiting approval by parliament.
The concentration of donor funding for HIV among a very small number of international donors in Uganda suggests potential vulnerability should the magnitude of their funding commitments change in the future.
The future of HIV in Uganda
Annual new infections are projected to grow rapidly to around 340,500 in 2025 – up from 52,000 in 2016.
For Uganda’s severe HIV epidemic to be reduced, a series of comprehensive health, political and social strategies will need to be implemented. There is also an urgent need to invest in impactful combination interventions to drastically reduce the number of new infections. This will require more government commitment and for tough decisions to be made at multiple levels - political, technical and operational. This includes domestic funding for the national response, which is currently underfunded and heavily donor dependent.
To reduce the impact of the epidemic among people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men in particular, both political and cultural conditions need to be redressed, starting with transforming punitive laws that criminalise people from these groups. One important step will be to make drug users a focus of national HIV strategies, which will result in better health outcomes, not only for drug users but the population in general.
EDUCATION IN UGANDA
The system of education in Uganda has a structure of 7 years of primary education, 6 years of secondary education (divided into 4 years of lower secondary and 2 years of upper secondary school), and 3 to 5 years of post-secondary education. The government of Uganda recognizes education as a basic human right and continues to strive to provide free primary education to all children in the country. However, issues with funding, teacher training, rural populations, and inadequate facilities continue to hinder the progress of educational development in Uganda.[1] Girls in Uganda are disproportionately discriminated against in terms of education; they face harsher barriers when trying to gain an education and it has left the female population disenfranchised, despite government efforts to close the gap
In Uganda many people are competing for a limited number of good jobs, and without a decent education it is very hard to get one or have the confidence to initiate your own business instead. According to the World Bank, Uganda has 83% youth unemployment – one of the highest rates in the world.
Uganda, like many sub-Saharan African countries, faces major challenges in providing quality and accessible basic education to children and adolescents.
Access to Education
Getting access to education in the first place can be a huge challenge. In 1997 the Ugandan government introduced universal primary education (the idea that all children should be able to attend primary school for free) and in 2007 universal secondary education. Unfortunately the demand for free education outstrips the availability of places at the free government schools. It is not uncommon for
classes to have well over one hundred students, with very little in the way of facilities, and demotivated, over-worked teachers heading them. This means that for most of the population, especially those who want a higher quality education, the only other option is private school. In Uganda, private schools vary enormously in both fees and quality.
Paying school fees is beyond many families, especially where they have a lot of children. This means that many children are left sitting at home, waiting for their relatives to try to scrape together enough money to send them back to school. However, matters are made worse by the fact that at all schools there are many extra school requirements to pay for on top of fees. From brooms to school books and uniform and smart shoes, each child must turn up at the gates with everything asked of them, or else risk being sent back home.
It is a seemingly impossible task for many children and their families to fund an education, and a lot of children only manage to pay part of their fees. This is a common occurrence, and however hard a child has worked at school, if they can’t pay their fees in full they are not given their school reports or exam certificates. Their whole year of learning is effectively made worthless. Consequently, many children end up changing schools every term, building up debts wherever they go as they simply can’t afford to pay them.
Early learning and development is compromised by the lack of pre-schools and other early childhood development (ECD) programmes and qualified teachers, as well as limited awareness and appreciation of the importance of ECD. One out of every 10 children between 3 and 5 years of age is enrolled in pre-primary education.
Attendance at primary level has grown due to a universal primary education policy launched in 1997 but the quality of teaching and learning needs significant improvement. Teacher absenteeism is high in Uganda, with more than 60 per cent of teachers not in the classroom teaching in over half of all Ugandan public schools.
Many children do not complete their schooling nor have the competencies needed to do well in life. Only 1 in 4 children who starts primary school makes it to secondary school. Less than half (40 per cent) of students are literate at the end of primary school. Children with disabilities are largely excluded from formal schooling because of shortages of special needs teachers and facilities.
Secondary education is still inaccessible to most adolescents. Less than a quarter (24 per cent) of adolescents are enrolled at this level. Early marriage, teenage pregnancy, abuse at schools and school fees keep many teens, especially girls, out of secondary schools.
The school environment also plays a role in keeping children out of education. Schools lack adequate toilets and washing areas, and sexual abuse and canning at schools is rife despite an official ban on corporeal punishment.
