On Friday, 18th November, 2022 Action For Fundamental Change And Development (AFFCAD) launched its Impact Assessment Report (2009-2022) documenting the impact that the organisation has had on youth and children in vulnerable urban communities. The event which was held at Silver Springs Hotel in Kampala was attended by officials from the central and local government, Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and development partners.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Prudence Atukwatse the Executive Director of AFFCAD thanked the founders; Kisirisa Muhammed, Mugagga Brian, Nyombi Jaffar Tarzan and Kafuma Richard for having a vision of empowering fellow youth as they were also still young men at the time the organisation was started. She emphasised AFFCAD’s commitment towards creating fundamental change in the lives of young people through its programming, “Through our three thematic areas; Economic Empowerment, Education and Health, we are committed towards transforming the lives of young people,” she said.
An independent consultant; Mr. Moses Arinaitwe, who carried out the assessment on AFFCAD’s impact since it was established in 2009 to 2022 went ahead to highlight the key findings that he had discovered during the assessment some of which included; tourism having played a big role during the fundraising efforts for AFFCAD’s activities, AFFCAD having shaped its programming based on the National Development Plan II and III, and the Sustainable Development Goals urban poor youth are faced with many challenges that could not be tackled all at once as this was discovered while implementing programs within the community, it is through partnerships and collaboration that AFFCAD has managed to implement its programs, among others. He also noted that; “Since its establishment, AFFCAD has greatly impacted the lives of youth living in low-income areas through providing them with vocational skills reaching over six thousand and providing over six hundred with start up tool kits, enabling the find employment opportunities thus improving their livelihoods and providing quality education to children to over one thousand children through AFFCAD School and has reached six thousand youth with messages on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, “he stated.
While speaking at the event, Mr. Mondo Kyateka; the Assistant Commissioner for Youth and Children at the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) emphasised the need for CSOs to have memorandum of understanding with the government to enable them carry out their programs smoothly as their work supplements on work done by the government.
“AFFCAD transformed my life by providing me with a skill in catering that has enabled me to start my own catering business from which I earn a living and for that I am forever grateful,” stated Robert Mutesasira, one of the youths that had been skilled through AFFCAD’s economic empowerment program. He is one of the many that have stories to share.
The Impact Assessment Report was officially launched by Ms. Harriet Gimbo, the AFFCAD Board Chairperson.
