About Us
About
Founded in 2004, Umbrella of Hope Initiative started as a Community Based Organization (CBO) by women groups, “Twegatte Tuyambagane Women Association” located in Nakulabye, in Kampala city and “Kweyo United Women’s Association” in Ongako Sub-county in Gulu District in Uganda. Kweyo United Women’s Association members were at the time suffering trauma caused by atrocities and loss of their loved ones to the LRA war, coupled with escalated Gender Based Violence incidences in the region. The group included formerly abducted girls by Kony rebels that returned home and were rejected by their families, discriminated against and tagged “wives of Kony”. The formerly abducted girls returned with children fathered by the former rebels. Consequent to the conflict in the region, Women and girls of this group were gang raped and subjected to forms of intersecting gender based violence that exposed them to HIV/AIDS. The group was characterized with a high number of orphans and children born during the war whose fathers could not be traced, and who at the same time faced poor health conditions
The Twegatte Tuyambagane group members had lost many of their loved ones to HIV/AIDS scourge and were facing a challenge of increased sick persons and orphans that needed to be cared for, subject to economic constraints. This group included women from the slums that were facing gender based violence yet segregated against by existing structures like the Christian Mothers Union that would otherwise have helped them.
The women groups started a revolving fund that would cater for the sick and help to meet burial expenses whenever the sick persons would die. The fund would also be used to pay school fees for the orphans. The formed women groups would provide counseling and guidance to their members, share ideas and engage in economic development activities.
The Twegatte Tuyambagane Women Association joined Kweyo United Women’s Association and formed Umbrella of Hope Initiative (UHOPI). Umbrella of Hope Initiative (UHOPI) registered in 2009, as a Non-Governmental Organization licensed to operate in Uganda. UHOPI has since continued to renew her status on regular basis and has a current work permit no 3030, (INDP78172222NB), valid for five years (2019 – 2024). Since its inception, UHOPI has undertaken projects that range from psychosocial support project, Agro processing and tractor project funded by Private Sector Foundation, Banana ad Pineapple Project funded by the Office of Prime Minister in Northern Uganda (NUSAF), Ongako Improved maternal Health and HIV/AIDS project, Psycho-social support, Credit and saving scheme, Gender based violence campaigns, apiary and tree planting project, Training in paper beads, Research on Water governance in Northern Uganda, Research on the influence of Acholi traditional culture on gender based violence, needs assessment surveys on the refugees and special needs.
Strategic Partnerships
UHOPI has built strong partnership with Kweyo Women Development Association, Tochi Women Development Association, the War Victims and their Children Network and Langolo Kwite Disabled Group.
