ORGANIZATION HISTORY
The organization was founded by Nalubega Joan, Being a survivor of child trauma after death of her parents and thrown out of the house by her uncle,. Joan grew up in slams of Bwaise, Kawempe division with her two sisters and brother who did not going school to get a education. As an adult, and help by old woman to going and get some education Joan observed the vast differences in his quality of life in comparison to his siblings and neighbors. As a result, he has dedicated his life to providing better educational and vocational opportunities to his deeply impoverished children, youth and women slams of Bwaise Kawempe division and in rural village of Uganda. With a Diploma in social work and social administration and certificate in HIV/AID counseling, and years of community working experience under IDI, Joan began advocating for his community by talking to adolescents girls and children in schools in Kawempe division. These schools graciously offered same scholarship to same children from different slam area of Kawempe. From this, the concept of starting a community-based organization gradually took shape, and in 2010 the idea was formalized into a non-profit organization. In 2013 the organization re-branded into youth and child support network-Uganda and was officially incorporated as a not for profit organization by the Uganda Registration service Bureau.
YCSN-Uganda mainly focuses on actions that directly improve on the live hood and well being of the poor orphan vulnerable children, youth and women in marginalized communities in slums-urban and rural areas. YCSN-Uganda is to continue investing in community empowerment programs that contribute towards illiteracy and poverty reduction through the provision of sustainable integrated technical and material support, in broad areas of sustainable Education, Health Promotion, Income Generation, Water And Environmental Sanitation, Lobbying And Advocacy.
YCSN-UGANDA has its activities as per now concentrated in urban slams of kawempe and some area of rural area of Uganda where there are overwhelmingly high number of children living on streets either independently or with ‘street families’, living in extremely appalling conditions in slums around the cities and those who are vulnerable due to various reasons, particularly children who have fled from the poverty and conflict ridden regions, children who are orphaned or are infected with HIV/AIDS and those who are grossly mistreated/ abused in their homes by parents/ guardians.
Established in 2010 as a child support agency to respond to the growing crisis of orphan children within the urban slams of Kawempe division. YCSN-Uganda has expanded its work for the benefit of children on the street and other vulnerable children/households. Currently, we focus on: Sustainable Education, Health Promotion, Water And Environmental Sanitation, Lobbying And Advocacy And Awareness Creation, Child And Family Economic Empowerment, Community Self Help Groups, And Transferable Livelihood Skills And Talent Development
OUR VISION
An organization that excels in improving the quality of well being of the life of orphans, vulnerable children, youth and disadvantaged people through providing Social Welfare Facilities, Sustainable Education, Empowerment and Health Promotion.
OUR MISSION
To contribute to a process of giving hope to orphans, vulnerable children, youth and other disadvantaged people facilitating them to acquire knowledge and skills required to make them self-reliant.
PATH TO OUR VISION
We are embarking upon a process of looking for sponsors to support us and children, establishing training centers youth in their communities and also establishing Early Childhood Learning Center, Primary School, and a Secondary and Vocational School. Once these three schools are done them will serve as model schools and be resource centers.Each school will offers scholarships to bright students in need, providing nutritious meals, uniforms, learning aids, healthcare, and teacher mentorship.
CORE VALUES
The YCSN-Uganda is passionate about our vision of developing critical thinkers. At YCSN-Uganda our values are what defines us and shape the work that we do. The following five values serve as core principles that guide everything that we do and strive to do. We are:
- Learning: We strive to be open to learning and promote the sharing of knowledge.
- Responsibility: We endeavor to deliver what our stakeholders expect of us.
- Honest: We endeavor to be reliable and accountable for quality service delivery to our beneficiaries and all stakeholders.
- Innovative: We strive to pioneer new approaches to how we solve community problems.
- Big Dreamers: We envision serving thousands of children, We build for scale with every idea and solution.
OBJECTIVES
- To meet the education school requirements of the selected needy orphans, vulnerable children and youth.
- To empower young people and their families with viable and sustainable career and livelihood support.
- To equip/empower the youth with practical and vocational skills through formation of empowerment clubs both in and outside school.
- To shape the morals of the youths through counseling and guidance.
- To initiate project geared towards the reduction of HIV/AIDS and STI’s prevention among children and young people.
- To undertake actions to prevent and respond to child abuse, violence and exploitation.
- To promote and support the children and youth discover their skill competences and talents.
- Community sensitization and mobilization on HIV/AIDS, stigma, discrimination, etc through creative presentation such as drama, debates, poems, Health talks etc.
- To partner and network with other active or stake holders for the accomplishment of the organization’s objectives.
- To support formal education for both boys and girls as a long term strategy to beak the vicious cycle of poverty.
- To establish child sponsorship relationships between vulnerable children in Uganda and potential sponsors.
- To promote vocational training and life skills for youths who drop out of formal education.
To strengthen the capacity of vulnerable women, widows and childcare givers to improve on their livelihoods .- To document and advocate for the rights of children living on the street and other vulnerable situations
- Reduced number of children especially girls getting married before the age of 18.other related SRH challenges among youth.
- To increase awareness on the negative effects of sexual violence and influence change on related policies.
- To protect children and increase community response to any harmful forms of violence against children.
- To increase psycho social and legal support for children.
- Increase enrollment, retention and achieved learning outcomes of children in schools.
- Reduced number of children especially girls getting married before the age of 18.
OUR WORKING PRINCIPLES
- Integrity
- Honesty
- Respect
- Innovation
- Equal Opportunity
- Team work