CHILD PROTECTION
Every child has the right to be protected from violence and live free from fear, neglect, abuse, abandoned, orphaned, displaced and exploitation. Yet three quarters of children experience some form of violence. Most children (68% of boys and 59% of girls) have experienced physical violence, while one in three girls and one in six boys suffer sexual abuse. The scars can last a lifetime and often result in mental health issues and psychological distress during adulthood.
Uganda hosts almost 1.4 million refugees and 60 percent are children. Most have fled brutal conflicts, and many have witnessed terrible violence or lost friends and family. We run Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) which provide them with a safe place to play, learn and socialise with new friends, under the supervision of caregivers. They can also access other services such as mental health and psychosocial support. Our teams of case workers identify the most vulnerable children and make sure they get the support they need such as children who arrive alone or separated from their parents, orphans, children with disabilities or those in need of counselling.
YOUNG PEOPLE
Nearly 1.2 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 19 are making their way in this world. They are brimming with hope, using innovative technologies, grappling with constantly evolving challenges, and charting the way forward. The vast majority live in less developed countries where they are confronted with unprecedented social, economic, and cultural shifts that hinder their ability to contribute to growth and stability. Young people confront these challenges at a time when their own psychological and physical development is undergoing rapid change. In most communities on a daily basis meet obstacles to self discovery and growth.
That’s why we opened up a safe space for young peoples interaction center and expression but most importantly to provide young people with much needed skills, tools, resources, and services they need to succeed and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
Central to our objective while dealing with the young people is providing social and emotional support to address stress create job training opportunities and opportunities that are demand driven, because we believe that the choices young people make today and in the future, at influenced by the people and events around them.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT
Climate change is an invisible enemy globally, a devastating force, leading to a hungrier and more vulnerable world. It has destabilizes economies, increased conflict, cripples productivity, and weakened social structures. At Testimony Africa, our approach is to mobilize the local communities and actors who are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and those at the forefront of climate innovation, to find a sustainable ways to deal with the problem of climate change.
Poor communities are the most vulnerable and exposed to extreme weather events, more reliant on natural resources, and least able to cope with, and adapt to, negative environmental impacts. When farmers suffer from drought and communities face devastating floods year after year.
Mitigating the underlying challenges of climate change, water insecurity, natural resource management, and supporting communities in fragile situations to adapt their lives to new risks, while transforming communities over time. That’s why we work with young people and local communities to find local climate change solutions that are practical, meaningful at the local level, with a global impact.
FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION
Global hunger is on the rise: 2022 was a year of unprecedented hunger. The number of those facing acute food insecurity is on the rise from 135 million to 345 million—since 2019, while 49 million people in 49 in East Africa are at risk of starvation and famine unless they receive immediate assistance.
Conflict, extreme weather, and economic shocks—including those from the COVID‑19 pandemic—continue to be the main drivers of poverty and food insecurity globally. Many of these events are interconnected, creating a cycle of unfavorable conditions.
The pandemic has disrupted food supply chains at the same time as millions of people have lost their jobs. High food prices coupled with reduced incomes mean that more families are eating less and worse quality food. These factors have dramatically exacerbated already worsening trends in global hunger.
Testimony Africa works with local communities, through farmers groups and local authorities to identify solutions to food insecurity and malnutrition. We use this knowledge to develop comprehensive and inclusive agricultural programming aimed at increasing food supply, improving nutrition and achieving food security.
We don’t just improve people’s access to nutritious food—we also address the underlying issues that keep people from accessing it and making healthy use of it in the first place. When we include food security and nutrition as part of our programming, whether it’s dealing with conflict, climate change, or another issue, we strengthen the foundation of well-being upon which people can build secure, productive, and just communities.