Uganda's History
The boundaries implemented by Britain in Uganda forcibly grouped together various ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures, groups which were not accustomed with living together. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved in 1962. Uganda still feels the effects of a war in the north between the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and government troops. Nearly two million civilians have been forced into Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps. 25,000 children have been kidnapped by the LRA. Approximately 12,000 people have been killed in the violence. Thousands more have died from the resulting poverty, disease and malnutrition.

The country has a favourable climate for the 85% of Ugandans who depend on subsistence agriculture. However, due to four decades of rapid population growth and three decades without useful agricultural inputs, they are affected by environmental degradation and food insecurity, which have been worsened by civil war, political turmoil and the HIV/AIDS crisis. Over 50% of Ugandans live below the poverty line, many of them widows and orphans; the general life expectancy in Uganda is 52 years. More than half of Ugandans do not have access to clean water and sanitation. Malaria, AIDS, Tuberculosis and other preventable diseases are frequent causes of death.

Fortunately, in recent years there has been relative political stability. The government and LRA have begun peace talks, which will hopefully lead to reconciliation. The Ugandan government and people have demonstrated a desire to face the HIV/AIDS crisis head on, and agricultural development initiatives are benefiting from the fertile climate.

FH In Uganda
FH started working in Uganda in 1988 initially as a branch of FH Kenya. At that time Uganda was beginning to address infrastructural and social damage wrought by 13 years of civil and liberation wars as well as the AIDS pandemic. Both AIDS and the war left high numbers of widows and orphans in their wake. Initially FH Uganda helped communities recover by providing relief commodities. Consequently it helped strengthen household food security through efforts to rehabilitate the prison farm system. Over the past twenty years, FH Uganda has expanded to include programs addressing: agriculture and food security, water and sanitation, child education and development, community health and HIV/AIDS, returnee resettlement, child protection and psycho-social care for survivors of abduction.

FH is active in several areas in Uganda by sponsoring Child Development Programs in the rural communities. Through these programs, community leaders are given the training they need, while the next generation of leaders is nurtured and developed. FH also supports a program for girls and young women who have escaped slavery as ‘wives’ in the LRA army, and is empowering the IDP communities, through training and resource development, to meet the needs of these vulnerable groups.

What We Do

• Agriculture & Environment: Best practice trainings, sack gardening, cassava multiplication and seed support.
• Child Development & Education: Education support program, medical care, school building and rehabilitation.
• Child Protection: Rehabilitation center for “child mothers”, psycho-social care, vocational training, literacy classes and sexual violence case referral.

• Economic Development: Micro-finance and livestock distribution.
• Health and Nutrition: Malaria prevention education and distribution of long-lasting mosquito bed nets.
• HIV/AIDS: Home visits, awareness, food provisions, school materials, strengthening village health teams and support for HIV/AIDS orphans.
• Water & Sanitation: Capping water sources, building latrines and wells, drilling bore holes, spring protection and hygiene education.

Quick Facts (from IRIN, CIA, The World Factbook, UNHCR, UNICEF)

• For over 20 years northern Uganda has been the center of violent conflict between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan Government.
• The Lord's Resistance Army is infamous for its brutality, "routinely maiming and killing civilians, and abducting children for use as child fighters, sex slaves or domestic workers" (IRIN). Over 25,000 children have been abducted since the conflict began.
• Nearly half of Uganda's two million orphans have been orphaned by AIDS.
• 12.9 million Ugandans lack access to clean water.
• Roughly 90% of Northern Ugandans live in some 200 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.