Youth and Women Community Development Organisation (YWCDO)
The Youth and Women Community Development Organisation (YWCDTO) is located in Koboko District at the extreme North Western end of Uganda. It is bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the West and the Republic of South Sudan ( formerly Sudan) to the North. The project area was ravaged by civil war and political insurgency since 1979 – 1996. Besides Ugandan’s own political upheavals or civil wars, Sudan’s longest civil war (1983 – 2005) and the instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) resulted to refugees flocking into Uganda for security and survival. Some of the Sudanese were settled in refugee camps while others lived in towns among the nationals. The political instability coupled with an alarming increase in HIV/AIDS in these countries left many children as orphans and women either as widows or single parents.
YWCDO is a Community Based, None Governmental Organization (CBO) which operates in Koboko Town Council (KTC). It was an initiative of two local organisations: Youth Action for Development (YAOD) and Nyarilo Progressive Women Club (NPWC). The main aim of YAOD is training of youth in marketed oriented life skills to overcome the problem of rampant unemployment among the youth, education etc. While the main goal of the NPWC is empowerment and capacity building of women, literacy education and income generation for poverty alleviation. Although most of the population about ((80%)) in Koboko District depend on agriculture, nevertheless, most people are engaged in various small scale businesses, notably general merchandise, transport services, petty trade and agri-business, with very little value additions. This has been made possible by the strategic location of KTC to the two democratic republics of South Sudan and Congo.
Therefore, the mission of the YWCDTO is to fight poverty reduction throughtraining youth and women in market-orientated skills, increased community participation in income generating activities, equitable education, advocating for policies and strategies which improve and strengthen the capacity of the marginalized groups for self reliance and sustainable development in Koboko District. These programs and activities are aimed to lead to a relatively better living standard and self-reliance of the beneficiaries.
The centre is currently providing the following activities: training and capacity building of staff and the members, income generating activities/small scale businesses, tailoring, computer and internet training courses,community mobilization for peace building and environmental protection, Life skills Training, HIV/AIDS Voluntary Testing and counseling (VTC), Research, Adult Education advocacy and lobby for women children rights, youth & women empowerment programs, adult literacy classes for women etc.
Funds are still required for: furnishing the peace hall (equipment, furniture etc.), building the remaining units of the training centre-extension of the literacy classes, construction of a library, store & hiring full time paid staff.