This project has contributing to building Uganda’s human capital skills development capacity, particularly in education, agriculture and vocational and technical skills. This venture has created and responded to labor market demands and propelled productivity nationally in Uganda.
The project objectives are to fight unemployment amongst young people, improve equitable access, quality and relevance of skills training and research leading to job creation and self-employment. This is a life changing venture!
Ugandan President - Gen. Yoweri Museveni, during his latest “State of Nation Address” said that “…only 300,000 people are employed by Uganda government out of nearly 40 million people in Uganda and we do not have any vacancies anywhere in government offices. I strongly advise young people to create jobs instead of seeking for employment” charged president Museveni.
UNCEF recent report indicated that 67% of Ugandans are totally unemployed and living in abject poverty. The ABA Foundation conducted a research on how to fight the alarming levels of unemployment and poverty amongst Ugandan youths and we carried out a training needs appraisal in which young adults including University graduates, school drop-outs, widows, single mothers, and other vulnerable needy groups opted for vocational and technical skills development project.
The provision of Vocational and Technical Skills (tailoring and garment cutting, secretarial, painting, art and design, agriculture, brick laying, carpentry and joinery etc) to young adults in Uganda has not only catered for self–sustenance, but also employment which has enabled them to generate income and fight household poverty. Our biggest problem at the moment is the meager financial envelope that we operate on amidst a great number of social responsibility!
This initiative marked the beginning of what has become a fruitful and rewarding linkage between the world of industry and academia. We are contribute greatly to the development of a relevant and highly skilled workforce that can propelled productivity and national development. We shall continue to emphasize the need for a strengthened linkage with industries in order to have our skilled graduates, who are very productive to continue benefiting from the East African Community integration.
Recent research by Human Rights Watch indicated that 75% of Refugees and People staying in Internally Displaced Peoples Camps engage in prostitution which has led to an increase in HIV / AIDS scourge. These Technical and Vocational Training Centers are meant to fight the risky behavior, empower them to fight house hold Poverty and Combat the spread of HIV / AIDS.
We empower Women, Youth, Children, Widows, Refugees, and Disabled through Training programs and Capacity building. We run a Home Care Bay and Rehabilitation Centers for orphans and destitute children especially those running away from the civil war in the volatile world’s newest nation of South Sudan.
We raise Awareness in the Communities against HIV / AIDS and other Killer Diseases. We also promote Awareness among Communities by running Development Programs to Fight House Hold Poverty and Promotion of Income Generation Projects.
One purpose for building families that are morally healthy is to produce physically healthy citizens. Many people live in areas where many unhealthy conditions exist. As a result, thousands of people unnecessarily die every year because some very practical principles for good health are violated.
In many situations, we create our own unhealthy environments. This is particularly true in reference to Sexually Transmitted Diseases. The most common Sexually transmitted diseases are gonorrhea, syphilis, chancroid, chlamydia, herpese, genital warts and HIV/AIDS. One becomes infected with a sexually transmitted disease through vaginal, anal, or oral sexual intercourse with an infected person. The human Sexual organs are the ideal environments for the transmission of germs that cause sexually transmitted diseases.
One of the greatest sexually transmitted diseases that have attacked the human race is HIV/AIDS. Thousands are dying every day because of AIDS. It is important that everyone take a very proactive stance to combat this against human society.
Many are saying that HIV/AIDS cannot affect them. They say they are too young, too healthy, or too cautious in their sexual relationships. The fact is; however, that AIDS shows no mercy, knows no race, no age, and no class. If you are sexually active outside the union of marriage, chances are; you will become HIV Positive, and subsequently develop AIDS. And if you have AIDS you will die. In sub-Saharan Africa, chances of becoming HIV positive are tremendously high if one is sexually active outside the union of marriage. Therefore, you must be very knowledgeable of this disease. Your life depends on it.
IDENTIFYING HIV/AIDS
The letters AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is a medical diagnosis that results form a combination of illness that exists in the body because of the weakening of the body’s Immune system. HIV attacks the Immune system of the body. This makes it impossible for the body to adequately protect itself against the invasion of germs and viruses of other diseases.
HIV is a bad guy that causes AIDS. The letter HIV stands for Human Immune Deficiency Virus. HIV1 is more than one virus. HIV1 is found in most Countries of the World; whereas HIV2 is found primarily in West Africa.
HIV weakens our bodies’ ability to fight off foreign germs that invade the body. What normally happens when our bodies are invaded by germs is that the white blood cells attack the foreign invaders. However, HIV enters and destroys our white blood cells. Our Immune system is thus weakened and our body is not able to fight off invading germs. What happens next is fatal.
One’s body infected with any number of diseases. When symptom is manifested from one or more of these diseases, it is an indication that one has AIDS. One who has AIDS, therefore, dies from an invading disease.
According to research, one will not know if he or she is HIV positive without an ELISA or Western Blot blood Test. The following are some signs that show that HIV has progressed to AIDS.
PRIMARY SIGNS
i) Loss of weight that is greater than 10% of the normal body of weight. ii) A prolonged fever is more than one month. iii) On and off, or prolonged diarrhea for more than one month. iv) Persistent Severe Fatigue.
MINOR SIGNS
a) Persistent cough for more than a month. b) Itchy skin rashes. c) Cold Sores over the body. d) Shingle. e) Thrush in the mouth or threat. f) Swollen glands at two or more places throughout the body over a period of a month.
