Uganda ANNUAL REPORT 2010
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Remarks from the Country Director Where better to start a review of 2010, than with the prospects for the future. The situation in the areas where War Child Holland works has, and will continue to, rapidly change. The era of camps and resettlement is largely over and people are looking forward to a life full of developments. Children and young people in Acholi, Lango and Abim have different needs now and War Child Holland wants to grow with those once affected by war in the past. In 2010 activities started in Abim (Karamoja). We foresee activities increasingly for youth. Also the ‘classical’ themes of War Child Holland (psychosocial support, child protection and education) will be challenged with activities more aimed at economic opportunity creation and how ICT-tools can be used to reach more young people and better. This so called ‘Conn@ct.Now’ project in Abim, Lango and Pader starts in 2011 for a period of 5 years. Youth and economic opportunities are also the crosscutting theme for three other projects initiated in 2010. ‘Building Skills: Changing Futures’, a project developed and implemented with four partner organisations aimed at improving economic prospects for youth over a period of three years. And ‘Move Forward’, a pilot project aimed at informed decision making, work safety and opportunity creation for vulnerable young women. Lastly, ‘Sports for Social Inclusion”, a project for children and young people with disabilities. 2010 was the final year of the ‘Lets Deal With It’ programmes of the past three years. Programmes that were positively evaluated and many of the activities, often in slightly adjusted forms, will continue in 2011 and beyond. These are ‘Learning for Life’ with more emphasis on ICT and economic opportunity creation. And, after a slight break, ‘Keeping Children Safe and Alive’, a continuation of extensive Child Protection services in close collaboration with our partners War Child Canada and War Child UK. I take this opportunity to express thanks to all supporters of War Child Holland, both in Uganda as well as abroad. Your support in the form of financial contribution or by means of facilitating the work is greatly appreciated. Together with my colleagues, the hard working staff members of War Child in Uganda, we look forward to continue to provide meaningful and relevant services in the period to come. The challenges that are ahead of us, both in implementing the projects as well as the further professionalization of the organisation will bring a better future for all children and young people in Uganda. A special thanks goes to former Country Director Froukje Zwaga, who has initiated and led the War Child Holland programme in Uganda since its inception and who has now moved on to become the Director of Programmes of War Child Holland in Amsterdam. Let us hope one day in the foreseeable future War Child Holland will also move on, as Uganda develops and no longer requires the presence of the organisation any more, enabling us to think about re-allocating our resources to other troubled countries or regions. Frido Herinckx Country Director War Child Holland Uganda
‘Together with my colleagues, the hard working staff members of War Child in Uganda, we look forward to continue to provide meaningful and relevant services in the period to come.’
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Contents page 02 page 07 page 07 page 08 page 10 page 16 page 20 page 20 page 20 page 22 page 23 page 23 page 23
Remarks from our Country Director About War Child Holland War Child Holland in Uganda Our approach Programmes in 2010 New programmes in 2010 Financial report Overview of beneficaries Donors Partners Organisational Highlights Evaluations and Programme Closure Looking Ahead
Contact Information: War Child Holland in Uganda Ring Road, Plot 6, Muyenga Bukasa P.O. Box 21912, Kampala, Uganda Tel: +256-31-2266201 Email : kampala.office@warchild.nl Website : www.warchildholland.org This brochure was produced by: Text : War Child Holland staff and Elise van der Neut Design & lay-out : Freevista Uganda Ltd., Masaka (www.freevista.ug) Printing : GraphiConsult Ltd., Kampala, Uganda Photo’s : Folkert Rinkema, Freevista Uganda Ltd.
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About War Child Holland War Child Holland (WCH) is an independent and impartial, international non-governmental organisation investing in a peaceful future for children and young people affected by armed conflict. War Child Holland empowers children and young people while enabling adults to bring about positive and lasting changes in their lives. We support children regardless of their religious, ethnic or social backgrounds or gender. Mission statement We believe no child should be part of war. Ever. Children have the right to grow up in peace, free from fear and violence. To develop their full potential and become the person they want to be. War Child makes a lasting impact. By protecting children from violence and offering psychosocial support and education. We unleash the children’s inner strength with our creative and involving approach. And inspire as many people as we can to participate in our cause. Together we can change the future.
