Because of you…
The team in Uganda is committed to evangelism and discipleship of its young people. Their current ministries include gospel outreach and crisis pregnancy counseling.
Outreach ministry is involved in school, church, sports, university and leadership development programs. They challenge youth to commit their lives to the Lord, abstain from sex until marriage and live exemplary Christian lives.
Counselling and care for girls faced with crisis pregnancy and who have been rejected from home. There is a scholarship program, which helps the young mothers, and their children go back to school and also Operation Hannah encouraging families to pray for their children and the nation.
Youth for Christ has been in existence in Uganda for 19 years, reaching youth with the love and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the years programs targeting the needs of the young people i.e. gospel programs, sex education HIV/AIDS, crisis pregnancy. However, towards the end of 2007 there was a change in ministry strategy in order to be so effective in reaching the target group.
Beginning 2008 the focus changed to building lasting relationships. This strategy was incorporated into the existing programs and new programs were also developed (i.e. life skill education and leadership development).
This has proved to be so effective at a success rate to 100%. This is because there is now more time with the youth to build trustworthy relationships and are discipled for a longer period. All staff and volunteers are excited for the many more years to come building lasting relationships with young people that through it many will come to know and live for the Lord.
Prayer Needs
- Ministry to be of impact to the young people
- God to bring along more partners (locally and internationally) in order to reach more youth in Uganda
- Open more local Youth for Christ ministry sites in Uganda
- Provision in order to meet our current ministry needs
About Uganda
Uganda
Introduction
The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections. In January 2009, Uganda assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.
Geography
Location
Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Geographic Coordinates: 1 00 N, 32 00 E
Area
Total Area: 241,038 sq km Rank: 80
Land Area: 197,100 sq km
Water Area: 43,938 sq km
Comparison: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land Boundaries: 2,698 km
Bordering Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Climate
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
Terrain
mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Elevations
Lowest Point: Lake Albert 621 m
Highest Point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Natural Resources
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold
Land Use
Arable land: 21.57%
Permanent Crops: 8.92%
Other: 69.51% (2005)
Irrigated Land: 90 sq km (2003)
Renewable Water Resources: 66 cu km (1970)
Total Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%)
Freshwater Withdrawal Per Capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)
Environment
Natural Hazards: NA
Environmental Issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching
Environmental Agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Geography Notes
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers
People
Population: 32,369,558 Rank: 37
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)
Age Structure
0-14 years: 50% (male 8,152,830/female 8,034,366)
15-64 years: 47.9% (male 7,789,209/female 7,703,143)
65 years and over: 2.1% (male 286,693/female 403,317) (2010 est.)
Median Age: 14.9 years
Population Growth
Growth Rate: 2.692% (2010 est.) Rank: 24
Birth Rate: 47.84 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 2
Death Rate: 12.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Rank: 35
Net Migration Rate: -8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 173
Urbanization
Urban Population: 13% of total population (2008)
Rate of Urbanization: 4.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Life and Death
Infant Mortality Rate: 64.82 deaths/1,000 live births Rank: 33
Life Expectancy at Birth: 52.72 years Rank: 204
Fertility Rate: 6.73 children born/woman (2010 est.) Rank: 2
Health and Disease
HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: 5.4% (2007 est.) Rank: 14
People living with HIV/AIDS: 940,000 (2007 est.) Rank: 14
HIV/AIDS Deaths: 77,000 (2007 est.) Rank: 9
Degree of Risk for Major Infectious Diseases: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne Diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
Water Contact Diseases: schistosomiasis
Animal Contact Diseases: rabies (2009)
Nationality and Culture
Noun: Ugandan(s)
Adjective: Ugandan
Ethnic Groups: Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census)
Religion: Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census)
Languages: English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic
Education
Literacy (Meaning, age 15 and over can read and write): 66.8% Male: 76.8% Female: 57.7% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 10 years Male: 11 years Female: 10 years (2004)
Education expenditures: 5.2% of GDP (2004) Rank: 61
Government
Country Name
Conventional Long Form: Republic of Uganda
Conventional Short Form: Uganda
Government Type: republic
Capital: Kampala Geographic Coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E
Administrative divisions
80 districts; Abim, Adjumani, Amolatar, Amuria, Amuru, Apac, Arua, Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Bukedea, Bukwa, Bulisa, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Butaleja, Dokolo, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga, Isingiro, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kaliro, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kiruhara, Kisoro, Kitgum, Koboko, Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Lyantonde, Manafwa, Maracha, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Mityana, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Namutumba, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Oyam, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe
Independence: 9 October 1962 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch
Chief of State: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power on 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of Government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power on 26 January 1986); Prime Minister Apolo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note - the prime minister assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected legislators
Elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 23 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011)
Election Results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, Kizza BESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3%
Legislative Branch
unicameral National Assembly (332 seats; 215 members elected by popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special interest groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 13 ex-officio members; members to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 23 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011)
Election Results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NRM 205, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CP 1, JEEMA 1, independents 37, other 34
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Politics
Political parties and leaders: Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic Party or DP [Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Kizza BESIGYE]; Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA]; National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Peoples Progressive Party or PPP [Bidandi SSALI]; Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Miria OBOTE]
Note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda's transition to a multi-party political system
Political Pressure Groups and Leaders: Lord's Resistance Army or LRA [Joseph KONY]; Young Parliamentary Association [Henry BANYENZAKI]; Parliamentary Advocacy Forum or PAFO; National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda or NAWOU [Florence NEKYON]; The Ugandan Coalition for Political Accountability to Women or COPAW
International Organization Participation: AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Flag Description: six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side; black symbolizes the African people, yellow sunshine and vitality, red African brotherhood; the crane was the military badge of Ugandan soldiers under the UK
Economy
Economy Overview: Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, small deposits of copper, gold, and other minerals, and recently discovered oil. Uganda has never conducted a national minerals survey. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. Since 1990 economic reforms ushered in an era of solid economic growth based on continued investment in infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, lower inflation, better domestic security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Growth continues to be solid, despite variability in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion. The global economic downturn has hurt Uganda's exports; however, Uganda's GDP growth is still relatively strong due to past reforms and sound management of the downturn.
Gross Domestic Product
GDP (purchasing power parity): $38.18 billion (2009 est.) Rank: 98
GDP - real growth rate: 5.3% (2009 est.) Rank: 24
GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,200 (2009 est.) Rank: 207
GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 22.5% Industry: 25.1% Services: 52.4% (2009 est.)
Labor Force
Labor Force: 15.01 million (2009 est.) Rank: 39
Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture: 82% Industry: 5% Services: 13% (1999 est.)
Unemployment Rate: NA
Poverty
Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)
Transnational Issues
International Disputes: Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces that extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese, 27,560 Congolese, and 19,710 Rwandan refugees, while Ugandan refugees as well as members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) seek shelter in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Garamba National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages across the border
Refugees and internally displaced persons - refugees (country of origin): 215,700 (Sudan); 28,880 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 24,900 (Rwanda)
International Displaced Persons: 1.27 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda) (2007)
