About
Somero Uganda
Founded in the heart of Kawempe’s slums, Somero Uganda emerged in 2009 from a tragedy that shook a community: the suicide of a 17-year-old girl driven by stigma and despair. This pivotal moment ignited a grassroots movement to create safe spaces for sexually exploited girls and young women, offering them hope, dignity, and a path to reclaim their futures.
Today, we are a nationally registered NGO operating across 13 districts, transforming lives through education, livelihood development, and health initiatives. Our mission is rooted in breaking cycles of exploitation, poverty, and violence by equipping marginalized children and young women with the tools to thrive.
6789+
Scholarships Awarded
1000
6,602+
Youth Served via Mobile Clinics
15000+
Jobs Created
From Survival to Sustainability
What began as a refuge for survivors has grown into a holistic ecosystem of change. We address systemic barriers through:
Education: Scholarships, teacher training, and safe learning environments.
Livelihoods: Vocational skills (tailoring, ICT, hairdressing) paired with entrepreneurship support.
Health: Sexual and reproductive health education, HIV care, and mobile clinics.
Child Protection: Community-driven models like Nyumba Kumi and REAL Fathers to safeguard rights.
Mission, Vision and Values
Mission
To promote and protect the rights of vulnerable children and young women through education, livelihood development, and health initiatives.
Vision
A Uganda where children and young women live sustainable lives free from exploitation.
Core Values
Integrity: Ethical, transparent operations.
Child/Youth Participation: Amplifying voices in decision-making.
Affirmative Action: Prioritizing marginalized groups.
Community-Driven Solutions: Partnering with locals for relevance.
Accountability: Measurable impact and open communication.
Our Approach
Education: Scholarships, teacher training, and safe schools.
Livelihoods: Vocational skills (tailoring, ICT, hairdressing) and entrepreneurship.
Health: SRHR education, HIV support, and mobile clinics.
Child Protection: SCREAM methodology, Nyumba Kumi, and REAL Fathers programs.
Advocacy: Influencing policies (e.g., Uganda’s National Action Plan on Child Labor).
Our Work in Action
Our Impactful Projects
We implement transformative projects focused on education, health, child protection, and economic empowerment, equipping vulnerable children, young women, and marginalized communities with the skills and opportunities needed for a better future. Through strategic partnerships and community-driven approaches, we create sustainable, lasting impact.
Our Work in Action
From empowering young women with vocational skills to advocating for child rights and providing life-saving health services, our projects create real change. We focus on holistic interventions that promote education, improve livelihoods, enhance healthcare access, and protect vulnerable children from exploitation.
Join Us
Your Passion, Our Impact
Passionate about education, health, or child rights? Join a global network of changemakers driving tangible progress in Uganda. Whether mentoring youth, supporting mobile health clinics, or advocating for policy reforms, your skills can empower vulnerable communities. Together, we create safer, sustainable futures.
Fill Out the Volunteer Form →
Advocacy & Policy Change
Adolescents sharing moments
Advocacy-driven systemic change has led to groundbreaking progress in protecting Uganda’s children. Through collaboration with government agencies, community leaders, and global partners, child labor budgets in Busia District surged by 150%—from UGX 2 million to UGX 5 million—enforcing anti-exploitation measures and rehabilitation programs. Landmark Child Protection Ordinances were also gazetted, cementing legal safeguards to hold perpetrators accountable and prioritize children’s rights. These strides ensure long-term protections, empowering communities to eradicate child labor and build safer futures.
Our
Guiding Principles
Community-Centered solutions lie at the heart of our work. We collaborate closely with families, local leaders, and neighborhoods to design interventions that respect cultural values and address context-specific challenges. For example, our Nyumba Kumi model mobilizes clusters of 10 households to protect children’s education during crises, while the REAL Fathers program engages young dads and community mentors to reshape parenting norms. By embedding local wisdom into our strategies, we ensure programs are not just effective but owned by the communities they serve.
Equally vital is Amplifying Voices. We empower children and youth to lead advocacy through platforms like SCREAM (Supporting Children’s Rights through Education, Art, and Media) and child rights clubs, where they identify harmful practices and lobby policymakers. Meanwhile, Innovation drives our response to emerging challenges. From SafeBangle bracelets—wearable tech enabling real-time reporting of gender-based violence—to digitalizing traditional skills like tailoring, we blend grassroots ingenuity with cutting-edge tools. These principles work in tandem: community trust fuels participation, youth voices shape priorities, and innovation scales impact, creating a ripple effect of empowerment across Uganda.
Empowering Vulnerable Children and Young Women
Who We Serve:
Hidden Pillars of Change
01
Skills Reimagined
Blending tradition with tech to empower youth through digital tailoring and hairdressing, boosting employability in urban markets.
02
POSITIVE PARENTING
Mentorship programs teaching non-violent communication to reduce abuse and nurture safer, happier homes.
03
Neighborhood Guardians
Training communities via the Nyumba Kumi model to protect children and combat exploitation locally.