Close to a quarter (24 per cent) of Ugandan children have experienced sexual abuse in schools.
Improving Educational Opportunities
Schools in Uganda face huge challenges due to their lack of facilities. This makes it far harder for the children to learn and for the teachers to teach to a reasonable standard. Imagine schools that are often only half built, without textbooks or any kind of teaching aids beyond a blackboard to help stimulate the children’s minds. If a school does improve its facilities, it also has to raise its fees in order to cover the improvement costs.
This is why we are keen to find ways we can partner with local schools and institutions to increase access and opportunities to improve educational standards. This has so far included people volunteering their skills and running extra curricular activities in schools and our trees for integration programme planting fruit trees for the poorest children to access.
This situation is unacceptable. If we are dedicated to promotingShelter, Health and Education of everyone, we all need to do more. We must do more not just to improve the health and education facilities and equipment, but also to ensure that the discriminated and stigmatized young men and girls are empowered topractice their education and health rights.
To promote good shelter, education and health for stigma and discrimination victims, we are proposing to purchase an office and shelter premises to work as a walk in centre where they can get shelter when in need, food, mental and medical health and support their education. The project is targeting 100 young men and women from Kampala and Wakiso district.
We propose to work in collaboration, partnership and consultation with the government agencies to enable success for the proposed project.
THE PROJECT PURPOSE:
The overall purpose of this project isto secure a permanent office and shelter premises, provide health services and Education sponsorship for the youth in need (young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities).
The project will also promote good shelter, education and health for stigma and discrimination victims, we are proposing to purchase an office and shelter premises to work as a walk in centre where they can get shelter when in need, geetfood, mental and medical health and also get support for their education through sponsorship. The project is targeting 100 young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities from Kampala and Wakiso district.
The medical services at the centre will include HIV testing and counselling, Condom availability, lubrications distribution, Sex education, Voluntary Medical Safe male circumcision, Access to PrEP, among others.
The project aims atcreating a platform where young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities in Uganda can address their challenges, overcome their barriers and promote their social and economic development.
The project also aims at preventing gender based violence and abuse, HIV prevention and Education and creating job opportunities.
MAIN PROJET ACTIVITIES
Identification of the project beneficiaries.
Shelter and Office premises: Purchase of a drop in centre (Emergency safe Shelter premises) and Organization operation offices
Education Support: Provision of School fees and scholastic materials.
Life-skills and Personal Health and Care: Treatment and care, Training on personal hygiene, life-skills, sex education/reproductive health.
Counseling and Psycho-social support: Basic counseling for stigma and discrimination victims..
Legal Information and Court Support: Basic information on obtaining protection orders, working with law enforcement, legal rights, rights over children, property and protection of human rights.
Youth care: Provision of food, shelter, supervision for children accompanying women in the shelter.
Permanent Living and Re-Integration: Helping beneficiaries to reenter independent living and gainful employment.
Public Awareness and Education: Educating beneficiaries and the general public on preventing gender based violence, human rights and providing support and intervention to survivors.
Skills Training: Providing basic job skill training to youth at the organization.
Recruitment of project management team.
Supervision of the project running services by the board members and Donors.
BENEFICIARIES
Approximately 200 young men, adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, People Using Drugs, Orphans and Vulnerable children and fishing communities will benefit from the project.
PROJECT PERIOD AND COMMENCEMENT
The will take place as soon as funds are available and will take 12 months.
LIMITATIONS & CONSTRAINTS
List of known constraints to the implementation of the festival:
Social Discriminations.
Legal barriers.
Structural and resource barriers
Weather - Bad Weather may limit the number of beneficiaries.
Budget to cover all the planned project activities.
ASSUMPTIONS
The following assumptions, coupled with the risk analysis findings, define the boundaries around the festival. These assumptions will be refined, deleted, or new assumptions added as planning progresses.
The average duration to complete the project is 12 months.
All volunteers can work 8:00am to 6:00pm.
The project will be completely run and managed by the organising management as will be selected by the implementing organisation.
100% of targeted beneficiaries will participate in the project.
Full co-operation and collaboration from government agencies, local Councils, Policeand local authorities.
