SUPPORT YOUTHS LEAVING CARE (ORPHANAGES) IN UGANDA
Donation protected
What we are doing
This fundraiser seeks supports young adults who have spent time in orphanages and other child care facilities in Uganda to ensure that they can live a fulfilling and positive life.
The programme – Uganda Care Leavers (UCL) – provides children, youths and adults who have spent all or some of their childhood in residential care facilities (RCFs*) with support networks, counselling, coaching to start up enterprises, and a platform for transitioning to successful independent living. These young people receive little or no support when they leave care from the RCFs (they lived in) and therefore are vulnerable as they transition back into their communities and families.
[*RCFs include institutions such as orphanages, babies’ homes, and children's villages.]
The following video provides a bit more background information:
Why we are doing it
Up to 50,000 children in Uganda live in RCFs such as orphanages, despite 80% having one or both parents living. Research shows that 7 in 10 children in RCFs experience physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Children and young adults in RCFs are often inadequately prepared to leave care and live and work independently afterwards. Issues such as stigmatisation by their communities, discrimination, lack of ‘life skills’ and lack of family support means that those leaving RCFs have some of the poorest outcomes in society.
UCL has formed a network of over 400 Care Leavers (youths that lived in RCFs for some or all of their childhood) across Uganda. Through this network, Care Leavers have been able to come together to share their experiences, learn from each other and work together to pursue common goals, such as creating a community with a shared identity. There are currently 10 regional hubs, supporting more than 400 Care Leavers. These hubs provide friendship networks, counselling opportunities and entrepreneurship support for Care Leavers. Amongst other things, each regional hub is working towards the set up of a cooperative business which will provide economic, learning, development and employment opportunities. In addition, Care Leavers are supported and coached to tell their stories, and to advocate for keeping families together – at community and national levels.
Now more than ever, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, care leavers need extra support and assistance. Without this support, the regional hubs and support networks will be severely disrupted, leaving hundreds of Care Leavers to face extreme economic, social and emotional challenges after having left the RCFs they grew up in.
Some of our care leavers with our project coordinator Mai Nambooze in front.
How the money will be spent
100% of funding will go towards project needs. $1000 (approx. €885) is required to set-up UCL as an independent charity in Uganda.
Additional funding raised will be used to provide counselling, run activities, and to continue the National Coordinator’s position. This enables the support of the regional hubs and Care Leaver networks. For example:
* For $100 (approx. €89) you can enable a team of Care Leavers to access an entrepreneurship training session.
* Donations of $1000 (approx. €885) cover all of the programme expenses for a Care Leaver to receive the coaching, counselling and support they need to fully transition into independent living.
* Donations of $5700 (approx. €5000) will help ten Care Leavers access vocational training at our care leavers run farm in Masaka.
* Donations of $5700 (approx. €5000) will help us hold an annual conference where care leavers can interact with different policy and programme makers to share their experiences and advocate for changes to the care system in Uganda, to promote family-based care.
Currently, all administration and fundraising services are donated by the National Coordinator – Mai Nambooze – with support from volunteers. This fundraiser is being co-organised by Charlotte Simons (who is a Dutch citizen, which is why the amount of money we aim to collect is automatically presented in euros), one of our team members.
For further information about this call for donations, or about the UCL programme, please contact: [email redacted].
This fundraiser seeks supports young adults who have spent time in orphanages and other child care facilities in Uganda to ensure that they can live a fulfilling and positive life.
The programme – Uganda Care Leavers (UCL) – provides children, youths and adults who have spent all or some of their childhood in residential care facilities (RCFs*) with support networks, counselling, coaching to start up enterprises, and a platform for transitioning to successful independent living. These young people receive little or no support when they leave care from the RCFs (they lived in) and therefore are vulnerable as they transition back into their communities and families.
[*RCFs include institutions such as orphanages, babies’ homes, and children's villages.]
The following video provides a bit more background information:
Why we are doing it
Up to 50,000 children in Uganda live in RCFs such as orphanages, despite 80% having one or both parents living. Research shows that 7 in 10 children in RCFs experience physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Children and young adults in RCFs are often inadequately prepared to leave care and live and work independently afterwards. Issues such as stigmatisation by their communities, discrimination, lack of ‘life skills’ and lack of family support means that those leaving RCFs have some of the poorest outcomes in society.
UCL has formed a network of over 400 Care Leavers (youths that lived in RCFs for some or all of their childhood) across Uganda. Through this network, Care Leavers have been able to come together to share their experiences, learn from each other and work together to pursue common goals, such as creating a community with a shared identity. There are currently 10 regional hubs, supporting more than 400 Care Leavers. These hubs provide friendship networks, counselling opportunities and entrepreneurship support for Care Leavers. Amongst other things, each regional hub is working towards the set up of a cooperative business which will provide economic, learning, development and employment opportunities. In addition, Care Leavers are supported and coached to tell their stories, and to advocate for keeping families together – at community and national levels.
Now more than ever, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, care leavers need extra support and assistance. Without this support, the regional hubs and support networks will be severely disrupted, leaving hundreds of Care Leavers to face extreme economic, social and emotional challenges after having left the RCFs they grew up in.
Some of our care leavers with our project coordinator Mai Nambooze in front.How the money will be spent
100% of funding will go towards project needs. $1000 (approx. €885) is required to set-up UCL as an independent charity in Uganda.
Additional funding raised will be used to provide counselling, run activities, and to continue the National Coordinator’s position. This enables the support of the regional hubs and Care Leaver networks. For example:
* For $100 (approx. €89) you can enable a team of Care Leavers to access an entrepreneurship training session.
* Donations of $1000 (approx. €885) cover all of the programme expenses for a Care Leaver to receive the coaching, counselling and support they need to fully transition into independent living.
* Donations of $5700 (approx. €5000) will help ten Care Leavers access vocational training at our care leavers run farm in Masaka.
* Donations of $5700 (approx. €5000) will help us hold an annual conference where care leavers can interact with different policy and programme makers to share their experiences and advocate for changes to the care system in Uganda, to promote family-based care.
Currently, all administration and fundraising services are donated by the National Coordinator – Mai Nambooze – with support from volunteers. This fundraiser is being co-organised by Charlotte Simons (who is a Dutch citizen, which is why the amount of money we aim to collect is automatically presented in euros), one of our team members.
For further information about this call for donations, or about the UCL programme, please contact: [email redacted].
Fundraising team: Team Uganda Care Leavers (UCL) (2)
Charlotte Simons
Organizer
Renesse, NL
Mai Nambooze
Team member
Raised €115 from 4 donations
