General

SAF TESO in Uganda – promoting communities and their empowerment


By Denise Nanni and
Milena Rampoldi, ProMosaik. Another interview from Uganda, this time with
Anguria Michael, Executive
Director of the organization SAF-Teso
(Shine Africa Foundation Teso) and Human Rights Defender of the Teso Sub-Region
in Uganda. We talked about the projects and objectives of his organisation and
about the main problems people face in the region.  The main objectivev of SAF-Teso is to empower
the communities in the sub-region of Teso in Uganda. Would like to thank
Michael for his detailled answers and information about his region in Uganda
and its challenges at the level of community empowerment.
How was SAF-Teso founded
and what are its  objectives?
SAF-Teso (Shine Africa
Foundation-Teso) is a Faith Based, Non-profit, Human Rights Based Advocacy
Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Legally Registered with NGO Board,
Ministry of Internal Affairs with REG NO 10050 and was established in 2006 as
Shine Africa Ministries (SAM) by a group of indigenous community members who
felt compelled to respond to the needs of vulnerable and marginalized people in
the local communities particularly  those
affected by civil war, poverty, Illicit Drugs addiction  and Substance abuse.
SAF-Teso main focus is to
empower the local people, and create sustainable change through increasing access to incomes and basic health care services, Life
Skills, Education, Enhancing opportunities for the reduction in drug supply and
demand especially among youth and children, more importantly, promoting
treatment, rehabilitation, recovery and social integration  of the drug and substance  users.
SAF-Teso Community Empowerment
Interventions mainly focus on Capacity Building/Trainings, Peer Education, and
Skills Development Enhancement as a Hub for Employment Opportunities, Self
Reliance   and Income Generation which
will help to address and mitigate   both
individual and environmental factors  of
vulnerability, Risks   and  support Community resilience initiatives  through Sustainable Community Led
Interventions.
The
organization’s core programs include
Public Health, Education, Livelihoods, Entrepreneurship, Food Security& Income
Generating Projects, Human Rights & Social Justice,

Environmental Management & Conservation, (Natural Resources, Environmental
education, Afforestation, Waste Disposal and Management, and Renewable Energy).
Other support activities where the organisation has been effective are, International
Volunteer Cooperation and Placement, Skills Trainings, Research, Advocacy,
Sports, Culture, Music, Dance and Drama.
SAF-Teso is working to empower many underprivileged
rural communities facing extremes of hunger, disease, poverty, poor Hygiene and
Heath practices, social exclusion, unemployment, severe malnutrition, high
burdens of alcohol, illicit drug addiction, and substance abuse especially in
young people. These issues adversely impacts local economic development and is
creating social inequalities among the people.
SAF-Teso works to create
sustainable change in the lives of disadvantaged people through basic social
services that improve likelihood and increase access to social justice system
to enhance the response to victims of sexual violence, reduce the likelihood of
perpetration of sexual violence, promoting a multi-sectoral approach  for 
reduction  in  drug supply and Demand, adding voice for Drug Policy formulation at all levels, promotion for  Treatment, Rehabilitation
and Social Integration of the drug users,
strengthening  communities’ capacity to
create safe environments for women and children ,and enabling platforms for respect
and promotion for the enjoyment of the Human Rights and Expression of the  Fundamental Freedoms among local citizenry .
We engage in Advocacy for
coordination of better public Health 
systems and Public Safety in order 
to build effective  and practical
policies at all levels to ameliorate the  enormous burdens, risks   and 
vulnerabilities caused by  illicit
drug consumption and substance  abuse
among youth, children and adult populations at the communities and Institutions
in the Teso Sub-Region and beyond.
SAF-Teso  Advocacy programs ,creates powerful
opportunities  for the promotion of Human
Rights, Participatory Democracy, Good 
Goverance, Civic Education  and
awareness  creation 
to equip  the vulnerable  people and groups  with 
skills  for enhancing  their abilities and 
responsibilities  to
understand  the state obligations, Human
Right Defenders work of Building Coalitions 
and Human Rights  forums   for 
increasing access to Justice, Human Rights promotion and protection, the
department  does Documentation,
Investigation, Reporting, Monitoring and Interviewing the various victims of
Human Rights Violations and abuses, Human Rights Education and intervention
(e.g. accompanying victims to court, medical facilities, police departments,
etc.), support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child
victims of sexual assault, family and household members of victims, and those
collaterally affected by the sexual assault.
SAF-Teso
also hosts international volunteers under our volunteer cooperation initiative,
since 2013 to-date SAF-Teso  has hosted
volunteers coming  from the UK, Kenya,
USA ,Iraq, France, Canada, Sweden, Germany , Spain, Zimbabwe, and Switzerland .
SAF-Teso’s strategic direction is
guided by the ultimate  
GOAL to focus on improving various
areas of community life and fundamental human rights through its VISION a society in which the local
population is empowered to equality of access to the whole spectrum of quality
social services and   MISSION
to work in a holistic manner towards improving quality
of life of vulnerable and marginalized individuals in the Teso sub-region, by
empowerment through interventions that increase access to education, health
care and sustainable living through income generating projects regardless of
colour, tribe, age, ability, gender, political or religious affiliations. 
The above are anchored by the Core Values of:  operating culture based on open and honest
dialogue, team-working, collective decision-making, pluralism in society,
pursuit of equity – securing rights, creating access and opportunity, and
building capabilities necessary to achieve well-being for all people. 
For more information about SAF-Teso, our achievements, and
how you can partner with us through volunteer placement opportunities, grants
funding.
More information about the organisation can be obtained from
our website: 
www.safteso.org; and face book page:
safteso
We
would welcome your support as a partner to deliver programs and cooperation in
the International

Volunteer/Interns placement opportunities. We can host any number of
volunteers/interns and their families as well.  

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

  • To increase access to education,
    health care and sustainable living through income generating projects for
    everyone with a need.
  •  To promote health education on Sexual and
    Reproductive Health and Rights and HIV Prevention (SRHR/HIV) among young
    people in both schools and rural communities.
  • To promote integrated systems for
    alternative use of energy sources in institutions and communities in the
    region and beyond.
  • To empower Persons with
    Disabilities (PWDs) with resources and information that helps them realise
    their potential and live an inclusive life
Our
Christian faith plays an important part in our work. We believe our strength in
God helps us in implementing our key programs with our limited financial
resources.
What
are the main social issues in Uganda?
There
are many rural communities facing extremes of hunger, disease, poverty, poor
Hygiene and Heath practices, social exclusion, unemployment, severe
malnutrition, high burdens of alcohol, illicit Drug addiction, and substance
abuse especially in young people, these issues adversely impacts local economic
development and is creating social inequalities among the people. Teso
Sub-Region and Uganda at large has suffered from civil war, poverty, Illicit
Drugs addiction and Substance abuse.
There are high cases of perpetration of sexual
violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence and Gender based Violence on women
and Children. Fundamental Freedoms among local citizenry.
We engage in Advocacy for coordination of better
public Health  systems and Public Safety
in order  to build effective  and practical policies at all levels to
ameliorate   the  enormous burdens, risks   and 
vulnerabilities caused by  illicit
drug consumption and substance  abuse
among youth, children and adult populations at the communities and Institutions
in the Teso Sub-Region and beyond.
There are many various victims of Human Rights
Violations and abuses, mainly youth, and child victims of sexual assault,
family and household members of victims, and those collaterally affected by the
sexual assault.
There are rampant and overwhelming cases of
Gender based Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual violence,child abuse and
neglect received and recorded daily  in
Kadungulu Sub-County, over 20 cases of Human rights Violations and abuses are
logged daily largely because men live polygamous lives, use incomes from
landing sites/fishing activities as a means and a hub for Commercial sex trade
and in the end they abandon their official wives , many women are killed and
children are abandoned.
This partly is attributed to negligence by most
Men because they spend time fishing and when they return home; they move to
drink and abandon their children together with their mothers, this exacerbates
HIV/AIDS transmission. The worst sub-county with  high cases of early marriages, cases of DV
is Kadungulu in Serere District.
 

Overview
about Teso Sub-Region(Where SAF-Teso Operates):
Teso
sub-region is found in Eastern Uganda, with a total of 09 districts namely:
Amuria, Katakwi, Kaberamaido, Soroti, Serere, Ngora, Kumi, Bukedea and Pallisa.