Organisation – War Child Holland in Uganda War Child Holland started its activities in Northern Uganda in 2004 and is presently active in Pader, Agago, Lira, Alebtong, Otuke, Kitgum, Laamwo, Amuru, Nwoaya and Gulu Districts, and started working in Abim in the Karamoja sub region in 2010. War Child Holland programmes focus on: Psychosocial Support, Child Protection and Education for children and young people. War Child Holland in Uganda is funded by the main office in Amsterdam and by various colleague organisations around the world. In 2010 our team in Uganda counted an enthusiastic group of in total 85 professionals. During our “Share for better care” meetings, our programmes staff are able to exchanges experiences, share challenges and find solutions to these challenges. Through these meetings we strive to improve staff capacity and quality of implementation.
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Our approach War Child Holland takes a positive approach towards children and young people affected by armed conflict, by focusing on their strengths. We see children as survivors, not as victims. Many children have the ability and skills to shape their’ lives and to cope with adversity, even when they have experienced armed conflict. Psychosocial support War Child Holland’s psychosocial programme in Uganda is theme-based in creative life skill training for various target groups. The life skills training, including training in communication, interaction and dealing with emotions, enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. The DEALS methodology is being used to focus on the specific needs per group. In the DEALS training the life skills of children and youth get stimulated in a series of workshops. The training also focuses on strengthening of their psychosocial well being through a series of modules about emotions, conflict and peace, relations with peers and adults, and the future. Parallel to the I DEAL training, which is specifically for children, War Child Holland runs a parents DEAL group for caregivers of I DEAL participants. In this training the caregivers discuss themes such as child development and conflict resolution. The BIG DEAL method focuses on the particular concern of adolescents and young adults, such as gender relations, rights and responsibilities and leadership skills as well as the topics in I DEAL. To train and support teachers in dealing with difficulties they find in their work we created the TEACHER DEAL. For young women and young mothers War Child Holland uses the SHE DEALS. In these sessions the following topics are discussed: parenting skills, child development, relations with peers and men. But there is also coaching for livelihood skills, such as vocational training, which provide these young women the means to create economic support. Children and youth with behavioural problems resulting from difficult experiences or living conditions and with higher risk of school dropout are specifically selected. Community Based Child Protection War Child Holland focuses on strengthening Sub County based child protection structures such as Child Protection Committees (CPCs) through preventing and responding to child protection issues, creating awareness within communities on the importance of child protection, and management of individual child protection cases through social workers based at sub county level. We work in close partnership with local government (probation and community services), police, health services and other Non Governmental Organisations. All of these institutes have a role in protecting children and it is of great importance for the children that they act in cases of abuse. War Childs social workers coach the CPC members where needed, in handling cases. The CPCs in Northern Uganda report that more children now go to school because child labour cases are being acted upon by the CPCs and there is more awareness amongst the parents. In order to make schools safer and friendlier places for children, Children’s Rights Clubs (CRC) are set up in schools. The children are trained and guided as peer-to-peer trainers in relation to child rights and protection issues. They inform and support their peers in a school environment. War child Holland supports the clubs in undertaking activities. Through the activities, more awareness about child rights is being raised within the community. Education War Child Holland considers access to quality education a fundamental right for all children, especially in post conflict areas, as Northern Uganda, as defined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It offers a protective environment and it provides support to children and young people in their psychosocial development, strengthening their constructive coping skills and developing their potential as decision makers, change agents and contributors to their communities’ development. Our experience in Northern Uganda shows that child participation and awareness-raising in communities have a positive impact on school enrolment and retention. We involve teachers in creative, interactive and child friendly teaching methodologies.
