Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans

What Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans does

Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO) is a national non-governmental organization founded in 1986 and headquartered in Kamwokya, Kampala, that delivers direct services to orphans, vulnerable children (OVC), and their caregivers across multiple districts of Uganda. The organization operates an integrated program portfolio spanning Masulita Children's Village (a residential rehabilitation facility hosting 700+ rescued street children), Sustainable Livelihoods, Child Protection, Development & Bearing of Children, Institutional Development, and Youth Empowerment. UWESO's flagship donor-funded initiative is the USAID Orphans and Vulnerable Children North East Activity (OVC NEA), which serves 8,825 participants across the Mbale, Soroti, Katakwi, Kotido, and Busia districts and includes HIV/AIDS care, economic strengthening, and child protection components. The organization also runs a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) model, establishing 30 such groups across program areas for caregiver economic empowerment.

UWESO is funded primarily through institutional grants and corporate donations rather than commercial revenue, with USAID as the anchor funder and supplementary support from UNICEF, Airtel Uganda, Tororo Cement, and partnerships with Kampala Capital City Authority, the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, the Office of the Prime Minister, Makerere University Joint AIDS Program, and TASO. The organization mobilizes a volunteer membership exceeding 20,000 people organized through Branch Executive Committees (BECs) at district level, creating a grassroots service-delivery infrastructure that supplements its 31 paid employees. Patronage is held by First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni, the National Executive Committee is chaired by Olive Birungi Lumonya, and operational leadership transitioned in January 2024 with the appointment of CEO Jolly Kamugira Kaguhangire. UWESO has no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is community-based and operated through its regional offices, BECs, and partner CSOs under a 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.

Name

Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans

Legal name

Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans

Website

https://uweso.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO) is a Ugandan non-governmental organization founded in 1986 that delivers child protection, health, education, and economic empowerment services to orphans and vulnerable children through its Masulita Children's Village and the USAID-funded OVC North East Activity across 5 districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orphan Care and Child Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG), Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Orphan care programs
• Community development
• Youth empowerment
• HIV support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donor Funding: Primary revenue appears to come from institutional donors and grants, notably USAID funding for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children North East Activity program.
2. Corporate Donations: Corporate donations from partners such as Airtel Uganda (50 million UGX donation) and in-kind contributions from Tororo Cement for facility renovations.
3. Community Cooperative (UCG): UWESO Cooperative Group (UCG) established to empower members through sustainable economic growth, financial inclusion, and collective ownership.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO) is a national non-governmental organization that delivers direct child welfare and community development services for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Uganda. Its core offering is the Masulita Children's Village, a residential rehabilitation home for rescued street children, complemented by integrated programs in sustainable livelihoods, child protection, youth empowerment, and institutional development. The organization also implements donor-funded projects such as the USAID Orphans and Vulnerable Children North East Activity and the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) model for economic empowerment.

Product overview

Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO) is a national NGO founded in 1986 that operates as a unified charitable organization offering multiple interconnected programs for orphans and vulnerable children. The core offering is the Masuliita Children's Village (MCV), a rehabilitation home for rescued children. Around this central program, UWESO delivers complementary services including Sustainable Livelihoods, Child Protection, Development & Bearing of Children, Institutional Development, and Youth Empowerment programs. The organization also implements the USAID-funded OVC North East Activity project and uses the VSLA (Village Savings and Loan Association) model for economic empowerment. The programs work together to address the holistic needs of beneficiaries from rescue and shelter through to economic independence and community reintegration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Masulita Children's Village (MCV) A residential rehabilitation home for neglected and abandoned children in Masulita, Wakiso District, Uganda, providing shelter, care, education, and reintegration services. Currently accommodates over 700 children rescued from the streets.
• Sustainable Livelihoods Program Program implementing strategies that help vulnerable children, orphans, and their caregivers build sustainable livelihoods through economic empowerment initiatives including Income Generating Activities and IGA Booster support.
• Child Protection Program Services focused on safeguarding orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) from abuse, exploitation, and neglect while ensuring their wellbeing through case management, family reunification, and legal protection interventions.
• Development & Bearing of Children Program Program focusing on ensuring children are born and raised in environments that promote their health, education, protection, and overall wellbeing, targeting caregivers and families.
• Institutional Development Program Program strengthening UWESO's governance by updating leadership frameworks and clearly defining roles and responsibilities at both board and regional levels for organizational sustainability.
• Youth Empowerment Program Program equipping youth with practical skills, education, and economic opportunities, including apprenticeship placements and entrepreneurship support, to build independent and productive lives.
• USAID Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) North East Activity A donor-funded project delivering comprehensive services to orphans and vulnerable children in Eastern and North Eastern Uganda, including HIV care and treatment, viral load monitoring, economic strengthening, and child protection case management.
• Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) Model

