ABOUT US
OUR HISTORY
The starting point of the Sister Led Youth Initiative Uganda (SLYIU) was from the pastoral concerns raised by the Major Superiors of the Association of Religious in Uganda (ARU) on November 6, 2019, during ARU’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). This idea spurred by the Catholic Sisters’ observations indicated how the sustained conflict in Northern Uganda was affecting the socio-economic life of the youth. Representatives of the association presented this quest to the Uganda Episcopal Conference during their plenary meeting. Consultative meeting with The President of the programs at the Hilton Foundation was held at another time during which a sampled six Religious Institutes of Consecrated Women and Men with active ministries to the youth in Northern Uganda participated. The expressed the plight of the youth clearly surfaced the idea of the initiative which needed consideration.
OUR VISION
We envision Empowered, Resilient, Self-sufficient youth who are agents of positive Change in Family and in Society.
OUR MISSION
To provide vocational skills for 1,056 disadvantaged and vulnerable youth aged 15-25 to become self-sufficient.
OBJECTIVES
Increased vocational and life skills among youth between 15-25 years to foster a positive work culture and wealth-creation mentality.
Increased employability among youth aged between15-25 years for self-reliance.
Out-of-school youth have increased access to mentorship and accompaniments to promote peace and good community relations.
OUR GOAL
‘’Youth aged between 15-25 have improved livelihoods and positively contribute to their community’s social development in Uganda.’’
OUR MOTTO
Striving to “Shame Poverty” and live life to its Fulness (Jn. 10:10).
WHERE WE SERVE
The Sister Led Youth Initiative is implemented in two Ecclesiastical Provinces of Gulu and Tororo in Northern and Eastern Uganda respectively.
The program was first piloted in Northern Uganda due to social unrest as a result of war.
WHAT DO WE DO
The SLYIU connects the most vulnerable youth to a second chance education in hands-on-skills training, entrepreneurial and leadership development, psychological and mentorship support, internships and gainful employment. Support youth to start livelihoods
SLYI Successful Journey of Phase II
PHASE II
SLYI has successfully concluded Phase II where it trained 1,587 youths in different enterprises in the past 4 years. ARU had conducted a baseline survey/ needs assessment that highly showed the need for Hands-on-skills training for the vulnerable youths.
According to the Sr. Led Youth Initiative National Coordinator Sr. Caroline Bacia, LSIMG, there is still need for continuity of the program considering the overwhelming number of vulnerable young. Conrad Hilton Foundation agreed to ARU’s proposal of having a third phase with six (6) additional training centres including Karamoja Sub-region as one of the catchment areas.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
The approved phase III has increased training centres from sixteen (16) to twenty-two (22) though in the same two Ecclesiastical Provinces of Gulu and Tororo. The inclusion of Karamoja sub-region has led to increased number of dioceses from seven (7) to nine (9).
Phase III will also have spinoff inceptions of mega business as a sustainability strategy for the participating Religious Institutes to benefit the youth in terms of employment and support. Three (3) participating Religious Institutes were identified, vetted, and selected under tough selection criteria to pilot the mega business and they have submitted business plans.
The exciting news is the newly given personnel for creation of a functional Partnership and Employment Hub Office (PEHO) for the initiative. This would be linking not only the trained youths, but others to potential employers for job opportunities and internships.
APPRECIATION
This phase comes with a lot of gratitude to the technical team of Hilton Foundation who keenly reviewed the proposal with interest and gave it a positive consideration. May the Glory be to God the Almighty.
