Partnership with Bread for the World
The BTVI Orphans and Vulnerable Children training was first conceived in 2007 and has been ongoing for 15 years now. It was as a result of the development work done by Church of Uganda in Northern Uganda before, during and after the civil war that lasted for over 20 years in the Northern part of the country. This war resulted into; suffering and displacement of over 1.6 million Ugandans to different parts of the country and world. Some of the effects of the war in addition to poverty, orphaned children/youth, school dropout, spread of HIV infection and displacement still continue to be felt.
After the cessation of hostilities agreement in 2006, the Church of Uganda through its planning, Development and Rehabilitation Department (Now the Directorate of Household and Community Transformation) initiated the partnership ESP between Church of Uganda Planning Development and Rehabilitation (PDR), now Church of Uganda – Directorate of Household and Community Transformation (DHCT) and Bread for the World (BftW) located in Berlin Germany to support selected vulnerable youths (men and women) from areas of Kitgum, Northern Uganda, lango and West Lango Dioceses through vocational training outside the area of their trauma. The skills were intended to empower and equip these young people with capacity to engage in income generation not only to sustain themselves but also their households, many of them child headed.
On the gender Church of Uganda has adapted side by side faith movement for gender justice which aims at engaging faith leaders to challenge the negative Socio –cultural practices that gender injustices in Northern Uganda
We also carry-on sensitization through faith structures like mothers union, fathers Union, youth groups and Youth leaders
It has been noted during the recruitment, that in Northern Uganda, Girls are always taken to be source of income in a family were she has to be home taking care of the siblings and also get married at tender age in exchange with Dowries (Bride Price)
Below are the intake phases
- July 2007 to August 2008
- June 2008 to October 2008
- June 2010 to December 2012
- January 2013 to December 2016
- January 2017 to June 2020
- January 2020 to June 2024
So far, the project has benefited a total number of 1800 Vulnerable youths (Boys and Girls). These youths were trained and equipped with start-up tool kits to aid them start up their own small/ medium enterprises as well. The intervention has also mainstreamed a number of cross cutting issues including; gender, sustainable agriculture approaches, child protection and environmental protection.