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A teacher in Gulu: ‘Even the most distracted children are now better able to handle and are more actively involved, during classes.’
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Programmes in 2010 Lets deal with it – Financed by War Child Holland “Let’s deal with it” is a three year programme that ended in December 2010. Its goal was to contribute to the well-being of children and youth in Kitgum, Pader, Gulu, Amuru and Lira districts. Alongside the children and youth there were also the following target groups involved; parents, teachers, child protection structures, community peace workers and district and local officials. This programme has been evaluated by an external evaluator, revealing the following outcomes and lessons learned: • Through the education campaigns, games and sports, children’s rights clubs and girls’ education, the school enrolment of both boys and girls increased. • Due to the strong relationship with district and local officials the impact of the programme, its sustainability and ownership was enhanced. • War Child’s I DEAL methodology proved to be a unique and powerful tool for children to cope with life after conflict. • Child Protection Committees were better able to prevent child abuse and to raise awareness in the communities. • Community peace workers, sports for peace and cultural groups strengthened traditional mechanisms for resolving conflicts. • Policy makers at the district and sub-county levels are aware of Child Rights but translation into policies and action was limited. War Child Holland will look to use International Child Rights days as platforms for child led activities and advocacy activities rather than one off celebrations, to create more awareness on this subject.
Stephen, 8 years, Gulu: ‘I now go to school every day with my friends.’
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Programmes in 2010 Learning for Life – Funded by Oxfam-Novib The goal of Learning for Life is to improve access to quality education, both formal and non-formal, for children, youth, parents and teachers in and out of school. The programme is funded by OxfamNovib and will continue in 2011. An evaluation performed by War Child Holland revealed that access to education for illiterate parents and child mothers has increased. Also, the capacity of teachers to deliver quality lessons has been enhanced. We made use of the TEACHER DEAL to train and support the teachers in dealing with the difficulties they find in their work. Teacher DEALs were conducted in 15 schools. Teacher’s interaction and communication with parents and pupils has improved. They were encouraged to see teaching not as a last resort, but as a noble profession. One of the teachers said she has more interest in her work now and she can see the result of the training. She has more knowledge in how to handle and interact with the children. In Gulu a pilot with ICT mobile boxes was carried out with beneficiaries of partners ECHO BRAVO! and LABE. The ICT mobile boxes contain a series of electronic devices such as a laptop and a mobile phone. The boxes are being used to introduce beneficiaries to the use of technical equipment. The equipment in the boxes has been used by adult literacy classes to record their stories and to develop articles for a children’s magazine. Under the Learning for Life programme parents meet bi-weekly for literacy classes and a literacy hour with their children. The aim for the parents is to acquire literacy, numeracy and parenting skills to help them to assist their children both in school and at home. The training also creates awareness of the value and importance of education. Next to the literacy classes, the programme has special attention for young mothers as they are a vulnerable and stigmatized group. Through the SHE DEALs the young mothers have improved not only their parenting skills, but have more love for their children. The participants realized that by working together they can make better choices, generate money and avoid risky behaviour. The SHE DEALs were praised by the councillor of Children’s Affairs and she hoped it would extend to other areas. The other outcomes of this programme are the following: • There is increased understanding of the reason for mother tongue education and the reason for using thematic approach in teaching emphasis on Child Rights; • IDEAL parents said they find it easier to talk to their children and solve issues together. Children report increased confidence and self esteem; • After completing BIG and SHE DEALs the young adults were trained by partner RENU on how to set up village savings and loans scheme; • Partner organisations indicate that young adults who have participated in DEALs are easy to approach, communicate with, work together and are able to make decisions; • Five catch up education centres were established by partner ECHO BRAVO!. A day crèche for children has helped mothers to attend and concentrate in the lessons. The babies are provided with basic care facilities and feeding; • 86% of the registered Catch-up-Education (CEP) learners sat for their Primary Level Examination (PLE).
Robert, 10 years, Amuru District: ‘Me and my father talk about school now almost every day.’
