ABOUT US

Advocates for Children’s Welfare
and Rural Community Development

Upcountry Outreach for Development is a community-based NGO operating in Masaka, Kalangala, and Lwengo in central Uganda. We work to protect and promote children’s welfare in our communities, support child mothers, and encourage positive life values and conduct. We also improve the livelihoods and well-being of youth and women in rural areas through education, health support, and empowerment programs.

Our Background

The idea for Upcountry Outreach for Development began in 2020, developed by Nabalema Gloria Florence, a Ugandan university graduate. It was inspired by an incident in Kabarungi Village, where an elderly woman (84 years old) cared for nine grandchildren. The grandmother suffered from memory loss and general body weakness, making it difficult for her to provide proper care.

The children had been abandoned by their mothers due to difficult circumstances—one gave birth at age 16, and another became involved in prostitution.

Their father struggled with drug addiction and did not provide support. Observing the challenges in the family and community—especially the effects of poverty, early pregnancy, and sexual violence—Gloria was motivated to start an organization to help adolescents and vulnerable families.

Through this experience, Gloria recognized that many girls in the community faced early pregnancies, often linked to violence, sexual abuse, and poverty, and were at risk of STIs. This became the foundation and purpose behind the formation of Upcountry Outreach for Development.