The Embassy of Iceland in Kampala and UNICEF have signed an 18-month partnership worth $1 million (about Shs 3.6 billion) aimed at empowering vulnerable adolescent mothers to access multi-sectoral and inclusive social protection, early childhood development and parenting support services.

According to the press statement, the partnership will allow UNICEF to link teenage mothers to protection, health, education, childcare and skilling services; provide mentorship and life skills to teenage mothers; support low-cost early childhood education (ECD) models in targeted communities and establish mobile early childhood development units and disability-inclusive ECD kits to provide early learning opportunities for children in hard-to-reach communities. 

The initiative, targeting Kyegegwa and Kikuube districts in western Uganda, comes with a focus on multi-sectoral and inclusive social protection, early childhood development (ECD), and parenting support services. Under this program, at least 1,000 adolescent mothers aged 12-19 years will gain access to education or vocational skills, while 2,000 of their children will benefit from both formal and non-formal early learning opportunities.

Speaking at the signing event, the Head of Mission, Embassy of Iceland to Uganda, Hildigunnur Engilbertsdóttir noted that the programme will extend financial support to each beneficiary child monthly.  

“Iceland is committed to empowering young mothers to enable them to learn, acquire skills, and be protected from harmful practices. This conditional cash transfer is linked to the adolescent mother’s participation in learning and her child’s involvement in ECD interventions, including ECD centres/early learning for children (aged 3-5 years) and referral to childcare services for children (aged 0-2 years). We strongly believe that these cash transfers will alleviate a young mother’s burden by supporting access to childcare services so she can return to school or seek employment,” Engilbertsdóttir further noted. 

Dr Robin Nandy, UNICEF Representative to Uganda, hailed the partnership as a crucial step toward sustainable change:

“This agreement signifies the shared commitment of UNICEF and the Icelandic Government to prioritize the needs of children and communities in Uganda. With Iceland’s generous support, we will be able to scale up our efforts to address critical challenges, strengthen systems, and create lasting change for adolescent mothers and their children. Every child deserves a fair chance at a brighter future, and today’s partnership brings us closer to achieving that goal,” he said.

The Embassy of Iceland and UNICEF have a history of impactful collaboration. Since 2019, their partnership has improved access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools and health facilities in refugee-hosting districts. 

With this funding, UNICEF and Iceland aim to empower communities with the tools and resources they need to create a better future for children in Uganda by investing in innovative approaches and community-driven solutions aimed at contributing to Uganda’s achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By URN / The Observer