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Programmes in 2010 Sports for Social Inclusion – Funded by International Olympic Committee Sports for Social Inclusion is a one year project in Gulu and Lira districts, funded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The overall objective of this programme is to help children and young people with disabilities in Northern Uganda realize that they have a right to play and engage in recreational activities. To ensure the appropriate sporting facilities and equipment for children and youth with disabilities are available, War Child Holland (WCH), with the support of PLAYABLE (an organisation specializing in sports for people with disabilities), identified the equipment that is needed. We also created awareness within the community concerning children and young people with disabilities in Gulu and Lira. Information is now available in those districts and we advocate for further support. War Child Holland supported the Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) in the renovation of the existing basket ball court so that children and young people with disabilities can use the space for play and relaxation. Four special needs teachers from two schools in Gulu were supported to attend a training programme aimed at adapting sports for children with disabilities. In both Gulu and Lira districts children and young people are now participating in tournaments, events and leagues at District level, between Districts and at national level. In six schools in Gulu special themed matches were held that highlighted HIV/AIDS, gender conflicts, school attendance and completion, and resolving conflicts. Also we supported Lira District Disability Department towards this year’s National Games and Sports competition for the blind. In December children with disabilities participated in the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The children presented their quest for recognition and inclusion in sportive activities. They also stated the need for creating awareness in the community on the rights and protection for persons with a disability. We will continue this programme in 2011 and hopes to see more children with disabilities partake in sports because it is so good to see children be children again and to see them having fun, not feeling left out for a change.
Geoffrey, 9 years, Gulu: ‘I can now play basketball myself and don’t have to sit and watch the other children play anymore.’
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New Programmes in 2010 Move Forward – Funded by SOA/AIDS The aim of this project is to provide young women and girls exposed to the commercial sex industry with information, tools and opportunities that enable them to make more informed decisions about their own lives, rather than specifically trying to get them out of the trade. The Move Forward project, funded by SOA/AIDS, started in Gulu town and was very well received. Vulnerable young women, exposed or involved in commercial sex work, are supported with the SHE DEALs training, specially adapted for their issues. The training consists of discussions and topics that are specifically relevant to these young women. There is training about the risks involved with hygiene, work safety, protection issues, family planning, vocational trainings and what referral option they can access when seeking counselling, health care and other basic social services. Next to the SHE DEALs for the young women the associated Caregiver DEAL packages were created. The aim of the Caregiver DEAL package is offer skills and knowledge that will not only impact and support the lives of the young women but also their own lives and the lives of those around them. Caregivers play a vital role of encouraging and keeping the groups together. There is increased interaction between the girls and their caregivers. Two groups of caregivers and young women were trained about group saving’s by partner RESPOND RENU. Since the training the groups have saved up a substantial amount in six months, which they can use as additional income. In Gulu town an information centre has been opened. The centre is a safe place for young women to access information about services available to them, like health care, and share information and experiences. Daily there is an average of 15 young women attending. War Child staff and the counsellor at the information centre identified topics for discussion, such as family planning, and invited specialists during open days. War Child Holland has set up a database of service providers and referral networks for the young women. It has proved to be successful as it is very simple and easy to use. A theme-based resource guide includes health, education, livelihoods and psychosocial information. The use of the database at the information centre is greatly helping in referrals and ensuring that the young women are aware of the service providers. Now they can access them without being accompanied. The agencies in the database are supporting the young women to access their services. Forty nine young women in the project have been referred to the Gulu Youth Development Association (GYDA). GYDA gives training in vocational skills which include hand crafts and hair dressing. One young woman said, “I can not believe that I am the one going to school now and holding pen, sitting in the class, this must be a miracle. At the closing event for one of the group’s testimonies of the young women demonstrated increased pro-social behaviour and self-esteem among the young women. “The training helped me in keeping my child because now if I don’t find somebody to leave my child with, I do not go to work that night, and I now regard my child as a king”. Another girl commented “At the beginning of the training I did not value it but later when I was taken by a soldier who locked me up in his room for sex without pay, it was my friends in the group who helped me out.”
