This initiative will roll out sustainable interventions which are family centered, that builds on children, youth and their caregiver’s resiliency and safety nets strengthening. Our case management strategies will be community based interventions through community outreaches with legal clinics, promotion of household visits and functional referral systems. The referral system will link OVCs, youth and caregivers to service providers for HIV testing, care, and treatment services, antennal care appointments and eMTCT, post-natal care, nutrition, immunization, Tuberculosis, legal aid services, youth livelihoods initiatives, vocational training services, apprenticeship services, police station unit for children and families, alternative care institutions.

Project Goal: Strengthened integration and coordination of service delivery system for OVC core program services of health, nutrition, education, psychosocial and child protection to a minimum of 26,767 Households translating into 160,604 orphans and other vulnerable children, youth and their caregivers in Kabarole, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo district by end 2019.Project Strategies:i) Identification of OVC, youth and their caregivers who are at a high risk for HIV infection, malnutrition and other health issues and link them for servicesii) Establishing strong and effective service networks of community based clinical & socio-economic service providersiii) Integrate a mobile based application in case management .

The initiative will develop training manuals, conduct bi-weekly trainings, hold semi- annual events and annual regional conferences, the initiative will offer scholarships to over 10,000 vulnerable children, the initiate will strengthen health systems in government and private health centres to improve service linkages and tracking service delivery. The initiative will establish 3 medical centres in Uganda to address high prevalence rate of HIV in the region, this will improve on care and support to people living with HIV. The initiative will sponsor University Students commitment to Research in HIV and TB field.

RCRA is governed by a Constitution and has a strong 9-member board, which is the supreme body of the organization. Members of the board include: Patron, Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and 4 members. The board meets quarterly to provide direction to and evaluate progress against the strategic plan. The organisation, led by the Executive Director, is responsible for implementation of the strategic and operating plans, and is based in Fort-Portal Mid-western Uganda. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors. RCRA has a general assembly which comprises of key stakeholders. The general assembly is conducted once a year (at the end) to reflect on the work done in a year, as well as plan for the subsequent year. The general assembly employs an interactive and consultative process where a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of the organization is done and recommendations drawn to improve the performance of the organization. The roles and responsibilities of the general assembly, board, and secretariat are detailed in the organization’s constitution and by-laws.All collected primary data will be electronically captured and analyzed by RCRA M&E office and the data analysis will follow the project monitoring indicators. Monthly reports will be compiled and periodically reviewed by RCRA staff and these will be supported by approved monthly work plans. RCRA M&E team will take lead in aggregating quarterly reports that will be shared with the district authorities, community stakeholders and at the end of every 12 months an annual report will be compiled and shared with all project stakeholders.

Rwenzori Center for Research and Advocacy (RCRA), Makerere University, Mountains of the Moon University, Ministry of Health Uganda