BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATIONS
Uganda has one of the world's highest economic growth rates, averaging 7.4% according to the Uganda’s economic report released in July 2014 by the World Bank. However Poverty still remains significant at 33.1% in Africa's biggest economy. For a country with massive wealth and a huge population to support commerce, a well-developed economy, and plenty of natural resources such as oil, the level of poverty remains unacceptable largely caused by the political instability, income inequality and ethnic conflict. Sheema is one of the municipality states of Uganda. It has a population of about 2.3 million people and occupies a land area of 54,473sq.km and has a boundary in the east with Mbarara, Rwampala. Sheema is a highly heterogeneous, multi-ethnic, with over 40 indigenous ethnic groups and languages. These are very poor families who had lost everything to battles and cannot afford to send their children to school and even if they do, they struggle or cannot sustain their effort and the Children sometimes drop out of school or abscond.
Another major problem is the scourge that AIDS has created in Uganda leaving a big number of orphans behind. These orphans and their needs have over the years overwhelmed those who have tried to assist them. Most times they are left in the hands of relatives who are struggling to keep their own immediate families from starving.
Subsequently, when the relative can no longer cope up, the orphans suffer most and in terms of education the guardians do care for their only legitimate sons and daughters, this has contributed to the increasing number of street kids roaming in the city and other towns. The rest of these OVCs and OVYs end up in child domestic labor service and prostitution, other children are left in the hands of their grandparents who are aged and cannot contribute anything towards the wellbeing of these orphaned children.
Solving this problem is vital however, financial constraints have become a bottleneck for the realization of this objective, therefore, the community, the government and NGOs as well as all concerned are expected to support the project financially.
PROJECT TITLE: HELPING YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AND LIVELIHOOD IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES OF SHEEMA, UGANDA PROBLEM STATEMENT Education is central to all and especially to women in the fight against poverty and discrimination. However access to education in Sheema is low. This is because of several reasons. The first cause is poverty itself. Reversing this situation is of paramount importance for empowering poor children and their families. To this end, PHF has planned to support poor children’s Education and also empower their families economically with hands-on skills and education to sustain their studies.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT:
In order to improve the situation of these poor children, it’s necessary for families and local communities to contribute either individually or as group to supplement government’s effort and those of other development partners. Therefore, there is need/ a call for both local and international organizations/ communities/ groups/development partners/corporates and private individuals to contribute in order to improve the situation under which these children live and grow.
We intend to encourage families, communities and external parties to treat all orphans and other vulnerable children and youths with respect ensuring that they are not treated as helpless victims but as actors in their own rights. They should be entitled to express their own views and be actively involved in matters that relate to them.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of this project is to improve the educational status of poor children. The specific objectives of the project are to initiate the community to advocate for support and education of poor children, To increase the enrolment of students in school, to increase the access of poor children to education, To change the life condition of poor children through education and To empower the households of poor children economically and through hands-on skill training. Major activities to be carried out are selecting poor children most especially girls, support them, conducting community meeting, conducting student meeting, empowering the families of the poor children economically through hands on skill training and employment of coordinator.
Duration of project commence from January 2020 and on-going depending on the agreed donor time framework and also availability of resources. The direct beneficiaries of this project are 43 poor children (Girls 24 and Boys 19) in 7 communities in Kihunda, Sheema whereas the indirect beneficiaries are their families. The expected outputs are 43 poor children supported in education and their families supported economically through hands-on skill training.
CHALLENGES:
Being a local initiative by PALM HOPES FOUNDATION, there are quite a lot challenges the organization is facing now:
Parents / Guardians do lack resources to make contribution towards the education of these poor children and youths. Children do lack the required scholastic materials and training materials. Most children cannot access proper nutrition which leads to poor health. Some of them are HIV positive and chronically sick. The organization lacks enough resources and finances.
TARGET GROUP:
The main target groups are the most underprivileged children and youths, IDPs, orphaned /affected by HIV/AIDS of both the urban slum dwellers and rural village homes in kihunda, Sheema State. A total of 43 children shall directly benefit from the program with emphasis on the girl and boy child. We hope to grow this number to over 80 by the end of this year and more as the organization grows. The age group of these children is from 4-20 years.
GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE:
The program covers 7 villages in Kihunda, Sheema municipality, Uganda.
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION:
It is being implemented by palm hopes foundation. With the help of resources resources, the project shall be fully operational within one month and on-going depending on the agreed donor time framework.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES:
This project includes different activities. These are;
selecting poor Children, community meeting on advocacy to poor Children, provision of support to educate them, conducting Students meetings, formation and strengthening of girls Club and empowering the poor children families economically.
NEEDS OF THE PROJECT.
Training material: 10 tailoring sewing machines for 30 youths girls, 5 knitting machines for 6 girls and 6 computer kits for 15 children. 5 saloon machines for 6 girls and all other skills equipment and materials.
Necessity for LAND Training ground A reasonable capacity Room and running track, and other hands-on facilities is the dream of Palm Hopes Foundation and our future endeavours would focus on the calibre of talents it has been able, and continue to groom.Transport: To transport our children to and from study Fields,
Transport: To help the project to transport the children from the various locations and townships around, to our intended Training centre in and will also help to transport our children to and from organised and trail skills seminars around Uganda.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
The following assumptions were made in presenting this Palm Hopes Foundation proposal. These include;
That the project will help to expose the trained and talented children into the national and international market.
That the project will create jobs in many directions.
That the project will be a developing project by building skills and other infrastructure.
That both the public and private sector will welcome the Palm Hopes Foundation initiative and support it.
That assistance and funding will be made available for the resource of the project by whoever the project approaches.
That the project will market the product of its sponsors and funding agents.
From such a background and story once upon a time in my life,
i failed to continue with my studies when my parents failed to rise enough School fees.
I was denied to go to school which made my carrier become a problem to me.
From there i joined an institution at our home village in Sheema district which empowered me with brick laying and concrete practice skills.
From then i decided to start a foundation that will rise every child especially ladies in my community and the whole world at large.
THANK YOU so much for taking your time to review our history and the reason why this project was started. To discuss this project further, Please contact our Sponsorships Coordinator: +256 789-610-816 / +256 707-155-669 OR
EMAIL: palmhopes450@gmail.com
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