The sub-region has a total estimated population of 2.5 million people of Iteso
and Kumam ethnicity.
It has a total of 87 sub counties, and 02 Municipalities of
Kumi and Soroti.
Brief Political, Social and Economic History
about Teso Sub-Region:
Teso sub-Region from 1960’s and 70’s used to be
peaceful save Karamojong Cattle rustlers who would disturb peace in the
neighbouring districts, the rest of sub-region has total peace and stability
and Teso used to be economically sound, most households had hundreds and
thousands of cattle, the main economic activity was cattle rearing and the
sub-region used to produce highest numbers of qualified professionals.
The 1989, the glory of Teso was faded ,stolen ,
political instability cropped , cattle were stolen by Karamojong and entire
Teso Sub-Region collapsed , civil war started in the entire Teso Sub-Region
because people were annoyed with Government, many people were staying in camps
since then and it worsened  in 2003, when
the Lord’s Resistance Army(LRA ) of Joseph Konyi evaded most parts of Amuria,
Katakwi and Soroti, people were killed mainly women, children and men, this war
again created deadly blow to the economy of Teso. The LRA invasion of 2003-
2004 left many people killed and displaced hundreds of thousands of people most
of whom are now living in camps. In 1989, there was also drought in the Teso
Sub-Region and this dripped economic activity in the Sub-Region.
Another disaster fell in the sub-region in 2007-2009,
most parts were affected by floods which also displaced many people and left
many homeless.
Now currently in 2017, there is hunger in most
parts in the Teso sub-region due to prolonged drought. The sub-region having
witnessed and gone through such political turbulence and natural disasters   in the last two decades has reversed the
glory of Teso Sub-Region, people were affected economically and socially,
infrastructure was destroyed, many people killed and this has naturally
affected the people, majority are now poor, Teso is ranked now the third last
and entire population of Teso is weak both economically and socially.
Despite the remarkable improvement in enrolment
since the start of UPE in 1996, Teso region has fielded very poor results at the
annual national Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) for a larger part of the
last 17 years. The impact of insurgency, cattle rustling, and a wave of natural
disasters such as the 2007 floods, have also created long-standing social
disruption and deprivation that have combined to entrench people in the region
in perpetual distress.
“Teso had an outstanding education arrangement.
Many of those who passed through the schools received the best instruction and
a majority of them were able to join university. The quality of education in
the region is wanting and even the government’s free education scheme for
primary and secondary schools has not been of much help. Whereas in the past,
government schools that used to perform better than those privately owned, it
is now the latter that are ever excelling in the final national examinations.
“Political instability is to blame for the
misfortunes that have befallen education in Teso. Local leaders are also not
committed to engaging communities to generate solutions on how to get better
performance from children in the region. The average performance in government
schools across all sub counties is more wanting, but as the region continues to
encounter challenges of poor education, there is need to explore the underlying
factors underpinning poor performance.
Summary of
the Current Economic and Social Problems (Threats), affecting Socio-Economic
Development in the Teso Sub-Region   and
Uganda at Large.
  • High levels of
    Poverty a cross many households;
  • Alcohol, Illicit drug
    Consumption among many young people/Youth and men, this has resulted in to
    insecurity, theft in most parts in Teso Sub-Region;
  • High rates of
    Unemployment among Youth and Women,
  • People are planting
    Marijuana, Cocaine in their gardens; this is a threat to the entire Teso
    Sub-Region;
  • Peer social unruly
    and criminal youth social group popularly known as “Okadibong,”this youth social grouping got intertwined in Teso
    Sub-Region and they spend their time smoking, drinking and consuming
    illicit drugs, source of theft, high cases of insecurity and pregnancies
    on young girls;
  • Local Leadership
    betrayal .Many people now in the Teso Sub-region do not trust their
    elected leaders simply because of poor service delivery, they do not hold
    central and local governments accountable, people have no confidence
    again;
  • Weak grass root
    Civil Society Organizations  not
    empowered, they are supposed to
    be  the bedrock of Democracy in any
    society;
  • High Illiteracy
    levels attributed to high school dropout rates ;
  •  Limited Civic Education  Initiatives to empower people with
    citizen and state obligations ;
  • Poverty/Frustration/Idleness
    among youth and men , they spend time gambling , drinking and playing in
    the Trading centres instead of participating  in 
    household economic activities resulting in to  poverty which as negatively affected
    socio-economic household progress;
  • Corruption  has stiff necked   all public Institutions’ ,yet  CSO’s the  end 
    users  are  not 
    effective to check  state
    power,  demand for  the rule of the law, people’s equality,
    the empowerment for  people  in the defense of fundamental
    natural  human rights ,
    accountability, and social and moral fabric of the society  is weakened  and lost. Grassroot CSO’s cannot
    encourage citizen activism in solving practical problems, fostering
    tolerance and inclusiveness.
  • Citizens ownership and participation in
    governance is very low, most Ugandans 
    – the majority of whom reside in rural communities  are illiterate – still lack basic
    knowledge of their rights and responsibilities; they remain unfamiliar
    with ways of participating actively in decision-making at the local level
    and holding their elected officials accountable, this is highly witnessed
    in the Teso Sub-Region. The problem is further compounded by village local
    council leaders majority cannot read and write and yet they are peoples
    elected representatives;
  • Political
    Representation: There is increased perception by local people in the Teso
    Sub-Region that local governments are in reality mere appendages of the
    central government and that most politicians get into office principally
    to help themselves to public resources and privileges;
  • Limited
    Stakeholders Participation, majority of parents, worst in most rural
    settings many parents have given up , there is no parental and Childhood
    Bonding ,break down in moral and family social values children are  left alone and sent to schools without
    any relevant scholastic materials in the end , this has contributed to
    bigger percentages of  early school
    dropout rates in young boys and girls ,boys going to play in the trading
    centres, gambling, sports betting ,fishing for those near the landing
    sites like Serere District, smoking , drinking and stealing and girls get
    early pregnancies;
  • High
    incidences and cases of Gender Based Violence, Domestic Violence , Sexual
    Violence , human rights violations and abuses , high disease burdens
    –HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis B virus in many households in the Teso
    Sub-Region, men live polygamous lives, they have abandoned their spouses
    –women and children and majority of households in the Teso sub-region  now live in the deprivation trap of
    Poverty;
  • Land
    conflicts , Grabbing of land & Sell , serious problem in Teso
    sub-region, partly contributed by high population growth rate, many young
    people are producing , yet they are still dependent on their parents ,
    many have no stable household incomes to sustain  their livelihoods and welfare , it is a
    big problem in the Sub-Region if not mitigated ,will lead to  a calamity in nearby future;
  • Many
    of the above incidences have chronically and negatively weakened
    socio-economic development in the Teso Sub-Region, major sectors like
    Health and Education are weak, this have greatly and largely contributed
    to poor Education Performance in the Teso Sub-Region and needs to be reversed
    and revitalised through strategies identified in this proposal.
Anatomy and
Dissectomy  of Poor Education Standards
in the Teso Sub-Region (Uganda at Large):
In spite of
all these conscious efforts by the Ministry of Education and Sports, Local
Governments   and Non State actors
(NGOs), other Development Partners, Teso still remains witnessing poor
Performance in the Education Sector, worst in all Government aided Primary
schools. This poor performance is contributed by the myriad of factors /Challenges
and existing situations as precursors of Poor Education in the Teso Sub-Region
and Uganda at Large.
  • Vulnerability in
    many households, majority of parents or guardians cannot provide their
    children with basic scholastic materials;
  • Duty attendance ,majority
    of rural teachers dodge their lessons and abandon their learners (low
    pupil teacher contact  hours),no
    love and commitment to their job; 
  • No feeding program
    in most primary Government schools, yet the children leave their homes
    even with empty stomachs;
  • Child labour which affects  pupils 
    learning, worst in the girls’ education ,this means that 2 in every
    5 children in class in the Teso Sub-Region are  engaged in some economic activity, this
    explains why most learners report late 
    to start their lessons, this severely  is affecting schooling programme
    activities, causes delay in the lessons execution;
  • The lack of
    separate toilets for girls results in absenteeism and still remains a
    challenge to girls’ education, Teso Sub-Region and Uganda at large;
  • No regular
    assessments given to pupils , teachers fear the big numbers  of pupils in class and many
    teachers  are poorly motivated ;
  • Poor /Inadequate
    school Infrastructure like shortage or limited classrooms, no Libraries
    where pupils and teachers can research , read and improve their knowledge
    ,limited staff accommodation/staff houses, limited staff rooms ,limited/
    fewer desks , fewer/poor sanitary facilities  and non existing Teaching learning aids
    in most schools in the Teso Sub-Region;
  • Pupil to Teacher
    Ratio, shortage of staff personnel, majority of primary schools in the
    Teso sub-region, do not have full number of teachers, this has affected
    the quality and performance in the Education Sector;
  • Quality of teachers
    /personnel is low, there is generally decline in the education standards
    in Uganda, this affects the quality of teachers produced ;
  • No Career Guidance
    in most rural schools ,there are no role models  who come and give a motivation to pupils
    and teachers;
  • Inadequate  and Low supervision and  inspections by the district and sub
    counties due to poor funding;
  • Government releases
    in Education is limited/small Resource envelop  allocated  to the Education sector
  • High levels of  absenteeism  from learners  due to 
    no family and parental bonding with children, most men are drunk
    during the day, failure of most parents to provide essential scholastic
    education materials to their children , many absentee on this grounds ,
    the pupils see no relevance of studying/staying at school and there are
    also no role models in Teso 
    Sub-Region to encourage the children, the break down in family
    virtues , morals and values  is
    lacking ,majority of parents  spend
    their time drinking and leave the children alone to struggle with their
    mothers ;
  • Absenteeism from
    teachers is largely by contributed to poor monitoring and supervision by
    head teachers, parents and Governance Systems and structures in schools, these
    are supposed to enforce and bring compliance to the Teachers Code of
    Conduct;
  • Limited
    stakeholders participation, SMCs, PTA& BOG, Leadership and Roles are
    lukewarm in most primary schools, most of these Goverance and Management
    structures are defunct and non –Functional.

