FACT SHEET: Expanding Services for Youth, Orphans, and Other Vulnerable Children The CORE Initiative Works to Enhance National Response in Uganda

The CORE Initiative for Youth, Orphans, and Other Vulnerable Children (OVC) project is designed to support the efforts of Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) to lead, manage, and coordinate the national response to OVC and HIV prevention among youth.

The project is working to expand targeted HIV/AIDS services for youth and critical services for orphans and other vulnerable children by strengthening partnerships between the Government of Uganda (GOU) and civil society, faith-based organizations (FBOs), and community-based organizations (CBOs).

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development through an Associate Award with the CORE Initiative, this four-year project provides technical assistance to the MGLSD. Technical assistance areas include management, planning, and coordination; monitoring, evaluation, and quality assurance; advocacy and communication; and civil society grants management and funding mechanisms.

Preliminary Results

Since its inception in 2004, the project has achieved success in meeting each of its three objectives:

Strengthening the MGLSD Response: A wide-ranging national and districtlevel capacity assessment was completed and a standardized system for collecting and reporting OVC service delivery data is underway. A system for soliciting, reviewing, and awarding grants is fully operational. In collaboration with stakeholders, the MGLSD developed a core set of OVC indicators to be used for monitoring and evaluating activities for OVC.

Expanding the Availability and Quality of OVC Services: Eight organizations received grants in September 2005 to provide services to nearly 38,000 OVC in 28 districts, train almost 2,000 providers, and implement capacity strengthening activities for 66 CBOs. Sixteen new grants will be awarded in 2006, further expanding these efforts. In order to complement programming support provided by other donors, the OVC grant program has focused on organizations which conduct interventions in districts or program areas not currently supported by other donors.

Expanding the Availability and Quality of AB/Y Programming: Twenty-five organizations received grants to conduct abstinence, faithfulness, and behavior change (AB/Y) interventions with young adults. The programs focus on AB activities for youth, reducing crossgenerational and transactional sex, and support for engaged and newly married couples. Over 40,000 young adults are being reached through these interventions. Mass media campaigns have reached 300,000 youth and 1,270 youth and community outreach providers have participated in training.

As a result of support provided through the Associate Award, MGLSD is managing a civil society grants program which promotes abstinence, faithfulness, and behavior change to further reduce HIV infection among youth. In addition to the financial support provided to grantees, the grants program includes capacity-building support for grant recipients in organizational and technical capacity building. Technical capacity -building efforts focus on improving the availability and quality of services provided through civil society partners, and on the use of appropriate standards, protocols, and guidelines. Organizational capacitybuilding efforts focus on strengthening civil society partner institutions and their capacity to effectively design, implement, manage, evaluate, and sustain their services. Assistance in this area includes strengthening strategic and operational planning skills, management information and reporting systems, monitoring and evaluation support, financial management and administration, and other elements of organizational effectiveness.

Contact Information:
Thomas Fenn, Project Manager
CORE Initiative Uganda
Plot 7 Wampewo Ave, Kololo
Kampala , Uganda
Tel: 011-256-41-345591
Fax: 011-256-41-345602
Email: thfenn@iwayafrica.com

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