CONTRACTING HIV
HIV is passed from one person to another through body fluids – blood, semen, or vaginal secretions. HIV is primarily a Sexually transmitted disease. If you have sex with someone who is HIV Positive, chances are you will contract HIV/AIDS. In order not to become infected with HIV, you must protect yourself.
Having unprotected sex with one who is HIV positive spreads HIV.
Making contact with the blood of an infected person spreads HIV.
An infected mother to her unborn or newborn baby some times spreads HIV.
Most people do not know that they are infected with HIV. You cannot tell if one is infected just by looking at them. If often takes many years before HIV progresses to AIDS, and thus manifested the symptoms of the disease with which one becomes infected.
PROTECTING YOUR SELF.
Since HIV can also be transmitted during any procedure that breaks the skin by the use of instruments that come into contact with the blood system, special care should be taken in procedures such as injections and blood transfusion. HIV can be contracted if a traditional healer makes cuts with an infected knife, or a nurse gives an injection with an un sterilized needle or syringe. Intravenous drugs users often infected themselves by sharing unsterilized needles and syringes.
There are two systems of testing for HIV. They are the ELISA and Western Blot blood test. Each test detects antibodies in the blood that are fighting HIV. “They do not detect the virus itself,”. The Elisa Test is usually done first. If it is positive, the Western Blot test is performed to confirm the results.
One should wait at least three months after probable exposure to HIV before taking an HIV test. It will take approximately this amount of time before the body starts producing anti bodies against the invasion of HIV.
To make certain that one has not contracted HIV, it is advisable to take another test six months after probable exposure in order to make sure one is not HIV positive.
Keep mind that HIV tests only determine if there are antibodies in the blood that are trying to fight off HIV. If you have sex within the three to six months of the initial exposures, you could test negative because the virus you may have contracted from your most recent sexual encounter has not fully attacked your immune system; and thus there no anti bodies in your blood.
According to Dr. Dickson, the ELISA test might also be positive if the body is fighting off another disease such as malaria. “This is a false positive result”, this is why a second ELISA Test should be taken; followed by the Western Blot test.
Living with HIV/AIDS.
HIV / AIDS are a reality of our lives. The populations of many African Countries is 30% HIV Positive or higher. Thousands dies every day from HIV / AIDS related diseases. Those who are HIV Positive need help and care. You can be a great help in stopping the spread of HIV in your Community by learning as much as possible about HIV / AIDS and by abstinence in sexual activity outside the union of marriage.
If you follow the previous suggestions as to how one can protect himself or herself from HIV infection; then there should be no worry on your part about contracting HIV from an infected person. Those who are HIV positive need your care and love.
You cannot contract HIV by touching, hugging, sharing, eating utensils or coughing on the part of HIV positive person. Therefore, you should not isolate yourself form those who are HIV positive.
Here are some things you can do to have a fulfilling life and to help others live the best they can with HIV.
Show your concern and love by associating with a person who is HIV positive.
Educate yourself on how to stop the spread of HIV / AIDS and to keep yourself free of HIV.
Help HIV people to be positive and maintain a healthy diet and maintain a positive out look on life.
Maintain a good exercise program.
If one is sick, as a result of AIDS, encourage proper medical treatment.
Through counseling, encourage an HIV positive person not to have sex with others. You can be a good friend to one who is HIV positive by being there for them.
Being HIV positive does not mean one should be negative about the rest of his or her life. Living a positive life without stress is one of the primary health care principles to prolong the life of the infected person. Take care of your health. Get sufficient sleep. Seek the support of those around you.
Eating properly helps your body fight off the attack of diseases. Eating healthy food means taking drugs. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole gains as sump and brown bread. Focus on God and how you can better serve Him. One of the greatest things you can do is to start a support group to help those who are HIV positive.
Through the help of friends and family; you can let it be known to others that you would like to start a discussion group comprised of both the infected and those who do not have HIV/AIDS. Let us fight stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV / AIDS. It is time for action, not reaction or resignation.
Millions of children in Sub-Saharan Africa are orphaned by HIV / AIDS. Some of these children are enslaved, cast off, oppressed, raped and abused! Many survive off the mains found out at the garbage dumps. Rev. Kiyimba Joseph is working to remedy all that. These children have no hope, no future, no way out! But together we can help and raise these orphans in love, caring, and Christian Charity.
Rev. Kiyimba Joseph himself orphaned when he was young, has a tremendous heart for the orphans, and continually seeks ways to help support orphans and destitute children in the region through The ABA Foundation.
Pure and underfiled religion before God and the Father is this:- to visit orphans and widows in their trouble; and to keep oneself unspotted from the World. James 1:27. NKJV.
God’s heart is to the orphans, widows, the poor, the outcast and the downtrodden. You alone can be God’s instrument to help support these needy vulnerable groups. Thank you so much.
ABA FOUNDATION. www.abafoundationafrica.org “HELPING PEOPLE LIVE BETTER LIFE”.
The objectives of ABA Foundation is Helping People Live Better Life and to Promote the Socio - Economic Welfare of the Vulnerable Communities especially the Destitute Children, Orphans, Widows, Disaster Affected People and Poor Families affected by HIV / AIDS among others.
