|
 Created in 2004 by 5
former abductees of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Empowering Hands is
an organization now operated by 30 young women that works in
internal displacement camps and communities in Gulu and Amuru to
help reintegrate former child soldiers into their schools and
communities. Empowering Hands has helped over 1,000 children
surmount the social, psychological, and economic obstacles of
resuming their lives after being abducted.
Support for Empowering Hands through the Uganda Fund contributes to
effective reintegration of former child soldiers and other
war-affected youth through activities such as peer-to-peer
counseling, microcredit lending, community education to reduce
stigma and discrimination, peace building, and the use of creative
outlets, such as music, community theater and radio programs, to
deal with trauma.
2008
highlights include:
-
doubling
of overall membership in Peer Groups in camps and resettlement sites
from 250 to 500
-
doubling
of overall membership in Community Dialogue Groups from 150 to 300
-
6
members received adult literacy training
-
18
members trained in basic business skills and loan management
Northern Uganda
Transitional Justice Working Group
Convened by the Justice and Reconciliation Project of the Gulu
District NGO Forum, this group is a model for responding to
community transitional justice needs. It builds capacity among, and
collaborates with, member organizations and war-affected communities
toward a culture of accountability, governance and respect for rule
of law. Comprised of community leaders and skilled project
administrators, the working group proactively engages with key
activists to ensure coherent momentum and advocacy for a more
comprehensive and inclusive transitional justice process for Uganda
as a whole. This project was recently funded by the Uganda Fund;
2008 highlights are not applicable.
Centre for Reparation
and Rehabilitation
The Centre for Reparation and Rehabilitation provides access to
social justice through programming focused on a) responding to and
preventing sexual and gender-based violence; b) providing
psychosocial support, advocacy and protection; and c) building local
capacity alongside the Peace Recovery and Development Plan. The
Centre seeks to ensure accountability, reparation and rehabilitation
of conflict-affected women, children and youth in northern Uganda.
The Center mobilizes resources to address gaps and needs. For
example, provision of free legal services helps citizens navigate
complicated bureaucratic processes and irregularities in the
criminal justice system. Contributing to an organizing framework for
the post-conflict region, the Centre works towards better
coordination, supervision and monitoring of ongoing interventions.
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Empowering Hands make and sell paper beads as part of their income-generating activities. |
