Health
Explore our diverse range of programs and projects designed to ignite change and drive impact.
Health
The organization conducts events on a variety of themes related to general health, reproductive health, and hygiene. The training courses assist young people in understanding the fundamentals of their bodies, developing personal and household cleanliness skills, and understanding sexual health. In addition, YSU is actively involved in the battle against the spread of HIV and other related illnesses.
Sports are used in the programs to teach young people about their health, encourage behavioural change, improve life skills, and thereby increase school retention. The program served 1,432 children and youth ages 6 to
24 years (52% female and 48% male) across 6 schools. This initiative helps to achieve the SDGs of Quality Education, Good Health and Wellbeing, and Gender Equality.
OUR CONTRIBUTION
Health Programs & Projects
Generation Well
YSU is using a 12-month sport-based advocacy method to improve the SRHR for 1,500 refugee and host community youth from Kampala’s urban slum neighborhoods. In light of the Play Right Project’s findings that the Sexual Reproductive and Health Rights (SRHR) of young refugees were among the most violated, the Generation Well project works with relevant stakeholders to train educators, coaches, and other organizations on how to use sports to advocate for SRHR and to give underprivileged youth a forum to discuss issues pertaining to SRHR that affect them.
This is achieved through the use of structured sport, which is taught by teachers and coaches who possess technical skills for delivering inclusive, safe, and high-quality SRHR advocacy in addition to training in social work and coaching approaches. Through the development of life skills, marginalized youth are able to effectively advocate for themselves and their needs to stakeholders at advocacy and peaceful coexistence events that are part of the project.
Supported by the International Olympic Committee’s Advancing Olympism 365 forum, the initiative collaborates with humanitarian SRHR partners to improve youth access to SRHR services for both host and refugee communities.
Game Connect Project
Game Connect funded by the Olympic Refuge Foundation is a project implemented in a consortium with YSU, the Uganda Olympic Committee, Right To Play, UNHCR, and the Avsi Foundation (as the lead).
The project lays a foundation for sustainable change by leveraging sport as a catalyst for improving mental health and fostering a sense of belonging and peaceful coexistence among 11,500 refugee and host community youth.
A variety of activities have been carried out, including routine sports for mental health interventions, home visits, referrals for critical services, peaceful coexistence initiatives, annual sports events, and advocacy efforts.
Boot It Project
The project’s goal was to reduce cases of substance abuse and violence among refugee and host community youth aged 10 to 24 in Kampala using football.
Funded by FIFA Foundation, the project aimed at reducing cases of substance/drug abuse and violence among 1,640 refugee and host community youth aged 10 to 24 in Kampala. The project engaged the community and all concerned stakeholders in addressing educational barriers, child protection, conflict management, and violence reduction, disability and inclusion, and positive youth development. Using a structured curriculum with modified football games, and trained coaches, children and youth were helped to manage their psychosocial well-being, avoid drugs and alcohol, have fewer cases of violence and extremism, and adopt positive coping mechanisms.
Our young leaders and coaches have sustained this initiative remotely in their communities. If you wish to support them, reach out to YSU.
Strong, Fit and Empowered (SaFE)
The Strong Fit and Empowered (SaFE) project emerged in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the disease caused by the Corona Virus that has affected people globally and increased the emotional, physical and mental toll among the vulnerable youths in the Refugee settlements, Urban refugees and host community youth in Uganda. SaFE project was an ORF funded project developed to support the psychosocial wellbeing and mental health of 3,128 vulnerable youth for both female (51%) and male (49%), with 70% (Refugees), and 30 %( Host Community) youth aged (15-24yrs) in Kampala, Kamwenge and Lamwo refugee hosting districts implemented by AVSI Foundation and Youth Sport Uganda.
The project goal was to increase youth, coaches and family members’ psychosocial and economic wellbeing in the face of COVID 19. During the implementation period beneficiaries were reached with COVID -19 awareness and psychosocial messages through community dialogues and media sensitizations through radio. This was done to increase and enhance preventive, safety care and psychosocial practices among the youth, their caregivers and general community members.
Pads for Refugees
With Support from PadsforRefugees, YSU was able to distribute sanitary towels to over 5,000 young women in Kampala. Recognising that menstrual Hygiene Management is still a challenge for school going girls, YSU incorporated sports sessions on reproductive health, guidance and counselling as well as sanitary towels distribution. If you are able to support us in continuing this noble cause, please reach out to YSU.
Universal Languages Approach
The project that is funded by Viva Con Agua brings together 8 organizations, to increase of access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, including Menstrual Hygiene Management and future prospective for the most vulnerable children, women, elderly and youths in the slum area of Uganda.
Through activities like football for WASH sessions, MHM trainings, dance and art for WASH workshops, the coaches in the project raise community awareness in terms of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, including Menstrual Hygiene Management matters. The project beneficiaries also advocate for their rights in the area of WASH and carry out advocacy activities such as painting murals in communities, community clean ups and football for WASH pop up events that involve all stakeholders.