Swengere Foundation(SF - Uganda)

Our Vision:

(Overall goal) of the Organisation is “A Uganda with healthy

Our Mission.

(program purpose) is to “To contribute towards raising the level, Quality & Equity of Talent Development for the people of Uganda, through promotions, training, development and searching”

Our Core Values

a)   Community participation: SF promotes stakeholder involvement in all its operations

b)   Accountability: SF is committed to justifying all its pursuits

c)   Transparency: SF is honest and open in all its dealings

d)   Result oriented: SF is committed to achieving intended outcomes for all resources committed to its operations

e)   Teamwork: SF supports and promotes a diversified but unified team working together to achieve a common goal

f)   Servant leadership: SF upholds servant hood at the core of its existence and operations.

Rationale for the Strategic Plan

This strategic plan (SP) provides SF with  a  five-year  road  map  to  guide its  operations, mobilize  human and

Financial support and direct organizational development for the period 2019-2025. The SP assesses SF’s past milestones, evaluates lessons learned, reflects on past challenges, and draws upon these to create a new strategic direction for the organization during the next five years. The document contains SF’s strategic goals and objectives, a projection of the critical factors to consider in the external environment, the monitoring and evaluation plan as well as the implementation budget.

This strategic plan builds on the previous strategic plan  (2015-2018). It defines  the next steps in realizing SF’s vision and mission for the period 2019-2025. The previous period 2015-2018, witnessed several challenges but also significant milestones in the history of SF. SF will capitalize on  the  achievements and  learn  from  the setbacks in executing its work going forward. SF will harness its existing as well as new strategic partnerships to scale  up its work while recognizing the various contexts in which it operates. Since SF’s focus is on youths, women and  children’s wellbeing, the organization will derive its strategic direction from contextualization of Youths, women and children affairs in Uganda and beyond.

There  are various  reasons that  justify the review of the strategic plan. These reasons are detailed below:-

I.  Reflection

The period 2011-2015 had many challenges and several lessons learnt. It is therefore important for SF to reflect on these to inform its direction for the next five year period

II.  Renewal

Since SF’s inception,  there  have  been some major global and national changes in strategies and approaches to development work. Examples of these include the development of the sustainable development goals  (SDGs) which replaced the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This SP will take into consideration all emerging changes

III. Focus

SF has grown rapidly and creatively over the last five years. In order to maintain this growth, the organization needs a strategic focus. This plan will define SF’s focus for

2019-2025

IV. Planning

In order for SF to maintain its competitive edge,  the organization requires continuous planning  of its operations. This document is the reference point for the organization’s plans for 2019-2025

Our Story

SF’s story is one of hope, perseverance, tenacity  and    focused   determination. Having had  very humble  beginnings as  a community based  organization in Eastern Uganda;    SF  has    progressed  from operating in just one Buwekula Village in 2011 to attaining a sub region operational area. The organization presently operates in 3 districts in the  Busoga Sub Region regions of Uganda with an intention of scaling up to other regions in the next five years.

Over the years, SF has transitioned from just  supporting and  enabling  Youths, women, children & people improve their economic status to offering a holistic approach to Girls/Children & youths, Women’s livelihoods and general well being. The organization understands that  there  are  many  factors that contribute to Children & Women’s welfare and has in effect harnessed its energy, expertise and zeal to mobilize and support rural women to initiate and manage their own changes in economic development, health, human rights, education as

SF’s Theory of Change

SF’s theory  of change is based on the understanding that  among the rural poor, women, youth and children are the most disadvantaged  and    marginalized.   Women suffer disproportionate inequalities in access to and control of production resources, political participation as well as decision making both at household and  community level. SF is however  convinced that, when  rural poor women  are   empowered  with  information, knowledge and skills to participate and actively make decisions, generate income and sustain livelihoods as well as have strong and strategic networks and safety nets, they are in better position to challenge violations and advocate for their rights. SF therefore, believes in a holistic empowerment approach that enables women to overcome not  only the  political, economic and social marginalization but also promotes a positive change in their attitudes, behaviors and practices that limit their internal abilities   to  meaningfully participate  in  all development processes  at  household and community level; to exercise and enjoy their rights.

To strengthen organizational capacity to improve socio-economic status of rural women and wellbeing of children in central and eastern Uganda by 2025.