This is
contributed by the low levels of literacy in those mandated to monitor ,
supervise and enforce  transparency,
accountability and Effective Social Service Delivery;

  • Integrate/Mainstream
    the teaching School Curriculum with 
    humanities like 
    Leadership and Goverance, Conflict Resolution, Accountability,
    Transparency, Justice/Rule of the Law; Human Rights, Good Goverance, Pro-
    Democracy (Participatory), Advocacy, Counselling and Guidance, Social
    Policy, Community Economic 
    Development (Livelihoods), Charity work/Volunteering ,all  these 
    will improve service delivery and instil moral standards, values, passion
    and love to duty (Patriotism);
  • No Refresher
    Courses/Trainings/limited Capacity Building for teachers to update their
    knowledge and skills besides their teaching content, many teachers have
    obsolete content delivered  to
    pupils(emphasis now on Vision 2040, SDGs);
  • No
    electricity/Solar Provision in most rural setting schools, pupils and
    teachers cannot read, research and improve their learning opportunities;
  • Social factors such as forced early marriage, and preference of
    boys over girls have largely limited girls’ access to education in many
    rural areas in the Teso Sub-Region and Uganda at large. Other factors that
    have compounded the problem include outmoded customs, lack of schools in
    some rural areas, and a high level of ignorance on importance of girl
    child education;
  • High levels of indiscipline 
    among the teachers and learners;
  • Role conflict among some schools, this has killed staff morale to
    deliver effectively;
  • Unsafe School
    Environment –Loitering animals ,birds , bats  in classrooms ,smelling and cracked
    classrooms, staff rooms , some schools lack female teachers, girls are
    unattended, all these  affects the
    learning of the pupils in classrooms and have contributed to poor
    performance  and early school
    dropout in girls;
All the above stated problems and situations
existing  in the current Education System
,have contributed  largely to Deprivation
of Quality Education Performance  in the
Teso Sub-Region  and Uganda at large  and has resulted in to many grassroot
communities  experiencing  illiteracy, poverty and increases  in health related risks. The Solution to
these challenges lies in the
multi-faceted strategies and Ideologies
proposed in this programm.
The problems facing many rural households in
Teso currently is poverty, drought and hunger, it is worst among grassroot rural women, disabled, elderly and
young single mothers, they suffer from poverty, disease burdens, Domestic
Violence, Gender Based Violence and Sexual Violence among women and Children.
Most men have abandoned their wives and spend most of their time in the trading
centres drinking and leaving household burdens to women alone.
Sexual
violence, under age sexual practice, gender inequality and HIV/AIDS prevalence
remains a major concern in the Serere District. The majority of sub-counties in Serere district are surrounded with
landing sites, subsequently a lot of the males are fishermen, and they have
abandoned their household obligations. After a long day fishing, many will turn
to alcohol and majority of men in Serere district live polygamous lives. Also
some women who are financially struggling swap
fish for sexual relationships with these fishermen in order to make a living.

