Worker-owned Co-ops in Uganda
Donation protected
The Project.
Every January, Williams students participate in a one-month class during our January term, called Winter Study. Our Winter Study project this January revolves around working with two HIV youth activist groups that Professor Kiaran Honderich (of the Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies Department at Williams) has been developing relationships with since 2006.
We will work with members of these groups to develop proposals for a worker-owned co-op, which will serve as a way to build economic and social capacity among HIV+ youth. With seed funding that you are helping us raise, we will work in conjunction with the Ugandan activists to implement this vision.
What the seed funding will go towards will depend on the plan we jointly decide upon: this might be fronting rent for a commercial space, purchasing initial retail stock, or paying initial wages until revenue comes in. You are contributing to making this vision a reality! Importantly, your contributions will not be subsidizing student travel costs. ALL of the funding will go to the co-op.
More on the AIDS epidemic in Uganda.
In the fourth decade of the global AIDS pandemic, and with increasing global availability of treatment, Uganda now has a generation of youth who have grown up around HIV, including many who are themselves HIV+ and have reached adulthood thanks to retroviral drugs.
Among African countries, Uganda is at the forefront of the AIDS battle. The country was hit early and hard by the epidemic, with the prevalence rate peaking in 1991 at around 13% of all adults; however, Uganda has also been the site of one of the most successful AIDS responses, bringing down prevalence to 6% by 2003. Civil society and government mobilized in response, and Uganda has become a model for active engagement. However, there remain areas of Uganda receiving little or no support around AIDS.
Students.
Paula Mejia '17
Angela Liu '15
Evelyn Rojas '16
Roxana Rodriguez '17
Yasmin Ruvalcaba '17
Chelsea Thomeer '17
Austin Nguyen '15
Penny Sun '16
Every January, Williams students participate in a one-month class during our January term, called Winter Study. Our Winter Study project this January revolves around working with two HIV youth activist groups that Professor Kiaran Honderich (of the Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies Department at Williams) has been developing relationships with since 2006.
We will work with members of these groups to develop proposals for a worker-owned co-op, which will serve as a way to build economic and social capacity among HIV+ youth. With seed funding that you are helping us raise, we will work in conjunction with the Ugandan activists to implement this vision.
What the seed funding will go towards will depend on the plan we jointly decide upon: this might be fronting rent for a commercial space, purchasing initial retail stock, or paying initial wages until revenue comes in. You are contributing to making this vision a reality! Importantly, your contributions will not be subsidizing student travel costs. ALL of the funding will go to the co-op.
More on the AIDS epidemic in Uganda.
In the fourth decade of the global AIDS pandemic, and with increasing global availability of treatment, Uganda now has a generation of youth who have grown up around HIV, including many who are themselves HIV+ and have reached adulthood thanks to retroviral drugs.
Among African countries, Uganda is at the forefront of the AIDS battle. The country was hit early and hard by the epidemic, with the prevalence rate peaking in 1991 at around 13% of all adults; however, Uganda has also been the site of one of the most successful AIDS responses, bringing down prevalence to 6% by 2003. Civil society and government mobilized in response, and Uganda has become a model for active engagement. However, there remain areas of Uganda receiving little or no support around AIDS.
Students.
Paula Mejia '17
Angela Liu '15
Evelyn Rojas '16
Roxana Rodriguez '17
Yasmin Ruvalcaba '17
Chelsea Thomeer '17
Austin Nguyen '15
Penny Sun '16
Organizer
Angela Liu
Organizer
Williamstown, MA
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