Here at Youth Skilling Organization Uganda, a charity dedicated to empowering Ugandan young people through various programs and small scale farmers grow their incomes while managing the natural resources sustainably, we strongly believe that Uganda is the same. So many critics of aid harbor and project perceptions of Uganda that show sources of uncertainty like conflict, political unrest, climate variability and fluctuating markets. These are often the very people who believe that aid doesn't work!
It's true that agriculture, investment, and protection of vital natural resources in many parts of Uganda can sometimes be complex - and unpredictable. But after 5 years of working in several parts of Uganda, with rural communities and youth in critical locations, we are confident that we have found many elements of the winning strategy for transforming lives.
We know how to combine both traditional and modern approaches to build farmers' knowledge and capabilities. Having under gone intensive training in commercial beans, Irish potato growing and harvesting techniques via our demonstration farms and various training sessions, the yields of bean and Irish potato farmers we worked with in Busuuju sub-county of Mityana district multiplied over a period of three years and their incomes rose to 90% generally.
Knowing that empowering women can really bring about prosperity. Our campaign in the Mpigi District Kalagala village where we gave livestock to women, helped them access credit through Village Savings and Loans Associations, we also raised awareness of women's legal rights, led to increases in both women's abilities to generate income and savings, and their decision making powers.
More importantly, we're learning more and more about how we can help small agribusinesses to overcome some key market challenges and unlock exciting opportunities, bringing more markets to farmers.
It's not very hard. Our first annual progress report, which includes detailed case studies on various ventures, outlines how YSOU's investment in sustainable agricultural development is harvesting dividends for rural communities. That's proof that aid really works.
We at Youth Skilling Organization Uganda believe that eventually Uganda can evolve from aid, and this is the right kind of investment that can really unlock its true initiative. We are committed to projecting an image of Uganda that is positive, progressive, and has the capacity for transformational change and we hope that our new impact report goes some way to dispelling the myths of 'hanger and poverty being someone else's problem'.
With the right kind of support, attention to protection of the natural resources, and investment that can really reach out and touch people's lives for the better, we are confident that the UN's Sustainable Development Goals can be delivered in some of the most critical locations Uganda.

As a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses, communities and countries around the world. This year 2018, Giving Tuesday falls on November 28th.
Giving Tuesday harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season. It inspires people to take collective action to improve their communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they believe in, and help create a better world. Giving Tuesday demonstrates how every act of generosity counts, and that they mean even more when we give together.
Youth Skilling Organization Uganda has joined Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage to celebrate generosity worldwide!
More than 2,000 Kilograms of Learning materials, farm equipments and others supplies are need to be supplied out for each partner school and a our young farmers groups. YSOU has joined the Giving Tuesday movement for the second year because we believe the global movement is very powerful. We believe that sharing our talents with others is the most fulfilling way to use them.
The movement allows us to share our story with others and encourage the spirit of giving to grow greater than ever before. This Giving Tuesday, our goal is to fund learning materials like books, pens, shoes, clothes for Kingdom Junior School Kigoggwa and computers for our sponsored IT students in secondary schools for our 'Teaching and education' program.
Wasswa Samuel the Chief Operations Manager at Youth Skilling Organization Uganda says;

'We want to transform lives in under-served communities!, and this Giving Tuesday movement will allow us to share this goal beyond our immediate borders and encourage others to join our mission. Giving Tuesday, we are encouraged by the early response from partner's eager to continue making an impact in this global conversation'
This will cost $3,000 one of the largest expenses we have for each program. Being a part of the Giving Tuesday community also provides the opportunity to share the Youth Skilling Organization Uganda's story with a wider audience to gain followers while at the same time generating support for our upcoming youth and community development programs to Uganda where we will continue replacing joints to change the lives not only for the youth, but for their families and communities as well.
"Youth Skilling Organization Uganda has continued to receive financial, material and technical support from international and local sources. During this implementation year under review, many of YSOU's financial resources consisted of international donations from individuals and institutions in the USA and UK. Thanks go to our past international volunteers and our partner the WORLD YOUTH ORGANIZATION for their continued commitment regarding international fundraising for YSOU. It's from this background that we kindly count on your engagement support this GIVING TUESDAY!"
Said Serunyiigo Lameck the Communications and Advocacy Director of the Youth Skilling Organization Uganda.

The answer is "Yes" because I believe in investing into the education of girls as one of the most inclusive approaches of human development.
There is evidence that the education of women and girls has a positive impact on economic, social, cultural and public health development, particularly in developing countries. When women are educated, they become empowered to participate in family decision-making and community life; they are better prepared to protect their own health and that of their loved ones.
Educating girls also has a multiplier effect. When you educate a girl, you give her the ability to have a greater influence on the future of her own children's education. The education of girls benefits society as a whole, including: the girl herself, her family and future generations, the community in which she lives and even the entire country that will derive dividends from the girl's education in terms of increase in growth points and reduction of child mortality and extreme poverty.
In short, the education of girls is essential to the development of their abilities and aspirations and for their independence. For this reason, investing in the education of girls is one of the most inclusive approaches of human development.
Even with access to education, girls still face many barriers: educational costs, cultural norms and gender roles (specifically prescribed for girls such as helping in the kitchen and with household chores), early marriage and early motherhood - responsible for 15 to 30% of secondary female student dropouts - or even the violence they encounter at school.
Unfortunately, this is an almost universal problem singling out girls as the most vulnerable. According to Youth Skilling Organization Uganda's research, schoolgirls of all ages have repeatedly suffered harassment or sexual assault, discrimination based on their sex, physical and psychological intimidation and even rape at school. Many report that they have been publicly humiliated by school officials simply Thanks to the efforts of the Youth Skilling Organization Uganda, particularly through the Teaching and Education program, so many girls have never before been enrolled in school than during the last decade here in Uganda. Currently, while the international community renews its commitment to the 2030 Education Program, more and more girls will be enrolling in schools over the next years. However, enrolling is not enough, they must stay in school! One of the greatest challenges facing schoolgirls and female students is school-based violence.
Youth Skilling Organization Uganda explains school-related gender-based violence as 'any act of sexual, physical or psychological violence inflicted on children in and around schools due to stereotypes and roles or norms assigned to them or expected of them because of their sex or gender identity'. This type of violence affects hundreds of millions of children. It is a phenomenon that affects all countries of the world not only Uganda, regardless of their social, cultural or economic differences.
Of course, no individual can solve these huge problems, but if everyone carries out their role as global citizens, we will be well on our way. As Edmund Burke once said: "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little."