The National Housing and Population Census
Census (NHPC), 2014 indicated that Serere district as a Total population of
285,903. 146,410 are Women, giving 51.2)
%
as a percentage of women. Many of these are grassroot women are
experiencing high household burdens. Failure of husbands (men) to provide
essential commodities to their households (Family Bonding values and
virtues)  for children (Boys and Girls)
have led to  increased incidences and
cases of early pregnancies in young girls and boys drop out of school for
preference of  fishing in the landing
sites, and playing in the trading centres.
Due to failure of the parents in Teso to have
family bonding with their children, many youth have resulted in to drinking and
smoking illicit drugs, cocaine, Marijuana and there are many gardens of
Cocaine in Serere district, this is now
like farming as an avenue of getting cash. This has created many family
problems, it is one of the major factors contributing to poor education
performance in most government primary schools in Teso Sub-region, and the
local council leadership is still silent on this social scam. Men in Serere and
Teso at large now live polygamous marriages and since Serere is surrounded by
the landing sites most men use incomes from landing sites/fishing activities as
a means and a hub for Commercial sex
trade
and in the end they abandon their official wives, many women are
killed and children are abandoned.
Many trading centres in Serere district have
very low/poor sanitation and hygiene facilities, there are no pit latrines,
no safe water facilities  and a majority
of the population is  denied access to
basic needs, women and  adolescent girls
cannot afford to buy  menstrual pads, in
the end the men use young women and girls for commercial sex,
they infect them with HIV/AIDS  and many
people  are sick, worst is many people
practice  open defecation which  has exposed them to risks of water-borne  and hygiene related diseases causing
vulnerabilities and exposure to poverty.
Most rural
places in Serere district also experience high cases of Human Rights Violations
and abuses on women and Children, worst in Kadungulu Sub-County and also
sub-counties surrounded by the landing sites. 
Sexual violence coupled with HIV/AIDS rates are increasing, worst in the
landing sites, many women were killed last year in 2016 over 10 women were
buttered by their husbands over Domestic Violence. Vulnerability of grassroot
women in Teso Sub-Region is a result of poverty, these request robust
interventions like as proposed by SAF-Teso in this project.
There
are also high cases of fertility rates recorded in Kateta and Kyere
Sub-Counties and generally this is a biggest challenge for Teso Sub-Region,
most families are poor and yet the husbands come home drunk and only think of
their conjugal rights as opposed to taking responsibilities and duties, and
women suffer from these family burdens.
The reality now is many families and households in the Teso  Sub-Region 
have been  dislocated and impoverished  and
yet there are many children and high
demands are placed on women 
to look for food, incomes, clothing, paying school fees and
meeting
healthcare/medical
bills
, all these have made  and placed
grassroot rural women in Teso in  to
suffer  from vulnerabilities and they can only regain their glory through
livelihood empowerment and Human Rights Public  and Social Advocacy, otherwise  the grassroot women will remain
disregarded
with low self esteem  and used by men as economic vessels for deriving incomes and
satisfying their sexual pleasures
.
Despite the
existing legal and policy frameworks in Uganda there is weak implementation of
these laws and policies on child protection. In Kadungulu sub-county, Serere
District, Teso Sub-Region there are high numbers of cases concerning gender
based violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse and neglect,
early pregnancy, as well as increasing cases of young girls becoming victims of
sexual exploitation. On average, the office of the Community Development
Officer and Police Department in Kadungulu sub-county receive over 30  cases falling into one or more of the above
categories daily. This situation is worse for young girls living near
fishing landing sites because men use money in exchange for sex. One in every
four girls between 15 and 19 in Kadungulu sub-county is already a mother
or pregnant with her first child. The situation is worrying to me and rest of
the sub-county administration I believe training received in SIDA will improve
things and yield magic bullets.
On average around 50% of
households in the Teso Sub-Region are living below the Ugandan poverty line,
more so in rural areas. Failure of the region to end rising poverty out of Teso
sub-region is partly a result of abuses linked to the social norms. There are
several other factors which continue to hinder effective implementation of laws
and policies to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights. Among them
are inadequate resources, low capacity and motivation of duty bearers (police,
judiciary and Civil Society Organizations) on preventing and responding to
child abuse, child marriage, early pregnancies, and violence against women and
children. At the community level there are low levels of reporting and poor
referral mechanisms for the most vulnerable. This means children; caregivers
and communities might be reluctant to report incidents that happen. There is
also limited awareness among children, community members and even duty bearers
on children’s rights, their roles in child protection as well as on the
negative impacts of child marriage, and early pregnancy.
Uganda signed many International and Regional
Treaties on Human Rights, but there is slow response on Implementation.
Generally  in most rural parts in Uganda,
ordinary citizens and grassroot CSOs are not involved in the promotion of human
rights, Civic Education,  there is Low
Citizen Participation, numerous Electoral scams because people do not know
their Civic Obligations, the grassroot HRDs do not know and are not aware of
any existing  international, regional  and National Legal Frame works, the citizens
have limited knowledge about the Constitution and Prominent laws like  POMA
.
Whereas Uganda has ratified  for the endorsement of  many Regional and International Protocols,
Treaties or Declarations, there is limited space for grassroot CSOs and HRDs to exercise freedom of associations and
expression to educate the masses, the Public Order Management Act 2013, restricts,
limits and prohibits CSOs and HRDs to promote Human Rights and ensure that the
citizens enjoy all their fundamental freedoms and rights as enshrined in the
national laws of Uganda, Constitution and also contravenes the Regional and
International Declarations of the Human Rights.
Individuals, groups,
institutions and non Governmental organisations 
have an important role  to play
and a responsibility in safeguarding 
democracy, promoting Human Rights and Fundamental freedoms  and contributing  to the promotion  and advancement  of democratic 
societies, institutions and processes. Individuals, groups and
CSOs/NGOs  have an important  role 
and responsibility  in
contributing, as  appropriate, to the promotion  of the right 
of everyone  to a social  and International order  in which the rights  and freedoms set forth in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights  and other
Human Rights  Instruments  can be 
fully realized.
Currently,
there is limited space for the full realization of the Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms in Uganda, the democratic space is limited/narrow and
generally grassroot CSOs, are mere appendages and not a solution to people’s
problems; they are inconsistent touching, ancillary or incidental to the
law.
CSOs cannot advocate and agitate for the well labelled
Environment for HRDs, worst in the Teso Sub-Region and other parts in Uganda,
they are scared of being deregistered by Government, and it threatens to deny
them the status for carrying out their legitimate work freely.
The HRDs in Uganda are operating in very
volatile and polarised Environments which cannot allow them to promote Civic
Education, Democracy and Good Goverance , there is wide spread corruption which
has stiff necked and caused anaemia in
the Public  Service Delivery.
There
is poor service Delivery, HRDs are exposed to this Environmental risks, hazards
and threats.
HRDs have
been
deprived
of full enjoyment of human rights, right to life, liberty and personal
security  normally are  compromised with persecution, attacks,
harassment, social marginalization, blacklisting, arbitrary arrests,
detentions, torture, inhuman or degrading punishment and prohibited in all
forms to the enjoyment of full rights, liberty and freedom of association.
HRDs suffer from the effects of directed harassment, intimidation, arrests and
victimisation by the state and other non-state functionaries. The political
risks and threats are normally issued both by Government and Political leaders,
the police normally are perpetrators, they interfere, making  it very difficult for  the 
HRDs to access information, access victims/persons whose rights have
been violated and abused, the operational risks are mainly coordination
difficulties and management and Geographical risks, Uganda  is very volatile for human rights violations
and abuses, While executing routine duties as a HRD, one is exposed as a
subject of attack by any organised groups including but not exclusively state
agents and other functionaries.
The various legislations that were passed
recently are pointers and antennas for the shrinking space for HRDs and CSOs to
engage in their advocacy gains to secure freedom of opinion, expression and
assembly among the common citizenry.
The POMA reboots and Contravenes CSOs mandate,
they have been weakened and no longer very vibrant, worst with grassroot CSOs,
most grassroot  CSOs are all dead, need
to be  Rejuvenated. The CSOs are
intimidated, activists are threatened and they turn off from paying to the hard
course.
SAF-Teso is facing threats because we work on
Governance issues, Human Rights, Civil and Political Rights and this as exposed
SAF-Teso and many CSOs in to risk and there are threats for office break-ins.
The Non-Governmental Act 2015 requires CSOs and
HRDs to have joint advocacy runs and
jogs with Government to create an enabling Environment to enhance promotion and
protection of their Rights.
Whereas a lot of Capacity
Building programmes, Advocacy, Research and Reporting on Human Rights Defenders
in Uganda have been by and large championed by The Uganda Human Rights Centre
Uganda (HRCU) in partnerships with local and International Human Rights
activism Organisations, a lot remains desired to be done, related to creating
an enabling Environment and unlocking strict space for operations of Human
Rights Defenders (HRDs) in Uganda.
CSOs and HRDs
needs to reposition themselves in order to remain relevant to the current
existing  Democratic Governance in Uganda
, they must strive to remain a ring fence and a Trigger for the People  in the Exercise of their Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms.
Sale and consumption of sachet waragi/Illicit
drugs in the Teso Sub-Region has resulted into mental impairment accidents,
theft, domestic violence, rape, low Production and Productivity among others
thus leading to high levels of Poverty and dependency syndrome.
The ban on the sale and consumption of sachet
waragi/Illicit drugs will help in reducing the levels of poverty and high crime
rates in Teso sub- region among the youth.
Whereas Civil Society forms the bedrock of
Democracy in any society, in Uganda, Grassroot CSO’s and
Ordinary citizens in the Teso sub-region have by and large remained weakened
and spectators in service delivery,
leadership and management in Uganda
today are  compared like an Elephant and a small animal, a lot of pressure is exerted
on ordinary citizenry, yet there are high levels of Illiteracy, vote buying and
idleness, poverty, disease, low participation and involvement of ordinary
citizens in service delivery.
Corruption  has stiff necked   all public Institutions’ ,yet  CSO’s the 
end  users  are 
not  effective to check  state power, 
demand for  the rule of the law,
people’s equality, the empowerment for 
people  in the defense of
fundamental natural  human rights ,
accountability, and social and moral fabric of the society  is weakened 
and lost. Grassroot CSO’s cannot encourage citizen activism in solving
practical problems, fostering tolerance and inclusiveness.
Citizens
ownership and participation in governance is very low, most Ugandans
  – the majority of whom reside in rural
communities and are illiterate – still lack basic knowledge of their rights and
responsibilities; they remain unfamiliar with ways of participating actively in
decision-making at the local level and holding their elected officials
accountable.
The problem is further compounded by
village local council leaders majority cannot read and write and yet they are
peoples elected representatives. Consequently, sustained civic education
activities need to be carried out in local communities to stimulate increased
public participation in local governance, thereby contributing to the
consolidation of democracy and peace.
The
notion that power belongs to the people is 
a mere indictment
, a slogan 
and a jargon  for deriving  self interests  and denying local people  access to participate in the democratic  and development processes   , freedom of 
expression is a myth in Uganda .
Electoral Representation:
There is increased perception by local people
that local governments are in reality mere appendages of the central government
and that most politicians get into office principally to help themselves to
public resources and privileges.
The weak
Civil Society, which is fragmented and lacks the right skills and resources
with which to facilitate effective dialogue between the leaders, other
stakeholders and the citizens as well as to hold the government agencies and
political leaders accountable.
The
governance structures in Uganda that have limited know-how on Multi-party
political systems, civic education awareness, selection and sponsorship of
political candidates, political dialogue, political experience, political
resource mobilisation, running of political campaigns, limited resources and
intolerance to competitive democratic processes.
What are,
according to your experience, the key elements that lead to community
empowerment?
Engaging grassroot communities mainly women and
youth in decision-making, leadership and management, trainings/capacity
building programs, project management and funding. Also providing communities
with grants, funding to support their self help initiatives .Making grassroot
communities to participate in the promotion of Human Rights programs, Democracy
and Good Governance, reducing poverty through income generating projects,
opening businesses for communities, training them in income generating projects
,Life Skills and International Volunteering Opportunities.
Grassroot communities can also be empowered
through undertaking Public and Social Advocacy programs, Gender Equality and reducing
conflicts and marginalisation on women like land conflicts, women are denied
land rights.
Do you carry on any specific project in
order to promote women’s rights and empowerment?
Yes many of our
projects are women on women’s Empowerment like:
Name of the
project:
Empowerment of Victims of Domestic Violence,
Disabled Women, Young Single Mothers/Child headed families and  Women Sex Workers in the Lake Shores lines
of  Kadungulu  & Pingire 
Sub-counties, Serere District-Eastern Uganda.
The Project Goal: is to improve the
respective economic and social conditions of Victims
of Domestic Violence, Disabled Women, Young Single Mothers and  Women Sex Workers
affected by chronic
poverty and disease within the margins of
Kadungulu Sub-county.
The Project Titles for this idea of change projects are
;
Promotion of Sexual
Reproductive Health rights drive to end child marriage and child pregnancies
Project; Prevention of Sexual Violence against women and girls in Kadungulu
& Pingire Sub-Counties, Serere District and
Project Title:
Enhancing the awareness of gender-based violence and
its effects through Domestic Violence Prevention community-based interventions.
 
