Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative (ROM) has been implementing the Sustainable Outcomes for Children and Youth Project (SOCY) is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The project was designed to improve the health, nutrition, education, and well-being of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as reduce abuse, exploitation, and neglect among the population in Luwero District in the 5 sub-counties of Bamunanika, Butuntumula, Luwero Town council, Kalagala, and Kamira.
Determined Resilient Empowered AIDS-free Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) core intervention was integrated into the project. ROM has implemented two result areas;1 and 3 of the projects. Result area 1 focused on economic empowerment of OVC, youths, and their caregivers through the Savings and Internal Lending Community (SILC) model, entrepreneurship skills, backyard model, apprenticeship skills as well as cottage industry. Other curriculums that included; Child Optimized Financial Education (COFE) and better parenting.
On the other hand, result area 3 focused on improved coordination of linkages and referrals through case management where a number of activities that included enrollment, home visits, viral load monitoring, household graduation are were conducted.
Some of the achievements of the project included; completion of primary service among Adolescent Girls and Young Women, the graduation of households, viral load monitoring, roll out of food bank model, and formation of new SILC groups, training of caregivers and youth in the cottage industry and attachment of youth for apprenticeship skills training etc.
