Faces Up Uganda

What Faces Up Uganda does

Faces Up Uganda is a youth-led nonprofit organisation founded in 2016 and headquartered in Kampala, Uganda, that delivers art-based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) to children and young people aged 6–25 from underserved communities, including refugees, children with disabilities, and juveniles. Its core technology is a trauma-informed, culturally grounded methodology that uses visual arts, comics, murals, and media arts as therapeutic and educational modalities, structured around a four-stage Heal→Learn→Earn→Thrive outcome framework. Service delivery follows a threefold model: embedding programmes in partner schools and communities, training teachers and caregivers through the 'Art for Educators' multiplier program, and operating a direct-service community art centre in Kampala.

The organisation's products and services comprise the Kampala community art centre, the Art for Educators training curriculum, the Artpreneurship programme (commercialising participants' artwork through the Faces Up Store e-commerce platform), mentorship, and a 'Hire Our Team' creative consultancy offering arts education, campaigns, murals, and workshops to NGOs, schools, government bodies, and corporates. Faces Up Uganda operates as a free-to-beneficiary nonprofit funded by institutional grants (EU, FAO, UNICEF, UNDP, Global Fund for Children), individual donations channelled through Myriad USA's fiscal sponsorship, corporate partners (MTN Group, IFF), and merchandise sales — with 70% of Faces Up Store proceeds covering participants' school fees and 30% reinvested. The organisation is currently fundraising to build a larger community art centre under its 'Future Is Here' initiative.

Name

Faces Up Uganda

Legal name

Faces Up Uganda

Website

https://facesup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Faces Up Uganda is a Kampala-based nonprofit founded in 2016 that delivers art-based mental health and psychosocial support, mentorship, and creative enterprise programmes to children and young people aged 6–25 from underserved Ugandan communities, including refugees and children with disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

A&R / Artist Development Services (MPAIAGAL)

Keywords

• Arts-based therapy
• Mental health support
• Psychosocial services
• Youth development programs
• Community arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Art Sales and Merchandise: Prints of young people's artwork are transformed into merchandise (notebooks, T-shirts, tote bags) sold through the Faces Up Store e-commerce platform. 70% of proceeds cover participants' school fees, 30% is reinvested into the programme. Selected original artworks are also sold directly.
2. Creative Consultancy Services: The 'Hire Our Team' initiative offers professional creative consultancy and execution for organisations integrating arts into impactful work. Services include arts education programmes, art campaigns, competitions, exhibitions, murals, workshops, and creative integration in education. Clients include NGOs, schools, government, and corporate entities.
3. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations accepted (fiscally sponsored by Myriad USA for US donors). Fundraising campaigns include the 'Future Is Here' initiative to build a new community art centre. Matching grants received from organisations like The New Africa Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Faces Up Uganda delivers free arts-based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), creative education, mentorship, and livelihood programmes to children and young people ages 6–25 from underserved Ugandan communities. It commercialises youth artwork as merchandise through the Faces Up Store and offers paid creative consultancy services to organisations, schools, government, and corporate clients via its Hire Our Team initiative.

Product overview

Faces Up Uganda operates as a youth-led nonprofit offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on art-based mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). The core offerings include: (1) the Community Art Centre in Kampala providing direct trauma-informed arts education and psychosocial services for youth ages 6-25; (2) Art for Educators, a teacher training program that scales arts-based MHPSS across schools; (3) Artpreneurship, which commercializes young people's artwork through the Faces Up Store e-commerce platform; and (4) creative consultancy services through 'Hire Our Team' for organizations seeking arts integration. The organization also runs mentorship programs and is developing a new larger Community Art Centre through its 'Future Is Here' expansion initiative. Together these programs follow a Heal→Learn→Earn→Thrive pathway to help children from underserved communities process trauma, build skills, generate income, and achieve long-term well-being.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Art for Educators: Training program that equips teachers and caregivers to integrate arts-based mental health and psychosocial support into everyday classroom practice.
• Faces Up Store
• The Future Is Here

