Achievements of UYAP

United Youth Action for Progress (UYAP) from its inception has achieved in bringing a smile though on a few faces of the multitude of those entangled in the war situation in the Northern Uganda.

Ebola

From 2000 before its official registration, in 2003, UYAP members participated in the war against Ebola epidemic disease that killed hundreds of Acholi people as response team. Their work mainly included sensitization.

HIV/AIDS

Besides, UYAP participated on several occasions on HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns in camps of Displaced persons and occasionally providing free medication for common diseases for the camp dwellers.

Te-Okono
Early in 2004, UYAP through the support of Ardhina Na Upepo, and Kudho Iwao Memorial Fund, constructed a center- Te Okono that now houses more than 350 night commuting children who had no shelter to sleep in but suffered in the chilling cold, with no blankets and sleeping requirements like mats.
Te-Okono center provides psychosocial support and counseling services to these children. Follow-up of these children is done periodically. Academic materials are availed to them and the kids are educated on creative Art and traditional norms.
Under this, UYAP has radio programs in Mega FM in Gulu on different topics included village education, child soldier’s reintegration to communities etc.


Expert trainers

UYAP has been providing and still provides experts who serve as resource persons in the fields of conflict Resolution, Management and conflict transformation.
Besides, Negotiation skills are also taught through Trainers of trainers. In 2006, UYAP experts facilitated in the training to Night commuter’s center workers/ Volunteers at Crete Mini Conference center in Gulu. UNICEF and Save the Children in Uganda sponsor the two weeks program.


Education/Scholarship

UYAP supports over one hundred children through provision of academic materials UYAP is supporting over 50 students who directly benefit from its scholarship program. In attempt to promote girl child education, our Needy education Scholarship Trust (NEST) members lobby and negotiate with best schools in the country to enroll our girls and needy boys so that they can favorably compete with their counter parts in the city and others in more peaceful schools.

Exhibition

UYAP has conducted several cultural and photo exhibitions in Japan through its coordinators. In December 2004 UYAP had a photo Exhibition
In Kyoto Museum for world peace at Ritsumaikan University represented by Naoko Sakuragi. In October last 2005, UYAP conducted another exhibition at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala. The art exhibition, aimed at fundraising for the war affected children in Northern Uganda was called “Children in Conflict Art Exhibition”


Vocational school

UYAP has bought a land in Laroo Division, Gulu Municipality and is constructing a vocational school for youth. This aims at providing self-help skills that can transform the lives of the poor of the poorest into useful citizens. The school shall provide free skills training to the needy youth.


Wang O project

Wang O literally means the fireplace. In Africa, Acholi in particular, the fireplace was the classroom for the informal education and compound was the school. Elders taught the children on morals, traditional norms and the family’s economy. Our Wang O project,
in collaboration UNICEF is targeted at regaining the lost culture, pride and above all, reintegrating “night commuter” children back to their respective villages as opposed to flocking to the town. This is to specifically encourage those who come from more protected town surroundings to get back home and live with their parents so that their morals can be shaped.


RESEARCH

The organization has conducted several researches on Conflict, Child Right violations and study onto the lives of war affected children.

UYAP 2007-2008’s plan

Legal Aid Clinic/Firm for children.

The war in northern has gravely distorted the social and cultural fabric of the
Population. Score of children have been abducted by the LRA and forcefully conscripted into the rebel ranks. As a result children have been forced to move overnight and take refuge into the relatively safer “night commuter shelters” in Gulu town. Unfortunately, some of these children end up “dodging” these shelters and form up peer groups to commit various forms of offences. The number of delinquent juveniles in Gulu police station speaks for itself. Similarly, many parents have abandoned their responsibilities to cater and provide for their children. The number of cases of child neglect, order and maintenance, administration and other related cases being handled by the probation and child welfare is overwhelming. UYAP intends to open up a child Legal Aid Clinic that will offer Legal Advice, counseling, child representation and community follow-ups at a Probono basis.

Peace/Resource centre

UYAP also intends to construct a Peace/Resource centre in Gulu. Both the Land and the construction plan for this centre are already available but we are still looking for donors to fund the construction work. The centre will comprise of Museum, Library/Resource centre, Recreation ground and an Information centre, equipped with internet facilities and another library-a peace library equipped with literature on various conflicts, their causes, and negotiation and reconciliation skills.