ELGON CHILD WATCH INITIATIVES- UGANDA

BACKGROUND

Elgon child watch initiatives-Uganda was established in 2015 with a group of dedicated youth who had just finish university education. The aim for the establishment was to help in stopping or mitigating the rampant child abuse in the Bugisu region (Elgon zone) which has districts like Sironko, Mbale, Bulambuli, Budaka, Manafwa, Bududa, Kapchorwa, Kwen and Bukwo.

Child abuse like forced marriages, unsafe abortions, FMG, sexual abuses, physical abuses, child exploitation and labour, child trafficking (to other towns for babysitting), which had become rampant forced and called for the establishment of ECWI-UG so that it could provide a long lasting solution to the above abuses through starting up a strong and effective CHILD PROTECTION CAMPAIGNS aimed at protecting and advocating for children’s rights in the areas at risk

ECWI-UG therefore targets all people below the age of 22 years in the specified districts and all children at risk of child abuse like the OVC, children with children, child headed families, street children, children in conflict with the law, children in deprived families that cannot adequately provide for their basic needs.

ORGANIZATION’S THEMATIC AREAS/AREAS OF EMPHASIS.

The following will be the organization’s thematic areas or areas of operation

1.2.1 CHILD PROTECTION. The organization will from time to time ensure child protection through ensuring and advocating for the rights of children aged 0-22.

1.2.2 SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. The organization will also take keen operation in the areas of sexual reproductive health and rights of all children aged 0-22 years. This will aim at stopping practices of early marriages, forced marriages, unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions amongst the girls, FGM, rape, defilement and so many others that may violate the sexual reproductive rights of the youth and children in the area of operation.

1.2.3 CLIMATE CHANGE. The organization will also involve its self in the climate change issues by ensuring conservation of nature within the community of operation. This will be done through tree planting projects, proper disposal of polythene bags campaigns, renewable energy like bio-gas, solar and better methods of farming among others.

1.2.4 COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. This will aim at supporting community members and improving their standards of living through micro-finance training and entrepreneurship skills so that they can become self reliant.

1.2.5 WATER, SANITATION AND SOLAR. The fact that water and sanitation play a pivotal role in the growth and development of the young children and community at large, the project will strive its efforts in the provision of safe and clean drinking water through regular sensitizations.

1.3 ORGANIZATION’S TARGET POPULATION

ELGON CHILD WATCH INITIATIVES-UGANDA’s target population will include the following categories of people;

1.3.1 Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC).

1.3.2 Children in conflicts with the law.

1.3.3 Child headed families.

1.3.4 Street children.

1.3.5 Children with children.

1.3.6 Marginalized families.

1.3.7 Children living with HIV/AIDS.

1.3.8 Families facing domestic violence.

1.3.9 All children from the age of 0-22 years.

1.4 PROJECT CORE VALUES

The following will be the core and guiding values of ECWI-UG;

1.4.1 Respect and dignity

1.4.2 Accountability.

1.4.3 Transparency.

1.4.4 Christian love for one another.

1.4.5 Respect for diversity where all people with different background are regarded equal.

1.4.6 Honesty.

ARTICLE 2: GOAL, VISION AND MISSION OF THE ORGANISATION

2.1 GOALS

2.1.1 To improve the effectiveness of child protection intervention in Uganda and reduce abuse of child rights.

2.1.2 To ensure zero or reduced cases of child abuse in Uganda and Sironko in specific.

2.2 VISION

We envisage a community where all children reach to their fullest potentials in life through protection of their survival, participation and development rights for holistic child growth and development.

2.3 MISSION

To enhance the quality of life of all children through protection of all child rights (protection, survival, development and participation rights)

ARTICLE 3: OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANISATION.

3.1.0 OBJECTIVES

3.1.1 To carry out capacity building in different communities in regard to the organizations thematic areas.

3.1.2 To carry out advocacy on the rights of children and the youth in the areas of operation.

3.1.3 To engage in partnerships with different NGOs and agencies that work in line with the goal, vision and mission of the organization.

3.1.4 To carry out research on issues that organization works upon (sexual reproductive health and rights, child protection, climate change).

3.1.5 To create child protection committees to handle issues of child abuse.

3.1.6 To do community mobilization and sensitizations.

3.1.7 To empower families in order to provide for their children.

3.1.8 To promote and support basic education of all children in communities of operation by giving help in terms of scholastics.

3.2.0 ACTIVITIES

The organization shall continuously carry the following activities during its time of operation;

ü The organization will frequently engage in community mobilizations and bring all members of the community to board. This will be achieved through use of community volunteers, use of church announcements, use of media, use of social media, use of door to door method and others modes of mobilization.

ü The organization will time to time engage in partnerships with different organization which can support achieve the broad goal of the organization.

ü The organization will also directly involve its self in research work in order to achieve its intended goals.

ü The organization will carry on capacity building which will be achieved through;

Learning exchange visits to successful projects.
Through meetings like dialogue, membership, and partnership meetings.
Through conferences and seminars.
Through trainings.

ü The organization will also carry on advocacy work by specifically targeting people of influence in the local government and other organization which will include sub county CDOs ,sub county CHIEFS, the police, the probation ,health service providers the RDC, and courts of law.

ü The organization will also be responsible of forming/ formulation of child protection committees and clubs in schools and communities of operation.

ü The organization will be engaged in training of the community on its thematic areas and how to achieve the overall goal of the organization.

ü The organization will conduct day to day sensitizations on its areas of focus. This will be done through use of methods like PRA (participatory rural appraisals), use of short videos and movies but parked with a message to learn, through use of MDD and use of experts with practical knowledge.

ü Community empowerment especially the poor households which can’t provide for their children through trainings on business skills, entrepreneurship skill, and others basic skills for economic growth.

ü Starting of ECD centers and strengthen of the existing ones.