Over the past eight years, Enhancing the Capacity of Persons with Disability (ETC), a UK registered charity, has partnered with Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) to transform the lives of over 580 young persons with disabilities across Northern Uganda. Through vocational training, personal development, and ongoing business support, we've seen these young people not just survive, but thrive, making meaningful contributions to their families and communities.

A key program, VPlus, provided 119 young persons with disabilities with intensive vocational training in areas like electronics, hairdressing and tailoring. It also equipped them with literacy, numeracy, business, and community engagement skills, raising their self-esteem and confidence and enabling them to create businesses, secure jobs, and mentor other young disabled people. The quality of GDPU’s work and the outcomes were commended by the British government’s UK Aid Direct, joint funders with ETC.

Feedback from the beneficiaries themselves has confirmed the positive impact of this program:

Adoch Fiona, VPlus Graduate.

GDPU has built upon its training by creating a peer mentoring network of 12 GDPU graduates (see photo at head of page) who, supported by the GDPU core team, have mentored and trained over 1,000 young people with disabilities across a wide geographical area. They have: provided information and training in vocational skills, safeguarding, sexual and reproductive health and disability rights; reduced isolation of young disabled people and worked with families on disability issues; and have brought together NGOs, government officials and communities.

The demand for training and support is growing. GDPU has outgrown its facilities, and it needs your help to expand and improve its infrastructure to continue reaching young persons with disabilities on a sustainable basis.

In the following video, Faruk Musema, Project Manager, explains how this funding will help GDPU sustain and develop its work: https://youtu.be/dHN7ScmXV5A?si=9LGZpUSnriNfZkTY

This £16,000 funding appeal will support vital improvements to the GDPU campus and fund training for 15 new students from low-income families in the first year. The breakdown is as follows:

• Classroom Blocks (2): £4,710

• Girls' Dormitory: £3,370

• Community Room & Meeting Space: £1,870

• Accessible Toilet Facilities & Pathways: £3,150

• 15 Training Places: £2,860

Total: £15,960 (approx. $21,890 or €18,580)

These upgrades will provide the physical space necessary for sustainable growth and allow GDPU to meet the increasing demand for its services. The new classroom blocks will create better learning environments, while the girls’ dormitory will provide a safe space for young women to stay during their training. Improving accessibility on campus will ensure that everyone, regardless of mobility challenges, can participate fully. These improvements will unlock funding for an estimated 70 trainees a year.

The following video show cases through music and dance what the graduates of GDPU can achieve: https://youtu.be/TRr46MJO6mY?si=fT9Z5kXw0hhoiB0Z

Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with over three-quarters of its people under 30. Yet, one in eight Ugandans — around 4.3 million people — live with a disability, a higher proportion than most countries due to the impacts of conflict and poverty. Without access to education and employment, these young people face immense barriers to independence and economic stability.

Your donation will help change that. By investing in training and education, you can empower young disabled people to create better futures for themselves — and for Uganda