Project Title: 
“Improved Goat
and Sheep Rearing Project for Marginalised women and Single  Mothers in Serere
District.”
“Improving Education in the Teso Sub-Region.”

The Kindle Mothers & Children Project (Scaling up efforts to empower,
energize hopes and expectations of children with HIV+, young single HIV+
mothers in, Ngora  Soroti and Serere
Districts).
SAF-Teso through this
project seeks to provide comprehensive holistic services to the
150 HIV+ children, 50 HIV+ youth,
and 200 OVC households in the selected sub-counties in, Ngora, Serere and
Soroti districts in Eastern Uganda. The Project will empower the
beneficiary households through   increased access to Education, income and
basic health care services.
The project will target these vulnerable groups
by increasing their access to education, healthcare and sustainable living
through income generating projects. These will include:  Bakery creation, Knitting Project, Savings
and Credit Promotion, and Educational Programs

Human
Rights, Good Governance, Participatory Democracy & Human Rights Defenders
Projects
SAF-Teso Advocacy programs ,creates powerful opportunities  for the promotion of Human Rights,
Participatory Democracy, Good Goverance, Civic Education  and
awareness  creation 
to equip  the vulnerable  people and groups  with 
skills  for enhancing  their abilities  and 
responsibilities  to understand  the state obligations, Human Right Defenders
work of Building Coalitions  and Human
Rights  forums   for 
increasing access to Justice , Human Rights promotion and protection,the
department  does Documentation,
Investigation, Reporting, Monitoring and Interviewing the various victims of
Human Rights Violations and abuses, Human Rights Education and intervention
(e.g. accompanying victims to court, medical facilities, police departments,
etc.), support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child
victims of sexual assault, family and household members of victims, and those
collaterally affected by the sexual assault.
SAF-Teso being a Human Rights
Advocacy based organisations, promotes Community Human Rights Based Approaches,
especially in partnership with many stakeholders local, national and
International levels we promote:
·        
Monitoring,
reporting, safety and risk assessment, Advocacy and field outreach;
·        
Collection
and Dissemination of Information about Human Rights Violations and abuses to
different partners;
·        
Conducting specialized trainings on promotion and
awareness raising, Multi-stakeholders Advocacy to promote voice, transparency and accountability in the
delivery of public
services
·        
 Mentoring
Youth, women and   local citizenry to be
effective advocates, Human Rights Defenders, change agents, peace brigades,
Community Barometers, whistle blowers , amplifiers, and monitors of Good
Governance, Human Rights activism, Participatory Democracy through increasing
awareness, Communication, Research  and
outreach, publications of information on print  and Social Networks, Supporting Youth and
Women driven-Citizens’ Forums, Community Barazas, debates, Dialogues, Civic
Education, trainings, Media and Public Advocacy, organizing Local events, workshops,
and conferences,  Networking and
provision of materials and knowledge for skills in areas of demand-side driven
governance;
·        
Advocacy
and Activism for promotion of  Democracy,
Good Governance, Accountability and demanding 
Voice for grassroot CSOs and rural HRDs at risk to heard at all foras;
·        
Stakeholders
consultative meetings, Events, Workshops and Conferences  for Human Rights , Democracy and Good
Governance
·        
Trial
observation, supervision and follow up;
·        
Land
conflicts mediation; Conflict resolution, peace 
and advocacy for rule of law and justice;
·        
Documentation
of incidences of threats ,Violations and abuses, reporting  to local, national, regional and
International partners for action;
·        
Capacity
building, Human Rights Education (awareness–raising) to strengthen and build
capacity of  grassroot HRDs and CSOs;
·        
Civic
Education and Citizens Community forum discussions, dialogues and Barazas;
·        
Awareness
–Raising about the existing National, Regional and International  Human Rights Treaties, Protocols, Mechanisms
and Conventions(UPR, UNGASS, UN Declarations on Human Rights and  ALL Relevant International  Instruments);
·        
Publicity
of Human Rights Violations and abuses cases and incidences on all print,
Electronic and Social Media;
·        
Publication  of information, life stories, testimonies
about HRDs,Women and Children under risks, threats and victims of Domestic
Violence, Gender Based Violence and Sexual Violence;
·        
Linkage
for Proborno-free aid legal services to the victims of DV, SV&GBV
My Health First (MHF)
Project.
My
theory change project will provide 5 P’s: Prevention, Provision, Promotion,
Prosecution and Partnership& Participation. These projects developed will
provide a  comprehensive plan addressing
education (Awareness), healthcare (treatment + Counselling), social welfare
(outreach programs, health camps) and Law & Enforcement (Police) needs to
be brought together under the Government initiative so as to address all the
aspects of  domestic violence and
sexuality violence  and drug addiction in
young people/youth (Children).
Project Title:
Youth adolescent
sexual and reproductive health Education project.
Overall Goal of the project is to expand the
availability
of
quality integrated adolescent sexual
and reproductive health
rights education with  HIV/AIDS Services among the  Adolescents
/Youth  in  the four districts of Serere, Ngora, Soroti
and Kumi in the selected seven sub-counties 
of Kadungulu ,Atiira, Pingire, Bugondo, Gweri, Ngora,  and 
Kobwin .
The purpose of the project is to
enable
adolescents /youth in
the target districts in the selected sub-counties to be
educated
on their sexual and reproductive health rights, empowering
them through
life planning skills so that they are able to promote their Sexual and
reproductive health rights and consequently avoid risky health behaviours
SAF-Teso as great previous and current experience
in Human Rights, social Justice, Democracy and Good Goverance execution. Most
projects were implemented for a period of one year. The previous and Current
Human Rights projects; Title 1:
Increasing awareness levels of the women and youth Participation in Democracy,
Human Rights and Good Goverance promotion (Budget $10000) .Title2: Reducing Human Rights Violations on women and Children in
Kadungulu Sub-County (Budget $5000). Title
3:
Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Children and Women in the Teso
sub-region(Budget $8000) Title 4:
Promoting Human Rights Education in Communities and schools in Kadungulu
Sub-County(Budget $4000) .Title 5: Enahncing
Women’s Land Rights in the Teso Sub-Region(Budget $10000). Title 6: Increasing knowledge and skills on timely and appropriate
assistance for HRDs at risk case management and handling of HRD cases (Budget$3000).
Title 7: Legal Aid for women and children’s Rights
(Budget $7000) .
Title 8: Know your Land Rights (Budget $3000). Title 9: Promoting Community Awareness
of Basic Human Rights, Peace Building, Accountability, Democracy and Good
Goverance in the Teso Sub-Region(Budget $20000).
Project Title “Strengthening
Grassroot CSOs Coalitions for Expanding Democratic Governance and Enhancing
Multi-stakeholders Advocacy Engagement for Human Rights Activism.
Project
Summary:
Project
Title:  “Strengthening Grassroot CSOs
Space and HRDs Advocacy Voice for Enhancing Human Rights Activism and
Protection of HRDs, Democracy and Good Goverance Practices.”
Project
Goal: 
The ultimate goal of
this project is to strengthen the Capacity of SAF-Teso to deliver its Core
Mandate of expanding the Grassroot CSOs Space for Democracy and Good Goverance
Activism and HRDs advocacy voice for Safety and Protection through 5 P’s (“Prevention, Provision, Promotion,
Prosecution, Partnership & Participation”,)
as a hub and Architecture for
Reducing Human Rights Violations and a buses.
The project Purpose is
to promote Good attributes and practices of HRDs such as Community Engagements,
Capacity Building, Mediation and use of Media among others.
This project will enable SAF-Teso to build the
capacity of grassroot CSO’s and HRDs in rural communities to contribute to the
promotion and protection of Human Rights and Fundamental freedoms and
strengthening of SAF-Teso capacity to deal with emerging needs of HRDs.
This 7 months
project will help to empower the
grassroot CSO’s  and  rural communities to demand and promote
Participatory Democracy, Social Accountability, Transparency, Freedom of
opinion and Expression, Good Governance, Community awareness/Civic Education
and Human Rights for enhanced Local Service Delivery in Local Governments in the
Teso Sub-Region.”
The project will help to strengthen the capacity of civil service
organizations and Local Governments in the Teso Sub-region
. It will help to raise the voices of the citizens in the democratic
governance in the Teso Sub-Region through empowerment of citizens and
strengthening of individual, civic organizations’ capacity and other
stakeholders to demand political accountabilities
SAF-Teso as  a good track record  since 2009 for   promoting  and  contributing
 to
 the achievement  of transparent and accountable management of public resources. One of the aspects on which
SAF-Teso will specifically focus, is on promoting the engagement of nonstate actors (Civil
society, grassroots organisations, private sector. Previously,
SAF
-Teso has organised high level discussions, workshops and seminars and developed knowledge and guidance on key issues related to governance in the Teso sub-region, opening
 up  a  new  forum  for
 dialogue
 between  various  stakeholders,
 including local governments, private
sector, civil society,
aca
demics, and
media.
SAF-Teso is emerging as
a lead local institution with the program frameworks that promotes grassroots
participation and generates impetus to conscious and sustained engagements by
the majority of local people, particularly the youth and women populace.
Our Philosophy and
culture will help to propel advocacy to amplify the voices of pro-democracy
CSO’s and individuals in the sub-region and beyond to strengthen their capacity
to hold their Local governments accountable.
Community Led Interventions Project for Promoting
Sustainable Drug Prevention Initiatives (CLIP).
SAF-Teso
is the leading local Organisation promoting the voice of drug use and Substance
Prevention in the Teso Sub-Region and beyond. We Network with partners to reach
out to Children, Young People, and Universal Populations so that our synergies
deliver effective prevention programs. The Project will promote and offer
Prevention, Education, Treatment, Recovery and Reintegration services for the
universal populations and drug users.
SAF-Teso promotes Community Led Interventions, Advocacy and Public
Education Awareness on Drug Prevention with special focus on children.
The theory change for this project will provide 5 P’s: Prevention, Provision,
Promotion, Prosecution and Partnership& Participation. These project
developed will provide a  comprehensive
plan addressing education (Awareness), healthcare (treatment + Counselling),
social welfare (outreach programs, health camps) and Law & Enforcement
(Police) needs to be brought together under the Government initiative so as to
address all the aspects of  Illicit Drugs
use and Substance abuse, drug addiction in young people/youth (Children) and
adult populations’ which has resulted in to many social, Health and
Economic  associated burdens and
problems  and have led to many incidences
of Human Rights abuses ,  domestic
violence, Gender Based Violence  and
sexuality violence  in the Teso
Sub-Region and beyond.
The ultimate Goal of this project is to Build and strengthen
Community Led Initiatives and Resilience for Enhancing Ordinary Citizenry
Voice, Accountability and Effective Advocacy and Activism for Prevention and
Supply Reduction of Illicit Drugs for use and Substance abuse among Children,
Teenagers, Adolescents and Universal Populations in the Teso Sub-Region and
beyond.
SAF-Teso will undertake to promote and create awareness to
the universal populations that illicit drug consumption is costly to both the
