Integrated Child And Youth Development Activity in Uganda

The challenge

The population of Uganda is more than 75 percent children and youth. Among them, vulnerable youth — particularly adolescent girls and young women, children with disabilities, orphans and those living in extreme poverty — are at high risk of economic insecurity, gender-based violence, early pregnancy and HIV infection. These vulnerabilities threaten their ability to succeed and progress in their education; stay safe from HIV and violence; and acquire the skills and assets needed to lead resilient, healthy and productive lives.

The approach

Using a grant from USAID, Education Development Center is leading a partnership with the Bantwana Initiative of World Education, Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Redearth Education, School-to-School International, and Resonance to support the government of Uganda’s efforts to better align and deliver social services for young people. The Integrated Child And Youth Development activity unites the partners in addressing the mutually reinforcing relationship between improving learning outcomes and improving well-being. MLFTC’s role is to support the refinement and implementation of Early Grade Reading and School-Related Gender Based Violence curricula and methods in preservice teacher education through the provision of technical assistance to the Ministry of Education and Sports Teacher Instructor Education and Training Department and the Uganda National Institute of Teacher Education. Technical assistance will be provided through a combination of in-country presence by qualified experts and remote support, as needed and appropriate. MLFTC will also hire and supervise the full-time, in-country ICYD preservice advisor, who will report to EDC’s senior technical advisor for education.

Findings and impact

The ICYD activity is funded for five years, beginning in September 2020. ECD’s integrated and cross-sectoral approach seeks to:

• Improve early grade reading outcomes for over 2.5 million Ugandan school children through materials enhancement, teacher development and support, and community engagement.
• Strengthen school- and community-based child protection and violence prevention structures in more than 5,700 schools and their communities.
• Strengthen services to HIV-positive children and adolescents and their families affected by HIV.
• Improve access for out-of-school youth to accelerated learning and work readiness training through grants to local youth-serving organizations.