Youth Rehabilitation Center, Gulu

More than half of the population in Uganda is younger than 15 years. Although both primary and secondary education are free of charge, the high population growth rate poses great challenges for the school infrastructure. In particular, children whose parents cannot afford the costs of private schools have few chances of obtaining a good school leaving certificate and vocational training. Thus, everyday life in state educational institutions is characterized by overcrowded classes and poorly trained teaching staff. In addition, there is a very high rate of school drop-outs even before the transition to secondary school.

Together with the organisation Children Care Uganda, help alliance supports socially disadvantaged young people without school-leaving qualifications in the region of Gulu, in the northwest of Uganda, to gain access to education. Through workshops and training sessions in a safe home, the children are given hope and future prospects.

The project is aimed at young people aged between 12 and 20 who have dropped out of school due to poverty, homelessness or health restrictions. About 50 young people are expected to benefit from the various measures in the project every year.

Besides the young people themselves, their families and friends also benefit from the project. The city of Gulu benefits from the reduction of crime and the increase in qualified workers. In addition, the trainers and teachers can generate income by working in the youth centre.

As a result of the frequent early school leaving, the young people lack all basic competences in the school, but also in the social and technical areas. The lack of training leads in most cases to unemployment. Poverty, physical limitations or homelessness ultimately result in a lack of prospects for young people on the one hand, and force many of them into crime in order to ensure their daily survival on the other hand.

This year, the offer and the scope of the project will be expanded: Due to domestic violence, no educational or job prospects, many young people are forced to leave home and try to “find their luck” in the city, where they very easily end up on the street. The project now wants to react preventively to this problem and give young people who (still) live at home a perspective through training offers in handicraft and artistic fields, but also through psychosocial counseling and access to basic education. Since sexuality is often a taboo subject and many girls become pregnant at an early age and thus drop out of school, it is planned that the responsible handling of sexuality, relationships and money management will be the focus of counseling in 2022.

With your donation you will support us in building and equipping the youth centre as well as providing food for the young people.