Agnes, 17 years, Gulu: ‘Since the training my life has changed, I now want to reach out to help other young girls.’
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New Programmes in 2010 Two new programmes started at the end of the year. ‘Building skills; Changing Futures’ and ‘Keeping children Safe & Alive’.
Building Skills; Changing Futures – Funded by the European Commission The programme Building Skills; Changing Futures is funded by the European Commission and its goal is to expose youth to a variety of youth related life- & livelihood skills. This is done through psychosocial support activities in peer groups as well as providing opportunities to endeavour in vocational training, apprenticeships, training on savings and loans and creating economic opportunity and self reliance. War Child Holland works together in this programme with the following partners: ECHO BRAVO!, RENU, Africa Revival and GYDA, permitting 2,880 youths to acquire life& livelihood training and catch up education.
Keeping Children Safe & Alive – Funded by UNICEF The other new programme that started is Keeping Children Safe & Alive. This is a child protection programme funded by UNICEF. Its aim is to provide awareness on child protection, sanitation, nutrition and hygiene. War Child Holland works together in this programme with partners War Child Canada and War Child UK. Our previous Child Protection programme was at Sub County level, where we worked together with formal government structures. For this programme however, we aim at strengthening and building on existing mechanisms within communities, such as Child Protection Committees, to prevent and respond to Child Protection issues. By doing this we strive to make the communities a safe place for the children.
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Financial Report War Child Holland in Uganda has shown a steady growth over the past years. We receive core funding from War Child Head Office in Holland and have been able to secure external funding from a number of institutional donors. In 2010 we also received funding from new donors. The income and expenditures are represented in the tables and graphics below. Overview of total expenditure:
2010
2009
2008
Expenditure
€ 2,210,308
€ 2,185,944
€ 1,844,266
Overview of beneficiaries The table below represents the number of beneficiaries per category. War Child Holland’s primary beneficiaries are children and young people. However, we do not only work with them, but also with their parents, teachers and other community members. The figure in the table represents the total number of direct beneficiaries in three different categories: children, youth and adults. In addition to the direct beneficiaries presented here, an estimated 500.000 children, youth and adults have benefited indirectly from our interventions. 2010
Children/Youth & Adults
Children Adults & Youth
1. Skills enhancement 2. Awareness and sensitization 3. Lobby 4. Capacity building 5. Capacity building of partners 6. Mass media coverage
37,683 85,242 3,842 17,588 0 14,000
Planned vs. actual
11,887 18,041 4,578 8,827 8 1,410
Donors In 2010 War Child Holland in Uganda received funding from the following institutional donors: • European Commission • Oxfam-Novib • UNICEF • IOC (International Olympic Committee) • SOA AIDS Netherlands • Dutch Embassy • Feyenoord (Dutch football club)
98 95 89 138 72 2
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Partners War Child Holland actively engages with people that play an important role in the life of children. Therefore local partners play a very active role in our programmes. In 2010 War Child Holland in Uganda had formal partnership with a total of 8 organisations. ECHO BRAVO! has been our partner in Gulu, Amuru and Pader Districts in the Learning for Life project and the new Building Skills project. Their focus is on catch-up education and vocational training. They provide their services for both formal and non-formal education, educating children and youth on primary level. There are five centres where they work in partnership with War Child Holland. Groups trained by War Child Holland (for example using the I DEAL methodology) are provided with basic equipment, such as mathematical supplies, by ECHO BRAVO! during the education programmes. Also involved in the Learning for Life programme was LABE (Literacy & Adult Basic Education). Focusing on young adult literacy and children they play a vital role in the Learning for Life programme. The main goal in this organisation is to let children and young people work with ICT. The ICT boxes containing electronic equipment are a huge success in the programme. Other examples of the partnership under Learning for Life are the celebration of Mother Tongue Day, stating the importance of schooling in mother tongue and the publication of a Children’s Right magazine: Dwon Lotino (Children’s voice). In various programmes War Child Holland had a partnership with Respond RENU (Restoring Northern Uganda). This local organisation provides small business training and training in ‘income generating’ activities and savings and loans. Respond RENU worked with the groups that went through our life skills training. We engaged in new partnerships with African Revival and GYDA (Gulu Youth Development Association) under the new Building Skills programme. While African Revival focuses on agricultural demonstrations and clubs in schools, the main aim of GYDA is on long term vocational trainings. In coordination with Arts for Children Uganda (ACU) activities are implemented with youth in prisons. Together we publish a child lead magazine about Child Rights. War Child Holland is part of War Child International together with War Child Canada and War Child UK with the same goal. Legally, financially and administratively they remain independent. Under the new UNICEF funded programme ‘Keeping Children Safe and Alive’, War Child Holland has a formal partnership with War Child Canada and War Child UK. Where War Child Holland is the lead agency in this project, War Child Canada uses their legal expertise related to child protection. War Child UK is implementing programme activities in the Pader & Agago districts. By working together with our partners we involve more people and organisations in our programmes. The more support programmes get, the longer the effect of the programme will last.
