Action for Fundamental Change and Development (AFFCAD) is a youth led nonprofit organization founded in 2009 to transform living conditions in Kampala's poorest slum areas by empowering the children, youth and young women through education, health, and economic empowerment programs.

Why we do what we do

Uganda is rapidly urbanizing, with many youths coming to Kampala to escape poverty, 85% of these will settle in slums because of the very cheap housing. More than 90,000 people live without basic services such as water, shelter and sanitation. 65% of the residents are aged between 15 and 25.

In addition to this, slum communities in Kampala have been faced with influx of refugees from various countries, case in point, Kisenyi slum which is home to many Somalis. These are youth full of dreams and aspirations yet the economy can not create jobs for them. The reality of the slums they will settle in are characterized by poor temporary housing, poor water and sanitation, poverty, unemployment, high crime rate, drug abuse among others. Such poor conditions, weak law and order, grievances and marginalization can fuel conflict and despair-all a fertile ground for recruitment into radical groups.

To counter this, AFFCAD designed programmes to cater for these downfalls in slum communities and also incorporate refugee communities into active livelihoods and a better life. Together with partners, projects have been started to help youth transit from lives of crime, poverty and unemployment to lives of economic empowerment, employment and health including access to Sexual and reproductive health.