Empower Girls and Women in Uganda

In Uganda, adolescents make up a significant portion of the population, totaling 9 million individuals, which accounts for a quarter of the country's population. However, many adolescents face numerous challenges that hinder their ability to reach their full potential. Factors such as early marriage, poverty, HIV and AIDS, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, and low participation in secondary education create barriers for young people in Uganda. Additionally, Uganda hosts 1.4 million refugees, of which 61 percent are children. Among these marginalized groups, adolescent girls, including refugees, are at a heightened risk of child marriages and experience trauma due to forced displacement. CCU recognizes these critical issues and is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by marginalized adolescent girls in Uganda, including those affected by displacement. The goal of this project is to end child marriage in Uganda by empowering girls, mobilizing communities, and policy advocacy. Through the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund, we aim to provide education, raise awareness, and create an enabling environment for girls to thrive, ensuring they are protected from the harmful practice of child marriage.

Our project will prioritize three crucial strategies: Girl empowerment and skills development through our innovative Theatre for Change (T4C) approach, promoting menstruation hygiene, mental health and well-being among adolescent girls and survivors of child marriages using our signature sports-based Obstacle Race Against Shame and Stigma (ORASS) approach, and community engagement and advocacy through the application of social and behavior change models to transform social norms, attitudes, and policies. By adopting a comprehensive approach, we will bring about sustainable change in the lives of adolescent girls in Uganda.

Overall, the project's impact will contribute to the creation of vibrant and resilient communities in Uganda, where every adolescent girl has equal opportunities, thrives academically and personally, and experiences improved mental health and well-being. It will also lead to the transformation of social norms, attitudes, and policies towards child marriage, ensuring a supportive environment for the rights and empowerment of adolescent girls.