Women with Disabilities in Arua District - UPENDO NI BARAKA-UGANDA (UNBU)

About Us

UPENDO NI BARAKA-UGANDA (UNBU) is an indigenous non-profit organization that was founded and registered in January 2023 with Arua District Local Government. UNBU program interventions adopt a holistic family centered approach to childcare by addressing the needs of women, children and their families irrespective of their religious beliefs or race. From the time of inception, the organization has contributed towards education, income generating activities, and better health care practices within the district. Community Building is therefore at the heart of all our projects and we rely on the power of networks and relationships built across the communities. UNBU believes in strengthening community structures to collectively overcome poverty through the participation and inclusion of the people.

Intervention approach

UNBU interventions adopt a holistic family-centered approach in addressing the needs of children and their families and to achieve this, we have core values that include, self-drive, empowerment, respect, partnership, efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability.

In the last one year, this has been achieved through the enrollment of children in schools, promotion of income generating activities for families and better healthcare practices, especially among young mothers, advocating for the rights of women with disabilities in Arua district.

The projects supported by UNBU rely on the power of networking and relationships built across the communities in Arua district because social service provision happens at the community level.

Vision

A community where all children and women develop and live happily.

Mission

To protect, care for and support children to achieve a bright future by working with their families, communities and other stakeholders.

Goal

To improve the quality of life of vulnerable children and women in Uganda through a community model of care and support that involves active community participation.

Objectives

To promote the protection and rights of children, women and other vulnerable groups in Arua, Arua city, Terego, Madi Okollo, Yumbe Districts by 2032.
To improve the livelihoods of vulnerable women, their families and other vulnerable groups in Arua, Arua city, Terego, Madi Okollo, Yumbe Districts by 2032.
To improve access to social services for children, women, and other disadvantaged groups in Arua, Arua city, Terego, Madi Okollo and Yumbe Districts by 2032.

The strategic and strength

Build the capacity of community members to develop harmonized approaches and tools in promoting, protecting and advocating for the rights of children and other vulnerable groups in Arua, Arua City, Terego, Madi Okollo and Yumbe Districts.
Implement interventions that will lead to the improvement in the livelihoods of vulnerable women, children, their families and the communities in Arua, Arua City, Terego, Madi Okollo and Yumbe Districts.
Enhance resource mobilization, UNBU staff capacity development, build partnerships and strong synergies among the UNBU members and sister organizations in promoting, protecting and advocating for the rights of vulnerable children and other disadvantaged groups in Arua, Arua City, Terego, Madi Okollo and Yumbe Districts.
Strengthen community voices in influencing advocacy for policy refinement and implementation thus promoting and protecting the rights of children in Uganda.
Conduct baseline studies that provide a benchmark for a research-based advocacy campaign on key issues affecting children, women and the community at large.

CLIENTELE:
Two categories of clientele,

Direct clientele are children, and women.
Indirect clientele are the youth, vulnerable families (Especially Women with disabilities) and elderly-headed families.

Updates

Outreaches

We carried out school and community outreaches in Ajia, Vurra, Logiri and Arivu sub-counties in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, the Arua District community service office, the Community Development Officers (CDOs) of the four sub-counties and the Uganda Police. The outreaches were aimed at raising awareness about the Sauti toll free number – 116, which can be used to report cases of child abuse. They also acted as UNBUs fore-activities to the celebration of the Day of the African Child.

Case clinics were run in schools within the four sub-counties to establish incidents of child abuse to inform appropriate intervention processes.

Training in Savings and Loans

This training was held for an already existing group of women and men (F 14, 4 M= 18 out of 30) under the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) model.

Greening Programme: Distributed 600 tree seedlings to 3 primary schools of Okpova, Bongova and Ekarakafe. Each of the schools received 200 tree seedlings as part of the Greening Programme that is piloted by the office of the LV Chairmanship in partnership with National Forest Authority and Focus Initiative Africa.

Launch of the Mama Wisdom model

Meetings were held in Jaya and Oluko villages to introduce the model through which older women and grandmothers could become mentors to younger women and girls. The +50 year-old members in attendance (16 F, 2 M=18) wholeheartedly embraced the idea because it made them feel seen and useful in the community. “We had no sense of direction and guidance. Sometimes people think that we are useless in the community and that we are a burden but we are grateful that you have come to identify with us and acknowledge that we also matter”, said one of the elderly women.

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Location

Upendo Ni Baraka-Uganda is located in Arua District with a Liaison office in Arua City, Enzama Crescent Road in Nsambya opposite Shell Petrol Station-Arua District. UNBU currently operates in Sub Counties of Ajia, Arivu, Vurra and Logiri. UNBU intends to expand to other Districts of Terego, Yumbe and Madi Okollo in the near future.