ENGAGE Uganda and GYPA Partner for social change in Uganda
GYPA and ENGAGE Uganda have once again partnered to bring students from Northwestern University to Uganda.
What is ENGAGE Uganda
ENGAGE Uganda is a summer study abroad program that helps students learn about international development and improve their capacity to create global change by partnering them with nonprofits in Uganda.
Each year, 15-20 Northwestern University students work in teams to collaborate with Ugandan-led organizations focusing on issues including youth issues, leadership, post-conflict issues, health, economic empowerment, and more. The program involves four total courses focused on topics including history and politics of Uganda, international development, and the theory and practice of community consulting.
Spending 9 weeks in Uganda, the inaugural 2007 class of ENGAGE Uganda worked with the Charity for Rural Development in Gulu, Organization for Rural Development (via Foundation for Sustainable Development) in Jinja, and the Global Youth Partnership for Africa in Kampala.
Who is involved
ENGAGE students range across all disciplines, including engineering, journalism, political science, education and social policy, and more. The majority are rising sophomores and juniors.
ENGAGE faculty include experts on Uganda and Africa more broadly, humanitarian aid, conflict and post-conflict issues, and community development and consulting.
Our partner organizations are mostly small Ugandan-led nonprofit organizations. In 2008, they include:
Organization for Rural Development – Jinja
ORUDE helps farmers in the Jinja area organize to access micro-credit loans and develop local savings institutions. Their ultimate goal is a system of farmer-owned banks to maintain and create wealth throughout Uganda. The Jinja site is organized by the Foundation for Sustainable Development.
World Vision – Masaka
World Vision is one of the largest nongovernmental development organizations in the world, and focuses on issues including health, children’s rights, and post-conflict rehabilitation. The Masaka site is organized by the Foundation for Sustainable Development.
St. Monica Gulu Girls Tailoring Center – Gulu
St. Monica Gulu Girls Tailoring Center provides technical training for former abductees and women affected by the long-running civil war in northern Uganda. It was honored with a CNN Heroes award in 2007.
Global Youth Partnership for Africa – Kampala
GYPA fosters connections between American and African youth through exchange trips, sports, and shared service. In Uganda, GYPA supports the efforts of community development programs in a number of Kampala slums, with a special focus on using sports to develop the leadership capacities of local youth.
ENGAGE Namuwongo 2007
In 2007, the Kampala team partnered with GYPA Peer Educators to develop the “ENGAGE Namuwongo” program. The 5-week life skills program utilized soccer to engage 50 local youth from age 11-14 in peer mentorship and critical thinking.
The 11-14 years olds were divided into teams of 7-10. Each team had a Northwestern student and at least two peer mentors as coach and guide. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the teams would practice and play soccer and/or netball. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the peer educators or guests would conduct basic workshops on issues such as health awareness.
At the end of the program, the entire community was invited to a final tournament where the teams competed for glory. The GYPA peer educators have continued a version of the program throughout the year.
This year’s student team will work with the GYPA Uganda staff, peer educators, and local community members to determine how they can best add value to ongoing efforts.
To view photos of their work in Uganda visit:
http://flickr.com/photos/nlw/sets/72157605848270671/