ACTIVITIES IN PICTURES

UYWES Students designing crafts

UYWES Students Learning Hair dressing

Products Done by UYWES students on display

CONTACTS

CONTACT US
 

Name	Uganda Youth welfare Services (UYWS)
Full Postal Address	Uganda Youth welfare Services
Telephone Number	+256782747625, +256702797653, +256-712-087523
E-mail	ugandayws@gmail.com
Contact Person (Name and Title)	Ssemwanga Rogers – Team leader Kalemeera Adrian -Programs Officer
Contact Person’s Email and Phone Number	adrianeera@gmail.com +256-704-131114 ssemrog_2000_org@yahoo.com +256782747625

PROJECT INFORMATION

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

1. To create awareness about utilisation of HIV/AIDS youth friendly Services through behavioural change and youth led activities among 300 youths through youth centre and outreach based services by the one year project
2. To provide entrepreneurial, vocational, livelihood and employable skills training to 150 high risk youths as a means of contributing to the reduction to their vulnerability to risky behaviours and HIV by the end of the project.
3. To establish a net working mechanism with the local communities to foster social protection for high risk youth groups in the project area. 

PROBLEM STATEMENT

As is widely seen in many African countries, Uganda in particular; rapid population growth, the negative effects of structural adjustments, poverty among families, civil strife and the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which has created millions of orphans, have pushed children into premature and dangerous employment in search of their survival including their families. While child labour takes many forms in the country, working children are commonly found in numerous dangerous activities cropping up in the informal sector. It’s these adverse conditions of living that force the children into child labour and its associated risks drug abuse, theft, child prostitution among others that they consider fast paying and non violent as compared to domestic service.

In Uganda, ILO reveals that the number of children involved in child labour is increasing and this includes, but not limited to, children in domestic work, exposed to pornography, children in mining and quarry sites, children working in brothels, bars, lodges among others. ILO estimates 10,000 children (14-17 years) in Uganda engaged in commercial sex exploitation of children (CSEC) this in general has been attributed to orphan hood, ambivalence of parents, weak laws, peer influence and poverty. This has led children to move out of homes without any livelihood employable skills searching for opportunities to get quick money and become self-reliant.

Basing on UYWES’ past experience in reaching the street and slum youth, use of prevention strategies including, behavioral change and recovery education, complemented with accessibility to youth friendly health services; withdrawal and rehabilitation including livelihood vocational and employable skills this completes the cycle of prevention, rehabilitation, withdrawal and re-integration, which enables children to leave a meaningful and successful life.

Uganda Youth welfare Services (UYWES)

HISTORY

Uganda Youth Welfare Services (UYWES) is a non-profit making, community based youth organization (CBYO) that was founded by a group of young professionals in 2006. These young professionals come from diverse fields of academics including social works and social administration, environment management, biochemistry, adult education, business, sports and leisure, accounts and medicine. These young professionals were born in the community of Kawempe division and experienced the different challenges of development that are evident in their community including; poor waste management, unemployment, flooding, poor housing, limited start up capital, poor health and sanitation opportunities. It is on this background that these young professionals came up with an idea of forming themselves into an organisation to respond to the different development concerns of the entire youth community in Kawempe division. In 2009, UYWES was fully recognised and registered with the Kampala city council, Kawempe division under community based organisations with registration number KAW/623.

VISION

A Uganda where youth achieve a quality and self sustaining life.

MISSION

To empower disadvantaged youth with livelihood skills that will enable them live a happy self sustaining life.

ORGANIZATION'S OBJECTIVES

• To develop special program for the youth which are targeted towards the improvement of their general welfare.
• To facilitate the development of the youth through their training in relevant skills, education, information gathering and research and co-operative and individual enterprises
• To develop and implement special programs for the commercially sexually exploited youth and children.
• To facilitate the development of the youth through their training in relevant skills, education, information gathering and research and co-operative and individual enterprises.

ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES

Uganda Youth welfare services has a program on drug abuse prevention were we create awareness through music dance

and drama and sport, building capacity of peer providers in drug abuse prevention, Awareness raising campaigns (drama shows, sports, community film shows, IEC materials development and dissemination), building capacities of stakeholders (teachers in schools, parents, local leaders & faith-based leaders, organizing youth get together fora and retreats, Referral for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) treatment, HIV/AIDS Voluntary Counseling and Testing, Behavioral change (through health talks, drama and film shows), Condom demonstration and distribution

Rehabilitation of sexually exploited children and youth, vocational skills training for these Out-of school, street and slum youth, Health awareness services especially referral for voluntary counseling and testing, safe medical male circumcision, sexually transmitted disease/infection treatment and management, Home visits and follow-up, and resettlement planning and Nutrition support.

UYWES has been building capacity for Child Rights Protection and here we raise awareness through campaigns among local councils leaders, teachers, employers, parents and CBOs, Parent support groups

Capacity building for stakeholders (Police Officers, Children, local councils, teachers and parents)

Counseling

UYWES has a HIV prevention program were we raise awareness in the community, Community out of school youth sensitization seminars, HIV prevention peer educator’s training. Community HIV prevention campaigns through drama and film shows, radio and television shows and distribution of IEC materials.

Training of parents and guardians in home based care.

TWO MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS LAST YEAR

1. 121 disadvantaged female youth and commercial sex workers were rehabilitated from survival sex, drug abuse and exploitative labour among others and empowered with life skills (self esteem, assertiveness, peer resistance) and employable, entrepreneurial and vocational skills such as crafts and jewelry, tailoring, computer literacy, catering, and shoe making in 2010-2011.
2. 370 youth disseminated with HIV prevention messages and encouraged to attain Sexually transmitted infection and diseases treatment and management, family planning services, condom promotion among most at risk populations(young/adolescent commercial sex workers, street and slum children/youth)