user and Government (State), major cause of accidents, dissocial behaviours,
Unemployment, academic failure and school dropout, crime, Domestic Violence,
Mental illness, Low life Satisfaction, Lost Opportunity and Reduced
Productivity, and other Health, Social and Economic Risks and problems
associated with drug use and substance abuse.
SAF-Teso promotes stakeholders meetings, partners breakfast
meetings, sub-regional and national advocacy and activism for supply and demand
reduction, we popularise existing local, national, regional and International
legislative drug policies, UNGASS, UNODC and other National, Regional and
International Mechanisms.
Prevention.
In order to prevent and curb
down the growing menace of illicit drug 
use and substance abuse among young people, SAF-Teso  will use one theory of Change “Prevent, Don’t Promote,” through  conducting multi-sectoral stakeholders social
and Public Advocacy Campaigns , Public Education and Sensitizations of
grassroot, urban and peri-urban 
communities within Teso sub-region and beyond. SAF-Teso promotes
community based strategies to reach the large populations and Institutions (we
target communities, families, schools, work places, more focus on Children and
Youth), awareness education in all the grass root communities and families will
help to empower rural holds in the protection and prevention of drug use and
substance abuse among young people.
SAF-Teso
promotes information, knowledge and skills about effective policy and practice,
access to the services, news, research, resources and events. SAF-Teso together
with partners undertake raising awareness about preventing drug use through
Drug supply reduction:
We
focus on reducing the supply of drugs by engaging those who cultivate and
provide the drugs. SAF-Teso whistle blows information to the police department
in charge Narcotics and Drug Trafficking.
Drug demand reduction:
SAF-Teso
pushes for the reduction of demand through various education and prevention
strategies aimed at making the potential user less likely to use or become involved
with problematic, harmful or illegal drug use.
Rehabilitation, Recovery and Social
Integration:
SAF-Teso plays a central and
pivotal role of linking the drug users and substance abusers to the service
providers to help them with comprehensive support services the drug users are
helped and reintegrated to their communities.
SAF-Teso empowers the children
and youth to know the importance of drug prevention and positive youth
Development, we encourage them to keep off the streets and prevent them from
being attracted to a lifestyle that involves alcohol and drug misuse and gang
activity.
The project aims to encourage
and empower children and youth to be the agents of change within their social
environment.
Provision.
SAF-Teso works in partnership with CSOs ,Private
Organisations and Government Institutions 
that offer comprehensive services to the drug users and consumers , the
services we provide focus on Demand and Supply Reduction of drugs, together
with our partners we are able to offer prevention Treatment, Psycho-Social
Therapy/Counselling services, Care, Support, Recovery & Rehabilitation
services to the drug users and substance abusers/drug addiction mainly in youth,
young people/children and universal population.
Prosecution.
SAF-Teso
will promote public  private partnerships
with law enforcement agencies(Police and Judiciary) to ensure that  the perpetrators who commit domestic violence
and murders on women and children after consuming illicit drugs do not escape
the law and victims are given justice, SAF-Teso, will work closely with the
police departments at the sub-counties and parishes and Local councils to
ensure that those who commit horrendous acts of violence against women and
children are brought to justice and child marriage and child pregnancies are
mitigated in the Teso sub-region.
Promotion.
SAF-Teso
with partners, local governments will promote community advocacy campaigns,
focus groups discussions, community dialogue meetings to empower the
masses  to stand up for children’s and
women’s rights, eliminate drug and substance abuse among children and young
people. SAF-Teso will hold community campaigns to raise awareness
of children’s and women’s rights and conducts research to generate data
which will be used as basis for implementation. SAF-Teso will work together
with partners to increase knowledge, engagement, and participation the schools,
landing sites and public places about urgent need to end illicit drug use and
substance abuse among adult populations and young people which has led them to
commit Violence against women and children.
Through
this project, SAF-Teso will involve the Young people, parents and families,
Adolescents, prevention practitioners, policy makers and general public to
prevent drug use and substance abuse because it impacts negatively to the
social health and economic progress of the individuals, State and communities
SAF-Teso will promote the
opportunities to incubate and pilot new ideas for increasing access to
information on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse among young
people/Children, and Universal Populations.
SAF-Teso
will put information on both electronic and hard copy of Images, Graphics and
Videos of Young People/Teenagers who by and large are engaged in alcohol and
drug consumption especially in the most rural parts in the Teso Sub-Region.
SAF-Teso
will promote evidence-based discussions, having a slide presentation with
documentary, photographic and video recordings for youth and children who are
consuming these illicit drugs, alcohol and other poisons chemicals and also
pictures of gardens in the grassroot communities used for planting these
illicit drugs.
SAF-Teso
for over five years as been having anti drugs and alcohol community campaigns’,
preventing drug and alcohol use among teenagers ,we will be sharing with the
communities  True Life Stories
(Testimonies) of Parents, Relatives and Communities in the Teso Sub-Region who
have badly been injured by this vice of drug addiction.
SAF-Teso will promote  the Illicit Drug and alcohol Prevention
activities  to among 
schools, parents, families, churches  sports clubs, university, carry out media campaigns,
Community awareness,
Advocacy on drug policy, net work 
to link users in to Rehabilitation services, treatments, re-socialization, self-support groups,
Forum on family,
next
of kin support,
Fundraising,
HIV,
hepatitis prevention activies
among others.
Dissemination and sharing of Information:
SAF-Teso will target to
reach diverse audiences using effective communication mechanisms, Documentation, Monitoring and
Evaluation, Case and policy advocacy, media and press work, and capacity
building missions to share the theory of change, focus on building and
strengthening partnerships to reduce the vice and cult in the Teso Sub-Region
and Uganda at large.
We will promote Risk factors locally here in the Teso
Sub-Region (Early Aggressive Behaviour, lack of Parental Supervision/Family
Bonding between Parents and Children, Substance Abuse, Drug Availability and
Poverty!) us being among the key drivers of drug promoters rather than
preventers.
Visibility:
The
Information about Drug and Alcohol use among young people will be published on
SAF-Teso web-sites, newsletters, media releases, videos, feedback surveys. I
plan to make tours  and outreaches  to the following Human Rights and  Democracy Organisations; Centre for Constitutional Rights,
Citizens Justice Association, Rights,
Office, United Nations Security Council,  United Nations Human Rights Council,
United Nations Commission on Human
Rights
 ,International Criminal Court, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the
Media
, UNESCO,
United Nations Parliamentary Assembly
about the current Situation in Uganda today particularly in the Teso Sub-Region
which has got engulfed in Drug and Alcohol abuse, many people ,youth and
Children are consuming these illicit substances’ and chemicals as a result of
Poverty, unemployment among youth and low incomes among many grassroot
communities .
Yes,
SAF-Teso being a Human Rights Advocacy Organisation, will continue with it is
core objective of increasing net working systems in the fight against drug
abuse in the region and country at large, promoting civic education in the
community and schools about dangers of illicit drugs consumption among youth,
children and even among the adults, Increase radio talk shows and community
leaders’ engagement on the fight against drug abuse.
SAF-Teso will empower
the large segments of the grassroot and urban communities’, increase net
working with schools and information sharing, design, print and publish
information education materials (posters, spot messages, Radio Jingles and
Drama series).
SAF-Teso will hold
quarterly consultative meetings with various stakeholders, hold sub-regional,
regional and national campaigns on alcohol and drug Prevention, hold quarterly
mass media campaigns to prevent illicit drug use among the youth and children,
SAF-Teso will conduct monthly Community Awareness/Mobilization.
SAF-Teso will lead campaign to become a model
organisation in the entire country to develop a Communication
Centre/Platform   and a hub for
Developing and disseminating information through forming community networks,
and alliances within and out of the region
SAF-Teso will lead Public Advocacy campaigns’
with relevant stake holders such as the security and community representatives
to improve the adjudication of cases related to illicit drug consumption.
SAF-Teso will submit requests and proposals to secure funding to be able to
participate in world forums against drug abuse and other events aimed at
curbing drug abuse.
SAF-Teso will use available
locally generated resources and secured grants to hold mass community civic
education campaigns on the health effects of drug abuse and measures to curb
the vice. SAF-Teso will train and increase the capacity of the security organs,
community leaders and the business community to reduce the habit of drug abuse
and investigate on the source and suppliers to vulnerable children and the
youth. Engage the victims in rehabilitation process and introduction of
entrepreneurship programs as an immediate solution to the victims. Alternative
to violence approach will also be used to bring the ardent/addicted youth.
SAF-Teso will  organise and conduct so many  skills based 
conferences , Seminars, trainings and workshops  in 
Alcohol and Drug Prevention, Democracy and Social Accountability and
Transparency and Human Rights Promotion 
among the different stakeholders i.e. parents, boys, girls, schools,
communities, duty bearers like the LCs, Police, Judiciary and any other law
enforcement officers in preventing, GBV/DV, sexual violence and Child abuse and
Neglect.
SAF-Teso in all her work plans
and budgets will incorporate Drug and alcohol Prevention in, similarly, we will
engage local Governments (Parishes and Sub-Counties to incorporate Drug and
Alcohol Prevention programmes in their quarterly and annual work plans and
Budgets. SAF-Teso will help to empower grassroot women and girls to demand for
their right to protection against human rights abuse
Through this project, the
knowledge and skills learnt for  will be used for improving the coordination and effectiveness with partners
fighting against drug abuse in the country and the region, Educating parents
and other care givers, teachers, coaches, clergy, health professionals, and
business and community leaders to help youth reject illegal drugs and underage
alcohol and tobacco use, Creating partnerships with the media, entertainment
industry, and professional sports organizations to avoid the glamorization,
condoning, or normalization of illegal drugs and the use of alcohol and tobacco
by youth, Advocating and promote community by-laws and policies against use of
drugs by the youth in school, workplace, and community, Encouraging and assist
the development of community coalitions and programs in preventing drug abuse
and underage alcohol and tobacco use, Pursuing 
a vigorous advertising and public communications program dealing with
the dangers of illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use by youth.
Partnership
and Participation.
SAF-Teso