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% viral suppression rate achieved among OVC beneficiaries by September 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Tororo Cement UgandamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2024Tororo Cement renovated two dormitories, a dining hall, and guest house at Masulita Children's Village. Renovations inaugurated by First Daughter Natasha Museveni.
• UNICEF UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 February 2024UNICEF donated WASH facilities including mobile toilets, handwashing stations, tents, and sports equipment to Masulita Children's Village housing nearly 957 children rescued from streets.
• Airtel UgandamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2023Airtel Uganda donated items worth 50 million UGX to Masulita Children's Village including food, scholastic materials, WASH items, and chain-link fencing. Partnership includes potential for digitizing learning across Uganda.
• Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCCA collaborated with MGLSD and OPM to rescue 957 children from Kampala streets for placement at Masulita Children's Village.
• Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry collaborating on street children rescue operations and child protection programs.
• Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment office collaborating on street children rescue and rehabilitation operations.
• Makerere University Joint AIDS Program (MJAP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing clinical support, adherence counseling, and HIV treatment services for children living with HIV in USAID OVC NEA program areas.
• Haba Na Haba Foodbanking InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood security partner providing nutrition supplements and food support to HIV-positive children and vulnerable families to improve treatment adherence.
• The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTASO provides HIV care and support services, with partnership including YAPS (Young Adolescent Peers) support groups for children living with HIV.
• Liberation GenerationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization founded by First Daughter Natasha Museveni committed to supporting UWESO and Masulita Children's Village to sustain vision of First Lady Janet Museveni.
• Education Development Center (ICYD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrime implementer of USAID/Uganda Integrated Child and Youth Development (ICYD) program that preceded OVC NEA, with UWESO as implementing partner.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Joy For Children Uganda: Smaller Ugandan NGO focused on child protection, street children rehabilitation, and OVC welfare. Operates in overlapping beneficiary populations with UWESO but with a narrower geographic and programmatic footprint.
• TASO (The AIDS Support Organisation): Ugandan HIV/AIDS service organization already partnering with UWESO on CLHIV support and YAPS peer groups. Overlap is in pediatric HIV case management and viral-load support — an adjacent but complementary peer rather than a direct child-welfare competitor.

Direct peers

• Plan International Uganda: Child-rights focused NGO implementing OVC, education, and youth empowerment programs in Uganda. Comparable child protection and youth livelihoods programming, often partnering with or competing against UWESO for institutional funding.
• SOS Children's Villages Uganda: Operates residential care villages for vulnerable and orphaned children in Uganda with family-based care models. Directly comparable to UWESO's Masulita Children's Village rehabilitation approach and OVC service delivery.
• Hope for the Children Uganda (HOCU): Local Ugandan NGO delivering child protection, education sponsorship, and family strengthening for OVC. Comparable mission, scale, and Ugandan-rooted grassroots delivery model.
• Save the Children Uganda: International NGO delivering OVC programming, child protection, education, and health services in Uganda. Directly comparable beneficiary population and service portfolio to UWESO, often competing for the same USAID/PEPFAR grants.
• ChildFund International Uganda: Child-focused development NGO operating sponsorship, OVC, and youth economic empowerment programs in Uganda. Directly comparable mission, sponsorship-driven revenue model, and beneficiary demographics to UWESO.
• World Vision Uganda: Large faith-based NGO running OVC, child sponsorship, and community-development programs across Uganda. Comparable grassroots mobilization model and donor mix to UWESO, with greater scale and geographic reach.
• Compassion International Uganda: Faith-based child sponsorship organization running OVC sponsorship, education support, and youth development in Uganda. Comparable church-partner implementation model and beneficiary demographics.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF Uganda: The UN agency that funds and partners with UWESO (e.g., WASH donations to Masulita). Not a direct competitor for implementation but acts as a broader incumbent setting standards and channeling funds through smaller local NGOs like UWESO.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UWESO1
• Facebookfacebook.com/uweso1987
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uganda-women-s-effort-to-save-orphans
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwesoug

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans