Our locally-developed Family Empowerment Program (FEP) guides guardians through three core areas to strengthen the foundation of households and improve the welfare of children:
Skills training and economic empowerment via Income Generating Activities (IGAs) Financial knowledge and accountability through Village Savings & Loan Associations (VSLAs) Family counseling, community health and wellness Income Generating Activities
More than ⅓ of Ugandans live in extreme poverty, surviving off of just $2/day. Economic empowerment can and will break the chains of dependency, empowering women to learn marketable skills and resource management. Women in our program are successfully running income-generating activities of their own to provide for their families, such as tailoring, crop farming, the coffee trade, retail shops, and much more.
Educated Youth
Nearly 50% of Ugandan children are under-educated because families can’t afford tuition payments. Through partnering with the highest quality boarding schools in Uganda, we provide students with the essential supplies they need to receive a top-quality education - tuition, uniforms, shoes, scholastic and personal requirements. Graduates of our program are working in fields such as engineering, medicine, hospitality, environmental protection, as well as trades like mechanics and carpentry.
Community Health and Wellness
Safety net programs are limited in Uganda, leaving many households vulnerable if someone gets sick. We provide children and their families access to basic health care services, enhanced nutrition and wellness, and counseling and psychosocial support.
HIV+ youth receive supplemental nutrition, medicine, and transport to nearby health clinics for services like ARV drug therapy, CD4 testing, and counseling. COU organizes health education seminars for students at their schools, as well as identifies medical and dental professionals to carry out annual exams.