National Secretariat offices
P.O BOX 7325-Kampala
Plot 844, Mbogo Road-Najjera-Kampala
Yadnetuganda1@gmail.com
www.yadnet.org

Background

About YADNET UGANDA

YADNET  is a network organization registered in Uganda that brings together more than 48 CSOs working with and for young people on

• Advocacy
• Sexual Reproductive Health
• Youth Economic Empowerment
• Environment and Climate Change

YADNET with Registration Number INDR153454304NB, Operates country wide with Regional coordinater structures in Arua (West Nile), Moroto (Karamoja), Hoima ( Albertine), kasese (Rwenzori), Mbarara (Western), kamuli (Eastern), Lira (Lango) and Kampala (Central)

The young people currently constitute 34.8 %1 of the Uganda population. Most of these
are below the age of 30 years of age. This huge youth population is affected by high
unemployment rates, disease burden and poor living conditions due to poverty and poor
livelihoods. The Government of Uganda has put in place structures and programmes to
boost the engagement and participation of the youth in development. Government and
development partners have also supported its young people through enrolling many of
them into the Youth Livelihood Programme and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship
programme with the goal of improving livelihoods.
Rationale
Uganda has more than 4000 NGOs and CSOs working with and for young people on
Sexual Reproductive Health, Economic Empowerment and Environment. However, these
NGOs/CSOs implement youth interventions in siros and without joint interventions which
is making youth interventions and programs not sustainable. There is need for
NGOs/CSOs to join efforts and jointly implement programs to foster effective best
practices sharing and learning for sustainable youth interventions and effective
coordination that lead to improved service delivery in Uganda.

Vision Statement
A Young Generation Empowered to contribute to achieving Sustainable Development
Mission Statement
To provide a platform for all Youth focused, Youth-driven organizations and youth
groups to effectively Build Capacity of young people for Sustainable Development.

YADNET UGANDA CORE VALUES
Transparency
Accountability
Honesty
Rights-Based Approach
Inclusive Participation

Objectives
1) To coordinate and bring together Youth led and focused organizations in Uganda
to spearhead interventions aimed at scaling up access to SRHR, empowerment,
prevention of GBV, Skills & Enterprise development and Environmental
sustainability.
2) To promote capacity and self-improvement of Youth-led and Youth-focused
organizations in Uganda in the areas of Sexual Reproductive health, income
generation, and GBV prevention, Economic Empowerment & Environment.
3) To empower and train Young people in Uganda to advocate for SRH access for
Young people, create Employment and GBV prevention and holding leaders
accountable for provision of Youth-Friendly services and reduce un employment.
4) To engage youth NGOs/CSOs in strengthening partnerships and collaborations
through institutional strengthening interventions to deliver joint programing that
transform young people.
Hon Minister for Youth Nakiwala Kiyingi signing the “Youth at Crossroads Campaign”
YADNET UGANDA THEMATIC AREAS OF NGOs/CSOs COORDINATION
A) Advocacy
B) Access to Youth friendly Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights services
C) Youth Economic Empowerment and Skilling
D) Environmental conservation and Climate Change
E) Institutional Strengthening of Youth NGOs/CSOs
F) Stronger Coordination and PartnershipsOPERATION OF THE NETWORK
YAD-NET UGANDA is driven under three (4) pillars:
1) EVIDANCE-BASED ADVOCACY
2) ACCESS TO BETTER YOUTH-FRIENDLY HEALTH (SRHR) SERVICES
3) YOUTH ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT &SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
4) INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING (Improving organizational systems for better
outcomes)–
5) COORDINATION (Building strong and effective partnerships and networks
6) RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
7) PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORKING
Under Programs, the National Coordinator with his/her team of the Executive committee
will develop program action plans for daily running of the network in addition to mobilizing
resource for day to day running of the network.
Under Governance, this entails the network organogram which includes the Network
Board which does the oversight role and Under Finance; this is the finance arm of the
network which is responsible for resource mobilization of the network and books of
accounts.
YADNET UGANDA COORDINATION STRUCTURE
YADNET UGANDA operates by bringing together NGOs/CSOs working with and for
young people in Uganda to jointly implement interventions and programs in the major 3
sectors; Sexual Reproductive Health, Economic Empowerment and Environment/Climate
Change. The coordination of the interventions is conducted through the Regional
coordination structures in Uganda. The regional coordination structures are Northern
Region, Western Region, Eastern Region, Bunyoro region, Karamoja and Rwenzori
region. The regional coordination is spearheaded by Regional coordinators that bring
together NGOs/CSOs to implement joint programs in the respective region through
executive committee.Current Membership:YADNET UGANDA membership is more than 30 Youth-led and
focused organizations which include;
a) Foundation Initiative for Rural Development-Lira
b) Youth Efforts to Save Environment-Moroto
c) Rwenzori Center for Research and Advocacy-Kasese
d) Foundation for Open Development-Tororo
e) Action for Youth Development-Rubirizi
f) International Foundation for Recovery and Development-Yumbe
g) West Nile Youth Empowerment Link-Arua
h) Joint Efforts to Save Environment-Fort portal
i) Girl Up Initiative-Kampala
j) Katika Child Africa
k) Open Hearts Initiative Uganda
l) Uganda Youth Development Link,
m) AIDS Information Center,
n) Naguru Teenage& information Centre,
o) Uganda Youth Adolescent Health Forum,
p) Sensitise Uganda,
q) Uganda Youth Forum,
r) Brac-Uganda,
s) Youth Go Green,,
t) Action for Health Uganda,
u) Reproductive Health Uganda,
v) AFFCAD,
w) NUDIPU,
x) Show Abilities Uganda
y) Ngabo Youth Services Centre,
z) Bridge Builders Uganda,
aa)White Ribbon Alliance,
bb)Gals Forum International,
cc) Raising Teenage Uganda,
dd)Youth Line Forum,
ee)Kawempe Youth Center,
ff) Path for Health Uganda,
gg)Youth Advocacy Foundation Uganda
hh)HEYFU,
ii) Kawaala Teenage Center among others.YADNET UGANDA THEMATIC AREAS ENGAGED WITH YOUTH NGOs/CSOs

