With Orphans and other vulnerable children and youth:

 The first case of HIV AIDS death in Namasagali sub -county was reported in 1990. Since then orphans and other vulnerable children produced by AIDS related death and other cases of death from natural ailments have continued to cause a general increase in the number of OVCs. The children in this area who are orphaned have become vulnerable to a host of dangers. Since the guardians can not provide everything  that they need these orphans have to look for ways of supporting themselves and their siblings by offering labour to cut sugarcane in plantations, fishing in River Nile and swamps in the area, charcoal burning and gambling.  For the orphaned girls their only alternative is to marry at early age while others move to towns to work as house helps. Hope for the Rural Child Foundation Namasagali believes that every child deserves the opportunity to live a descent and meaningful life and there is nothing more life changing than providing vulnerable children with education. As regards our support to the education of this category of children and youth we are currently implementing the following projects;

  ON-GOING PROGRAMS:

• Education Sponsorship for Orphans, disabled Children and Youth, Teenage Mothers and other Disadvantaged Children and Youth.
  Through education Hope for the Rural Child Foundation is striving to secure the future for orphans and other needy children and youth in Namasagali sub-county. Though the government introduced the Universal Primary Education and Universal Secondary Education which were intended to provide free education it is not free. The schools implementing these programs still charge fees disguised as building fund, examination fees, lunch fees and others. Infact the fees being charged are even more than what was previously charged before the introduction of these programs and therefore children from disadvantaged backgrounds are still being left out. Therefore we are currently implementing a program that has enabled us to support the education of some of the neediest orphans and other categories of disadvantaged children and youth at both primary and secondary level.
  
  We provide full education sponsorship to orphans, disabled children, teenage mothers and other children from needy families. The beneficiaries of our secondary education sponsorship program study at Namasagali Intergrated Secondary School a school established to support the education of orphans and other children and youth in Namasagali sub -county.  We pay their fees and provide them with other scholaristic needs like books and uniforms. Currently we have 16 in primary and 28 in secondary who have benefited from this program.  This year 2022 we are currently identifying more beneficiaries to reach our target of 60 in primary and 70 in secondary.
  
  Our sponsored children do not only receive free education but also get career guidance and other life skills essential as they move to the future.

PROPOSED PROGRAMS/ PROJECTS

With Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children and Youth

• Livelihood Improvement Project for School Going Youth:
  This is one of our planned interventions for rural children and youth in Namasagali sub county. Under this project needy school going youth shall be trained in skills like vegetable growing, brick laying, goat rearing, poultry keeping, agri- business and other profitable enterprises which they can do after school hours, on weekends and in holidays such that they can support themselves in terms of school fees and other requirements.

• Informal Skills Training for Needy Children and Youth
  In Uganda where unemployment is a huge problem a project of this nature aimed at equipping needy children and youth with informal skills is a big step towards creating a society that is productive. Under this project the beneficiaries shall be trained in short informal courses that suit a child/youth in a rural setting and whose skills are highly demanded.  We have identified bicycle repair, soap making, carpentry and tailoring as being ideal for needy children and youth in a rural setting.
• Support to Needy Students to Join Tertiary Institutions
  In Namasagali sub -county only about 0.2% of the youth who complete Ordinary and Advanced Level education and have passed are able to enroll for education in tertiary institutions. We therefore lobby for bursaries and scholarships for these needy students to enable them join universities and other tertiary institutions.