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Organisational Highlights • • • • • •
The Abim office opened in April and new staff were trained during April and May so activities commenced in June. In Gulu the Cruyff sports court, constructed under supervision of War Child Holland, was officially opened by the Dutch embassy and the Cruyff Foundation.. New programmes were started: Move Forward, Keeping Children Safe & Alive and Building Skills; Changing Futures, Sports for Social Inclusion. And substantial and long term funding for 5 programmes was obtained. New partnerships were formed with African revival, GYDA, War Child Canada and War Child United Kingdom. An extensive process was done to elaborate and develop the strategy for 2011-2014. A first assessment and training was done as the initial steps towards more advocacy activities in all projects.
Evaluations and programme closures Two external evaluations, by experienced independent consultants, have taken place during 2010. The outcomes of the evaluation of the Lets Deal With It programme are presented on page 11. Another external evaluation done is of the Community Based Child Protection and Education programme. This programme was part of the UNICEF project Protecting the Vulnerable. The evaluation gives an outcome of the overall UNICEF programme, not only our programme. Outcomes and lessons learned were: • Programme was instrumental in fostering collaborative efforts among government actors, NGOs and members of community based structures. • More than 50% of child Rights violations reported are identified by Child Protection Committees (CPC), indicating they play a key role in facilitating access to supportive services by children. • Extreme poverty at the household level was identified as the main cause of child vulnerability in the northern region. The programme did not directly address poverty per se and as a result many children are repeatedly exposed to risks and vulnerabilities. • In schools, Child Rights clubs are instrumental in monitoring and reporting cases of child rights violations. Cases of corporal punishment and verbal abuse especially against girls are still high. WCH in cooperation with UNICEF are assessing how to contribute towards solutions.
Looking ahead A new strategy for 2011-2014 is operational from 2011 onwards. It is based on the changing situation in post-war Northern Uganda. War Child Holland will shift their focus more and more to youth who need support to rehabilitate and develop their lives and country. The children who were affected by the war are growing older and will need other forms of support, so War Child Holland wants to grow with them. Child protection and education activities will continue to play a big role in our work, and we will more and more use a community-based approach. Because of the age of the groups we will be working with, the children and youth will have an even stronger participative role in the design and implementation of our programmes. Our themes -psychosocial support, community based child protection and education – will continue to be a big part of our work. The focus however will be more aimed at economic opportunity creation and ICT. We want to use ICT as a media to reach more young people. Supported by the Dutch Government we will start the project “Conn@ct.Now” in Abim, Lango and Pader Districts for a period of 5 years. Conn@ct.Now is designed to reach, support and enable the social activation of children and young people in Northern Uganda to exercise and claim their rights. Cooperation with other (inter)national organisations will remain a key element of War Child Holland’s Strategy. We are actively approaching partners for cooperation.