415,688 youth reached with HIV prevention messages

"I used to sell myself in order to get money to buy food as in the camp we did not have any means of getting food. Through selling myself, my family could get something to eat. [The program] helped me to know more about HIV/AIDS and behavioral change. Also through support, I am now engaged in my own small food business in the market and this helps to keep me busy. Through this work I am able to support my baby and family." Quote from project participant: Apac District.

"We are all orphans due to AIDS. Our Club was formed to help fight stigma. The name of our group, The Good Samaritan, wants to portray the strength of resilience in discovering healing through helping others. We don't want to be referred to as 'orphans' because we want to reduce our vulnerability to stigma and exploitation." Quote from out of school Youth Leader: Luwero District.

The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) is keeping the promise to 'stop AIDS.'

In partnership with 23 civil society organizations in 54 districts, the Ministry set a target to reach 300,000 youth with HIV prevention interventions. In the past year, with financial and technical support from the CORE Initiative project, the partnership reached 415,688 young people with HIV prevention interventions promoting abstinence, faithfulness, and behaviour change and trained over 6,300 youth outreach providers.

The purpose of the CORE Initiative project is to create partnerships between government and civil society that can respond to the needs of orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC), youth, households, and communities in the fight against poverty and HIV/AIDS. Examples of the HIV prevention activities implemented in this public-private partnership include dissemination of information on HIV and AIDS (pictured top left, community drama in Rukungiri District); and life skills training for youth (pictured below left, youth training session in Tororo District). Through these and many other activities, civil society organizations are providing messages the promote abstinence, faithfulness, and behaviour change to reduce the risks of acquiring HIV.

Explains Permanent Secretary David O.O. Obong, "HIV programs for youth are intended to ensure the protection, development and promotion of the potential of young people in Uganda. The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, having a mandate for the youth, is taking a lead role in promoting programs on abstinence and behaviour change among young people."

Since the establishment of the CORE Initiative project, MGLSD has issued five calls for funding applications. Two of them have focused on HIV prevention among youth, and following rigorous reviews of grantee applications, have resulted in 23 awarded grants valued at Ugsh 3,445,494,024 to support local initiatives for HIV prevention. Two others have focused on expanding and improving services for OVC under the National Strategic Programme Plan of Interventions for OVC, and have resulted in 24 grants totaling Ugsh 4,892,466,071 for OVC Service Provision. The fifth, released recently, will help MGLSD establish zonal OVC technical services organizations and expanded OVC services in the North. Upcoming solicitations will focus on expanding HIV prevention efforts in post-secondary educational institutions, strengthening networks for Pediatric AIDS cases, and continued support for HIV prevention among youth, and OVC services.

* Support for the CORE Initiative is provided by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).