SF currently operates in Rural Jinja and Kamuli

Strategic Focus

Areas 2019 - 2025

1.       Women socio-economic strengthening

2.       Education and lifelong learning and Talent searching and development.

3.       Sustainable Healthy Communities

4.       Climate change resilience and adaptation

5.       Organizational growth and development

Women socio-economic strengthening

SF empowers women to eliminate discriminative practices that inhibit their potential in socio-economic development

Key strategies and measurement

To increase agriculture productivity to enhance food security and incomes for 25,000  women by 2025. SF will enhance agricultural entrepreneurship, increase access to proactive resources, inputs, knowledge, value addition and markets opportunities.

To  increase  economic opportunities for  15,000 youths and women by 2021.  SF will enhance access to economic resources and  basic  services, promote ownership and control of natural resources, introduce appropriate new technologies and entrepreneurship initiatives and support access to financial services.

To empower women and youths to engage in policy advocacy and good governance to establish favorable  economic policies for women and girls to thrive by 2025.

SF will support  establishment of  advocacy platforms, create awareness on policy issues and women rights awareness.

Operation of Talent search and development Center to offer training, support and shelter to our targeted people, gender based violence, child marriages from hostile and violent environments.

To focus on the Human rights of Children & Women, to free them from violence. SF will bring awareness to Human Child Sacrifice and also offer legal aid to the victims

Education & Long Life-Learning

SF supports inclusive education of vulnerable and marginalized children especially the girl child and identifying their talent potentials.

Key strategies and measurement

To contribute to reduction of gender disparities in education for girls and  children in vulnerable situations by 2025

SF will ensure equal access to quality education and vocational training as well as talent nurturing.

To improve access to quality education for 5,000 children especially girls by 2025.

SF will focus on improving WASH Infrastructure, promoting and advocating for retention activities and child protection

To increase literacy levels in vocational and life skills for women, youth and vulnerable children by 2025.

SF will support vocational skills development, adult education and capacity building

Sustainable Healthy Communities

SF empowers communities to demand, access and utilize health services

Key strategies and measurement

To improve accessibility, availability and quality of sexual reproductive health services by 2025.

SF will create awareness of sexual reproductive health and rights among women, men and youth in the reproductive age group, establish advocacy platforms for citizens to influence  national  and  district  health policies, create linkages to sexual reproductive health service providers in communities

To improve accessibility to safe water, sanitation facilities and hygiene practices for schools, households and communities

SF will focus on establishing water and sanitation facilities in schools, households and communities; conducting hygiene and sanitation improvement trainings, introducing new water and sanitation technologies, creating spaces for citizens to engage, influence and demand improved water, sanitation and hygiene facilities from decision makers

To contribute to reduction of malnutrition among children under five  years,  pregnant  and lactating women and older persons by 2025.

SF will support nutrition education, safe  food preparation methods, kitchen gardening

To contribute to the reduction of HIV/AIDS especially in women and children

SF will promote prevention of new HIV infections, link citizens with health care providers to conduct voluntary counseling and testing of HIV and provide Anti Retroviral Therapy where necessary; support affected and infected households with economic empowerment programs for improved livelihoods.

Climate change resilience and adaptation

SF enhances community capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change for sustainable development

Key strategies and measurement

To improve access to appropriate renewable energy technologies among 1000 households by 2025.

SF will support introduction of renewable energy technologies including solar energy, green technologies, energy saving stoves and other innovative solutions. SF will also  link communities to microfinance services to secure finances for adoption and scale up of the technologies

To influence local governments to integrate climate change measures into district policies, strategies and plans

SF will build community capacity to engage and influence decision makers at district level to incorporate climate  change measures into district  development plans and budgets

To support communities to adopt climate smart agriculture SF will train communities in environmentally sound agriculture practices such as organic farming and agro forestry

Organizational growth and development

SF has  strong governance and  management systems and structures to support effective program implementation

Key strategies and measurement

To strengthen functionality of organizational systems and structures in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), Finance and Human Resources (HR) for effective program implementation by 2025.

SF will review the current Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), Finance and Human Resources systems including manuals, guidelines, templates and procedures to ensure adherence to minimum required standards and monitoring performance. SF will establish gaps and take appropriate action including installation of software packages

To  build  board   and  staff capacity for  effective management and implementation of programs SF will enhance staff  and  board  capacity in MEL, advocacy, use  of software systems and  new development approaches through exposures, coaching and  mentoring, training  and  sponsorship for short course

To strengthen partnerships to enhance shared learning, resource mobilization and joint advocacy by 2021

SF will strengthen partnerships to improve advocacy, resource mobilization skills, visibility, shared learning and innovation