will strengthen community based organizations, schools clubs, women leaders,
youth associations, children’s clubs, local resident staffs, local leaders, the
police, teachers and all stakeholders at local, national, regional and
International levels to prevent, Don’t Promote Initiatives.
Many
developing countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa, such as Uganda, are
faced with icebergs of pervasive and plaques of young people consuming illicit
drugs and alcohol and in Teso many have been abandoned and such children are
sleeping in the streets of town and all upcoming urban centres
They
call them Street Children and they spend all their life consuming illicit  drugs and alcohol, they are faced with hunger,
high disease burdens, extreme  and
crippling  poverty, poor hygiene and
healthy practices, social exclusion, systemic deprivation, unemployment, severe
malnutrition, inadequate skills.
The
Local Governments in Uganda are faced with a strand of weaknesses to design an
appropriate Projects /Programs and poverty reduction strategies and these has
contributed many children and young people to consume Illicit Drugs . All the
above have curtailed the development of empowerment programs to rehabilitate
the young people in the Teso Sub-region in Uganda at large.
It’s my
strong desire that for the realization of sustainable Prevention and
Empowerment programs targeting young people, Illicit Consumption of Drugs and
Alcohol by Young People and Children globally should be treated as “extremism”, “terrorism” and must be
fought and condemned by all.
To spur
this crusade to ensure an end to illicit use of drugs and alcohol in young
people and children, we must all blossom and engage young people and children
in economic growth, small scale farming, micro-credit services, and
entrepreneurship and skills development projects and programs and all Must Act to end Child abuse and Neglect
because this exposes and forces them to commit horrendous acts to survive, they
become “brainwashed and
indoctrinated
.
As a
Human Rights Defender Teso Sub-Region, Social Worker, Social Activists,
National Trainer of Trainees for Democracy and Good Governance and National
Trainer for VAS+D Supplements, also working in Serere District Local Government
as a Senior Assistant Secretary/Sub-County Chief Atiira Lower Local Government
and representing SAF-Teso, a member of WFAD ,I will be able to continue with
Public Advocacy Campaigns ,runs and jogs with different stakeholders  and partnerships with local governments   to draw bi-laws and ordnances   for illicit drug and alcohol prevention .
Through
SAF-Teso Human Rights and Social Justice Programs , we  will be able to train and   mentor Youth, women and   local citizenry to be effective advocates,
Human Rights Defenders, change agents, peace brigades, Community Barometers,
whistle blowers , amplifiers, and monitors of 
Drug ,Alcohol  and Substance abuse
,SAF-Teso  will  involve various stakeholders ,grassroot
CSOs  for widening Space  for ending 
drug and alcohol consumption among young people ,d
ifferent Communication strategies, Drug education
/Public Advocacy  will be used
disseminate and reach wide segments of the society.
SAF-Teso will continue supporting, strengthening
and empowering grassroot CSOs and young people to stop taking illicit drugs and
alcohol because these are a threat to their lives. The situation is worse for
children and a majority of households in the Teso Sub-Region are living in
extreme poverty and all these are abuses linked to the social norms and
inequalities as drivers!  There are
several factors which continue to hinder effective implementation of laws and
policies to promote alcohol and drug prevention among them are; inadequate resources,
low capacity and motivation of duty bearers (police, judiciary and Civil
Society Organizations) on preventing and responding to child abuse, child
marriage, early pregnancies violence against women and children.
At the
community levels at the grass roots, there are weak systematic reporting and
referral mechanisms which means children, caregivers and communities might be
reluctant to report incidents that happen There is limited awareness among
children, community members and even duty bearers on children’s rights,
their roles in child protection as well as on the negative impacts of
child marriage, and early pregnancy. 
In regard to teen pregnancies and reproductive health rights, there are
access and utilisation challenges for young people.
There is therefore need for an
integrated project to stop child sexual abuse by all stakeholders for an
effective collective voice to address gaps in prevention, promotion and
prosecution related intervention strategies. The Research and baseline
data records have shown that Domestic Violence, Gender Based Violence and
Sexual Violence on women and children are major drivers contributing too many
young people today in the Teso taking illicit Drugs and alcohol. Secondly young
people are engaged in chronic drug and alcohol consumption because of the Poverty
and unemployment.
SAF-Teso will publish and promote  the information for the prevention campaigns,
using the various Communication tools, Research  and outreach, publications of
information on print  and Social
Networks, Supporting Youth and Women driven-Citizens’ Forums of drug and
alcohol consumption prevention  campaigns
,Community Barazas, debates, Dialogues, Civic Education, trainings, Media and
Public Advocacy, organizing Local events, workshops, and conferences ,  Networking and provision of materials and
knowledge for skills in areas of demand-side driven  Drug Prevention campaigns .
The
approach of  SAF-Teso for this project
will  eventually lead to engagement of
various actors and Empowerment of Grassroot
CSO’s, Coalitions,
Alliances  and
Community Networks established for 
illicit Drug prevention, Human Rights, Good Governance and Pro-Democracy
Advocacy clubs in the schools to act as models and a stimulus for sustaining
Democracy  in action  and attainment of Sustainable Equitable
Development.
SAF-Teso
Human Rights  and Social Justice
program  will help in forming Community
Networks ,Coalitions and Alliances  for
Empowering  Ordinary Citizens  to Advocate 
and end  Human Rights
Violations  and abuses , illicit alcohol
and drug  use especially among young
people and children, Corruption  and
Extreme  Inequalities  and other forms  of Vices 
tearing  the Fabric  of Service Delivery. Strengthening Grassroot CSOs Coalitions for
Expanding Democratic Governance and Enhancing Multi-stakeholders Advocacy
Engagement for Human Rights Activism”
will be cornerstones for curbing illicit drug use in youth and children.
The
conferences and future tours if given an opportunity will be of benefit to me ,
SAF-Teso, network partners and Uganda as large 
follows: building
partnerships as a cornerstone for cooperation to share values, aims and
policies, Education and  awareness ,
Campaigning and Lobbying for  direct
assistance  to support SAF-Teso  Human Rights and Good Governance  activities, building  knowledge and 
learning , collecting accurate information  about Human Rights and Democracy practices in
the world, strengthen research skills, education, stimulate public information
on international legal frame works, and advocacy  engagements with  global community  and fostering cross cultural  understanding and solidarity  and to inform diverse  audiences on Human Rights issues in Uganda.
These tours will provide
opportunities  for me to share best
practices and deepen relationships with national and regional actors because
I  will engage in case and policy
advocacy, media and press work, and capacity building missions while in the
International Symposiums’
Summary of Partnership Activities:
·        
Social and Public Advocacy
·        
Research, Data Collection, Assessments for  Policy Advocacy
·        
Joint Press production
·        
Linkage Collaboration
·        
After care Service
·        
Human Rights Defending
·        
Public Education Awareness
·        
Proborno /Legal aid services
·        
Trial inspections and Monitoring
·        
Child Rights Protection Advocacy
·        
Referrals
·        
Economic Empowerment Initiatives
·        
Publicity on both Print, Social and Electronic
Media
·        
Net working, Lobbying and Resource Mobilisation
·        
Trainings/Capacity Building /Skills
Enhancement  targeting  universal populations
·        
Conferences ,workshops and International Missions
·        
HIV/AIDS HCT/VCT Services
·        
Community outreaches
·        
Peer Education;
·        
Vocational Skills Education
Sponsorships/Bursaries/Sponsorships
·        
Treatment, Rehabilitation, Recovery and Social
Integration
·        
Health Education/Mental and Reproductive Health
Education
·        
Talent/Art and Skills Development among young
people and Children
·        
International Volunteer Placement and Cooperation
·        
Ministry/In church Ministry Outreaches
Project
Title:  “Gender Equality, Culture
Promotion, Advocacy and Human Rights Education Project for Ending Violence
against Women and Children.”
Summary of
the Project:
This project is about Promoting Human Rights
Education, Gender Equality, Culture Promotion, Advocacy and Legal Redress to
end Violence against women and Children in Kadungulu Sub-County Serere District.
The project will involve training different participants mainly women as Human
Rights Defenders,  a conference, a 4
days’ workshop and event public galas and campaigns, rallies and Music
festivals, Human Rights Education and Advocacy Community Barazas as means of
passing and disseminating Human Rights Information to end rampant and
overwhelming cases of Gender based Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual violence
,child abuse and neglect received and recorded daily  in the Sub-County, over 20 cases of Human
rights Violations and abuses are logged daily largely because men live
polygamous lives, use incomes from landing sites/fishing activities as a means
and a hub for Commercial sex trade and in the end they abandon their official
wives , many women are killed and children are abandoned.
This partly is attributed to negligence by most
Men because they spend time fishing and when they return home; they move to
drink and abandon their children together with their mothers, this exacerbates
HIV/AIDS transmission.
Beneficiaries
of the Project
Sexually abused women
and children, children and women as victims of Gender Based Violence, Domestic
Violence and Girls who drop out of school as a result of early pregnancies.
“Violence against Women
and Children is
violation of the right to life, liberty and personal safety.
The project intends to
benefit a total of 500 in school girls and 1000 out of school girls and over
15,000 women and 5,000 men with SRHR and Child care services by the end of the
project within one year of implementation.
Principal
Goals and major impacts of the Project and how they are measured.
This
project   focuses on four main result
areas of; 
1. Attainment of
increased Human rights Education to promote Human rights and Social Justice
2. Increased knowledge
about Human Rights Education and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights;
3. Adoption of legal and
Justice Systems to end endemic and exothermic forms of Domestic Violence,
Sexual Violence, Early Pregnancies, early school drop outs and Social
Inequalities and Gender Inequalities;
4. Gender Inclusive
Rights Based Approach (GI-RBA) adopted and integrated to mitigate the current
overwhelming cases related to HIV/AIDS prevalence, Gender based violence,
Domestic violence, early child pregnancies, child abuse and neglect, sexual
violence on women and children, early school dropout rates among young people
(boys and girls) in Kadungulu Sub-County associated to the presence of landing
sites which are a hub for Commercial sex Trade and fishing activities.
What
are the contents of your education programmes?
Social and Public Advocacy, Women Activism,
Human Rights, Good Governance and Democracy Promotion, Health Education, Human
Rights Education, Gender Equality, Women and Leadership, Women’s empowerment, Sustainable
Development Goals(SDGs),  Hygiene and
Sanitation, Family planning, HIV/AIDS, Human Rights Violations and
abuses-Domestic violence, Gender Based Violence, Women and Power, Gender
Mainstreaming.

