Following the acquisition of the 7-year grant from Care International Uganda to implement the SheSOARS project in Terego district, the Uganda Youth and Adolescent Health Forum (UYAHF) joined other Care International Uganda partners on March 15th at the Desert Breeze hotel in Arua district for a district inception meeting.
The half-day meeting brought together 26 stakeholders from Terego, including district representatives and health workers from various health facilities, who were introduced to the project, its implementation plans, implementing partners, areas of implementation, and its duration.
While giving a brief background on the existence of the CARE project in the West Nile region, the Senior Program Manager for CARE, Ms. Rose, revealed that the project began work in the region in the year 1999, where they used different approaches like looking out for the most vulnerable young people, especially the girls who were then trained in self-reliant skills.
“We now work with different partners who bring in expertise in different aspects of sexual reproductive health and gender equality, incorporating it into economic empowerment initiatives compared to when we started,” Rose revealed
She called upon all stakeholders, such as parents and policymakers, to support the project and look out for linkages that can be leveraged.
The SheSOARS project coordinator, Ms. Winnie, gave an overview of the project where she revealed that the project is being funded by Care International Uganda and is expected to last for 7 years.
“This project will be run in three districts in the West Nile, including Arua, Terego, and Madi Okolo, and will be implemented by Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum (UYAHF), Restless Development, Centre for Reproductive Rights, and Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights,” said Winnie
She further revealed that it will target out-of-school girls and will address the sexual reproductive health rights challenges facing adolescent girls and young women, engage men and boys, district leaders, community leaders, and norm-setters to understand and transform discriminatory social norms through raising awareness and economic empowerment.
Mr. Mwesigye Patrick, the team leader of UYAHF, the implementing partner for Terego district, while giving his remarks, expressed the readiness of the organization to fully work together with Terego district leaders and the other stakeholders at their different levels to ensure that the project activities reach the most vulnerable adolescents and youth.