On-going – Advance Afrika

Umunthu- Education and skilling (NOREC exchange program)

Duncan Isabirye — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:20:08 +0000

Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (NOREC) exchange program is a 2 year project implemented by Chance for Change in partnership with Advance Afrika with funding from Norwegian Agency for Exchange Cooperation (NOREC). The objective of the partnership is to equip offenders with education and skills will enable them to be self-reliant members of society while building institutional capacity of organisation in the exchange. The project specific objectives include; improving the entrepreneurship component of Chance for Chance programs through the introduction of new income generating activities and training in mediation skills to handle challenging mediations with families and communities that are unforgiving towards ex-offenders.

Enabling Youth Inclusion in Governance and Decision-Making

Duncan Isabirye — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:50:23 +0000

The Enabling Youth Inclusion in Governance and Decision-Making is a three-year project implemented by Faraja Africa Foundation, Open Space Centre and Advance Africa with funding from the Royal Danish Embassy (RDE). The project commenced on 1 April 2025 and is implemented in four districts of Pakwach, Maracha, Koboko and Yumbe in the West Nile region.

This aims to improve youth participation in governance and decision-making at local and national levels in Uganda. The intervention outcomes include:

Outcome 1: Enhanced responsiveness of duty bearers to the needs of the youth in Uganda; and

Outcome 2: Enhanced participation of youth/groups/organisations in governance and decision-making spaces.

As a key member of the consortium, Advance Afrika will provide technical leadership on Outcome 2, focusing on building and strengthening youth-led organisations and structures to safeguard and expand civic space for meaningful youth participation in governance. The project will provide innovative solutions such as mentorship programs, leadership training, and digital platforms for advocacy. This outcome will equip young people with the skills, confidence, and tools needed to navigate governance structures. Through the establishment of networks and coalitions, youth will have collective power to advocate for policy changes and shape decisions that impact their lives. By integrating technology and creative approaches like youth-led campaigns and peer- to-peer learning, we will empower youth to be key drivers of change and ensure their active participation in shaping the future.

Upskilling programme

Duncan Isabirye — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:56:17 +0000

As part of our ongoing commitment to addressing youth unemployment and improving livelihoods across Uganda, BrighterMonday Uganda is implementing an upskilling programme, supported by the Mastercard Foundation under the Young Africa Works (YAW) initiative, which is also being implemented in Kenya (BrighterMonday Kenya) and Nigeria (Jobberman Nigeria). This upskilling program is designed to equip 150,000 young people (aged 18-35 years) with essential soft and entrepreneurial skills and place at least 40,000 youth in dignified and fulfilling employment. The project is focused in the entire country with a special focus on underserved groups such as women (70%), displaced persons (10%), and persons with disabilities (10%).

BrighterMonday Uganda is one of the leading online job-matching platforms in Uganda. Established in 2014, BrighterMonday Uganda has played a pivotal role in connecting young Ugandans to meaningful employment opportunities. Through our platform, we have served over 600,000 job seekers and 8,000 employers, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, construction, tourism, hospitality, and ICT.

Advance Afrika is working together with BrighterMonday Uganda as a mobilisation partner in the upskilling programme to identify young people in the districts of Pakwach, Nebbi, Zombo, Madi Okollo, Arua, and Terego in West Nile region that are transitioning from education to the workforce, seeking full-time employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, or further specialization in their fields.

Improving the Economic Resilience of Youth in Central and Northern Uganda (IERY)

Duncan Isabirye — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 06:00:09 +0000

Improving the Economic Resilience of Youth in Central and Northern Uganda (IERY) is a two-year project implemented by Advance Afrika with funding from the Wilde Ganzen Foundation. The project aligns with the Blue Ambition Fund strategy, contributing to the impact strategies of skill training and entrepreneurship development for youth in Gulu City in Acholi and Wakiso District in central.

The overall objective is that the livelihood of young people is improved and sustained through access to self-employment opportunities. The project seeks to achieve one outcome: youth are economically empowered to start and run resilient, sustainable enterprises.

Key beneficiaries include 300 youths aged 18 to 35, 50/50 in gender, and at least 3% of persons with disabilities. These will include youths in formal or non-formal technical training and youth enterprises. The project will collaborate with business mentors, digital ambassadors, parish leaders, local governments, and private and public actors to contribute effectively to youth entrepreneurship development.

Now Us for Youth-Inclusive Policies and Economic Empowerment West Nile (NU4Y)

Mark Degner — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 12:26:00 +0000

The Now Us for Youth-Inclusive Policies and Economic Empowerment West Nile (NU4Y) is a three-year action implemented by Advance Afrika and, Faraja Africa Foundation with funding from the European Union. The overall objective of the action is to empower young women and men through consolidating and strengthening the economic empowerment initiatives and policy platforms for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development in West Nile. The intervention seeks to achieve two specific objectives:

SO1) to strengthen existing platforms for young women and men by promoting their participation in key decision-making processes and policies for development through creative advocacy from the parish to the national level;

SO2) to enhance existing youth enterprises and local community-based youth-focused organisations with innovative cost-efficient approaches and socio-economic empowerment.

The action will be implemented in West Nile districts, these include Pakwach, Arua and Terego.

The implementing partners will work with different stakeholders on different levels which will include; Ministry of Gender, the Parliament of Uganda, the Electoral Commission, local governments at district and sub-county levels. Community structures like Business mentors, digital ambassadors, parish leaders, youth councillor, women Councillors, Public and private actors – DIT, UNBS, URSB, URA, research institutions, financial institutions and BDS actors AND Civil Society actors.