Thematic Area 1: Advocacy
Building capacity of CSOs and young people to hold duty bearers and decision makers
accountable for the provision of services for young people through Advocacy for better youth
health services (ABH)policy engagement and reviews, budget advocacy and social
accountability.

THEMATC AREA 2: Youth job creation innovations and Skilling
Electricity installation training and tailoring by youth in Katwe youth skills center-KampalaCrafts made by youth in Kawempe youth skilling centerCrafts making and Honey value addition from bee keeping in, Kagadi and Rubirizi
Soap making by youth in Mororo district
Crafts made by youth from Arua district
Under this strategy, youth innovations that create jobs and employment will be supported and
mentored. They will act as learning lessons for other youth to get inspired to create more jobs.
Different stakeholders will be brought together to support youth job creation innovations and
more youth mobilized.
Through the annual “Exceptional Youth innovations awards” Awards, youth will be awarded
for spearheading innovations that change mindset of youth to be job creators than job seekers.

THEMATIC AREA 3.Youth Sexual Reproductive Health service delivery innovations
SRHR information digital YEC Radio http://www.esrhr.org/ and youth services
Health camps and outreaches by Naguru Teenage Center and RHUSafe Male Circumcision by Reproductive Heath Uganda
For the businesses of youth to be sustainable, their health is important. Therefore, in this
strategy, youth will be empowered with information and services geared towards ending
teenage pregnancies, diseases and increased access to youth friendly services so that they
keep healthy as they grow and sustain their businesses. Service provision will be conducted by
the different service provisions organizations through outreaches and health center health
camps. The innovations under health include: development of health apps, youth led health
education channels, media channel development and youth mobilization models.

THEMATIC 4. Youth engagement in Environmental conservation practicesWaste bottles recycled to make water tanks and gardens points by Youth in Hoima
district
Youth innovations that foster environmental conservations by youth will be mobilized and
supported to generate and mentor more youth to protect nature yet creating economic
empowerment initiatives. These youth environment initiatives will be documented and
showcased through media so that more youth country wide could learn from the youth
environment conservation innovators. Such innovations include; making renewable and clean
energy models, urban farming models, recycling of wastes and briquettes

THEMATIC Area 5. Partnerships and Networking
For effective campaign implementation, different partners need to work together and jointly
mobilize and mentor youth and groups to sustainably develop businesses and startups in
addition to reaching more youth will business skills and financing. The partnerships will include;
government agencies and programs such as Youth livelihood program, Uganda UWEP, Youth
venture capital fund among others, partnership with Private Sector foundation Uganda (PSFU)
and Innovation Village to reach more youth through Youth Africa Works program in addition to
development partners financing for these youth startup businesses.Media engagement to showcase youth innovations that create economic empowerment
As well known, media is key to amplifying youth voices and showcasing the youth innovations to
the public and many youths to learn. A media strategy will be developed that will majorly
document and cover youth innovations that are exceptional in creating change among youth
and economically empower fellow youth to create jobs and innovatively reach more youth.
Different media houses will be mobilized to showcase youth innovations by youth from different
regions in Uganda. These will include National and regional television stations, national and
regional radio stations, local dailies and through social media such as Facebook, twitter,
Instagram, WhatsApp’s and YouTube.
Graduation ceremony for youth after completing 6 months courses at Katwe skills
development center under Ngabo youth center in KampalaAnnual Regional Youth Conferences
Every year as part of celebrating International Youth Day, the network organizes
Regional Youth conference during the Youth Week. The conference brings together
young people supported by the member organizations to reflect on the IYD themes and
fast track the role of young people in the development.
The Regional Youth Conference started in 2019 where the first Regional youth
conference that was conducted from 15th to 16th August 2019 at Silver Springs Hotel,
Kampala that brought together more than 300 youth from Uganda and guests from 6
countries in Africa.
First edition 2019,The 2
nd Regional Youth Conference was held on 11th August 2020 at Serena Hotel,
Kampala. The conference brought together more than 100 young people to reflect on
the impact of Covid 19 on Youth development in Uganda. The conference was graced
by Hon Nakiwala Kiyingi the Minister for Youth and Hon Lilian Aber, the then
Chairperson National Youth Council-Uganda. The guest of honor was Ms Natalie
Mukundane, the Chairperson African Union Youth Commission.3
rd Edition 10th August 2021-Hoima Resort Hotel