Products and services

• Community Art Centre (Direct Services) A trauma-informed community art centre in Kampala delivering hands-on arts education, psychosocial support, and mentorship to children and young people ages 6-25 from underserved communities, including refugees, children with disabilities, juveniles, and other vulnerable youth. The Heal-Learn-Earn-Thrive progression model is delivered here, with 70% of participants showing improved emotional regulation, 60%+ increased school attendance, and 85% remaining in school or transitioning positively.
• Art for Educators A training programme that equips teachers and caregivers to integrate arts-based mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) into everyday classroom practice. Creates a multiplier effect by training educators who then extend arts-based MHPSS to hundreds of children monthly across under-resourced primary schools. 100+ educators trained to date.
• Artpreneurship

Quantifiable outcome

• At least 70% of participants show measurable improvement in emotional regulation
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021FAO partnered with Faces Up Uganda on art competitions including the Positive Memories art contest, which discovered talented young artists like Makano Bwato and Aksanti from refugee settlements. The competition provided platforms for young creatives and led to opportunities including relocation to Kampala and international exhibitions.
• UNICEF UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF partners with Faces Up Uganda on child wellbeing and creative programming initiatives targeting vulnerable children and young people.
• Community Integrated Development Initiatives (CIDI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIDI partners with Faces Up Uganda on community development programmes incorporating creative components for youth empowerment.
• I Can South SudanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting South Sudanese youth through creative programming and art-based interventions.
• Ministry of Gender, Labour & Social Development (Uganda)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partner providing institutional support and alignment for Faces Up Uganda's youth mental health and creative programmes.
• Design for ChangeminorOthersFaces Up Uganda is a member of the Design for Change global network committed to child wellbeing, education, and creative change.
• ECDAN (Early Childhood Development Action Network)minorOthersFaces Up Uganda is a member of ECDAN, a global network focused on early childhood development action.
• CwFundminorOthersFaces Up Uganda is a member of CwFund, a global network supporting children and youth wellbeing.
• Mama HopeminorOthersFaces Up Uganda is a member of Mama Hope's network of organisations working to support communities and youth.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• BuildOn: BuildOn is a nonprofit that builds schools and runs youth service programs in low-income communities across Africa and Asia. Comparable as a community-anchored youth development NGO working in similar geographies with similar funding sources, though focused on education infrastructure rather than arts.

Broad incumbents

• Room to Read: Room to Read delivers literacy and gender-equality education programs across low-income countries including parts of Africa. Comparable as an established NGO combining education and life-skills development for underserved youth, with a similar funding-partner model.
• Save the Children: Save the Children operates large-scale programs for children's rights, education, and psychosocial support across Africa and globally. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same beneficiary and methodology space.
• BRAC International: BRAC operates one of the largest non-governmental development programs in the world, with significant operations in Uganda spanning education, youth empowerment, and livelihoods. Comparable as a broad incumbent combining community delivery and livelihood outcomes for underserved youth.
• UNICEF (Uganda country office): UNICEF is a direct partner and one of the largest funders in child wellbeing globally, including in Uganda. Comparable as a broad incumbent that commissions and co-develops youth creative programming at scale.

Emerging players

• Right To Play: Right To Play uses sport and play-based methodologies to protect, educate, and empower children in vulnerable settings. Comparable train-the-trainer methodology and youth psychosocial outcomes model, though delivered through sport rather than visual arts.

Direct peers

• International Child Art Foundation: ICAF runs programs that use the creative arts to develop children's imagination, peace, and global citizenship. Comparable mission of harnessing creativity to support child development and wellbeing.
• Artolution: Artolution is a global nonprofit that collaborates with communities to create collaborative art and music as a tool for positive social change. Directly comparable to Faces Up's model of using creative expression for psychosocial healing and youth empowerment in underserved settings.
• War Child: War Child works with children affected by conflict, using arts, education, and psychosocial support programs to help them rebuild their lives. Closely comparable to Faces Up's arts-based MHPSS methodology targeting traumatized children.
• Fine Acts: Fine Acts is an experimental studio that uses art and creative storytelling to address social challenges, including issues affecting children and marginalized groups. Comparable in using arts to drive measurable social outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/faces-up-uganda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Faces Up Uganda