Do you cooperate with local authorities and
institutions? If yes, how?
Partner
Organisations:
Within Uganda we have established partnerships
with local and national organisations in order to link our projects to create a
more effective service to our communities. We are interested in building new
partnerships here in Uganda and also internationally in order to form strong
alliances, enabling us to learn from each other and develop our individual
approaches to make positive changes to both organisations. We particularly seek
support in the areas of funding, training opportunities, lobbying and advocacy,
fund raising, and our Volunteer Program. We have a separate full list of our
partners.
Networking, Advocacy,
Partnership and Collaboration with Local, National, Regional and International
Development Partners
SAF-Teso Local and
International Partners
·        
World
Federation Against Drugs(WFAD) for illicit drug prevention among teenagers
& children
·        
Vitamins
Angels USA for VAS+D Supplements’
·        
Starkey
Hearing Foundation USA- for Hearing Devices for the visually impaired persons
·        
UMCOR
HEALTH  for HIV/AIDS  Prevention;
·        
Uganda
UK Health Alliance (UUKHA) for Governance and Leadership Training, improving
health service delivery
·        
National
Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda(NCHRDU) for Human Rights Defenders
protectionism and safety programmes
·        
Uganda
Community Based Health Financing Association( UCBHFA)  for Health Insurance Schemes
·        
   The Human
Rights Centre Uganda(HRCU) for Human Rights Defenders Protection
  •  UN-Office
    of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for Human Rights promotion
·        
Uganda Human Rights Commission Soroti Regional Office
for Human Rights promotion
·        
International
Volunteers from Europe,Canada,Africa, Asia ,Caribbean, & USA for
International Volunteer Placement
·        
NGO
Market Place  for CSOs  promotion
·        
Delegation
of the European Union  to the Republic of
Uganda –Democracy and Human Rights Initiatives
SAF-Teso Partnership for Democracy Programs:
SAF-Teso will
partner with the local, regional, national and international Human Rights and
Democracy based Organisations and agencies at all levels which fosters the
development of democratic culture through innovation change processes socio
-political and economic level. SAF-Teso will work  to help generate more citizenship, encourage
and promote local actors in the territory towards sustainable local
development, in the framework of strengthening the democratic process and to
work in sectors such as promotion and local development, business development,
education, training human resources, governance and support for strengthening
the democratic rule of law.
This project
will highlight four things.  How to get involved in the “fight for
democratization” secondly, How to promote good governance and anti-corruption
efforts in Local Governments systems in Uganda. Thirdly, what “We, the People”
can do to improve Uganda’s position in the fight for democratic good
governance.  And fourthly, to examine the role of civil society organizations
such as the media and the various non-governmental organizations in mobilizing
us effectively for this fight.