Full support from all Stakeholders.
Approved Budget will include funding for a marketing strategy/material
DEPENDENCIES
Enough Volunteers being available.
Enough beneficiaries attending.
Budget approval
REQUIREMENTS
Office and shelter/drop in centre.
School fees and scholastic materials.
HIV testing kits
Lubricants
Counsellors
Medical personnels
Condoms
Education materials
PrEP
Have beneficiaries to partake in the project.
Have enough staff and Volunteers to run the project.
Obtain permits and approval.
Training tools and equipment
Cleaning tools and equipment
Safe space
All relevant emergency services.
Tools for monitoring; Guidance Note, Checklist, Report Card and a Reporting Template.
Mobilization
Visibility
T-shirts
Caps
Banners, posters
Media: Television coverage and social media live updates and follow up.
Branding/Promotional Materials: Pull-up banners, and flyers.
Portable Public Address System.
Tents and Chairs.
Refreshments, Food and drinks
Emergency medical services to the project.
Transport refund.
EXPECTED OUTCOME:
Improved health of the beneficiaries
Increased Access to Education and personal Health services.
Reduced Stigma and Discrimination.
Reduced HIV infections and suffering.
Improved living standards among project beneficiaries.
Improved knowledge on HIV/AIDS
Change of attitudes towards Sex minorities.
Education for all (male and female)without discrimination (separation)
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY:
Attending training and sensitization workshops.
Monitoring and evaluation to be done by project personnel.
Mobilization and sensitization of project beneficiaries.
Provision of health and HIV prevention tools and equipment.
Provision ofschool fees and scholastic materials.
Provision of health services.
Provision of shelter and food.
Purchase of office and shelter premises.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION:
Monitoring will be carried out throughout the life span of the project. SFAF staff and the project beneficiaries will play a major participatory role in the entire monitoring process.
Monitoring activities will be conducted to ensure harmonious coordination of the project, its operation and proper implementation. This will bring out important information upon which decisions are sought and made.
A Progress indicator tools will be used to monitor and evaluate the project on regular basis.
Donor and partner organizations have the right to monitor and supervise the project to assess performance and progress
A framework for monitoring and evaluation, including measuring the impact of this intervention will be agreed with the intended beneficiaries, the management committees and members of the community.
Data will be collected through the following means:
Work schedules of field staffing overseeing implementation of the project
Monthly activity implementation reports by field staff, in collaboration with Centre leader
Field visit and project review reports by Programme Managers and other project support staff
Quarterly progress reports to donor by project manager; and
Half yearly progress reports to donor
Evaluation exercises will be participatory and will involve key stakeholders.
Evaluation will help the project to assess the extent to which implementation is meeting the set objectives. It helps the project team to review the implementation strategies in order to improve on the project performance and better resource utilization.
PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY
For the effective sustainability of the project, the project management team will ensure that the community are Empowered on the importance of the project to beneficiaries in their local areas. It is expected that the project will be sustained by initial active participation of beneficiaries in the project.
The Organization will expand its fundraising base in other areas including special events, individual giving and sponsorships especially from local businesses. In kind donations to the shelter are already well established with local food suppliers and service providers. These partnerships will continue.
Regular follow ups and monitoring will be important to the sustainability of the project as it will help in supporting its stakeholders. Problems faced can easily be handled by the support groups and they can also play a great role in devising solutions. The support and motivation will be one of routine duties geared by Support for all Foundation management to support beneficiaries.
Proper management of the project will attract more funding.
The subsidized funds from projects that shall be initiated to support the project. Further funding may be requested from the donors when need arise.
FRAME WORK:
PHASE | UNIT/ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION | ASSUMPTION | PROJECTED COST (US $) | |
1 | Purchase of Shelter (Emergency Safe Drop-in centre) and Organization operation offices | Adequate funding from anticipated donors and well- wishers availed | 30,000 | US $ |
Provision of Health Treatment and Care | Funder/Donor contribution | 10,000 | US $ | |
2 | Education Support: Provision of School fees and scholastic materials. | Adequate funding from anticipated donors, community and well-wishers. | 15,000 | US $ |
Project Management (Salaries and allowances for project management team). | 10,000 | US $ | ||
Grand Total: | 65,000 US $ | |||
