What YES Uganda does

YES Uganda (legally Youth Encouragement Services, Inc.) is a nonprofit NGO founded in 1996 by Carol Adams in Fort Portal, Western Uganda. It is registered as a 501(c)(3) in the United States (EIN 22-3918365) and as a charity in England and Wales (Charity Number 1216193), and operates under an NGO registration with Uganda's Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development. The organization delivers education sponsorships, residential care, healthcare support, and small-scale community infrastructure to orphaned and vulnerable children in the Kabarole District.

Its core programs are: (1) the YES Scholarship Program, which has supported more than 2,000 students since 1996 by covering school fees, boarding fees, lunch fees, uniforms, and scholastic materials, with approximately 235+ active beneficiaries; (2) Manna Rescue Home, a 30-bed residential facility opened in 2008 providing 24/7 nursing care for HIV-positive children; and (3) YES Hostel, a 56-bed social-enterprise accommodation business established in 2006. Supporting initiatives include a Solar Project (solar electricity kits for sponsored families at £40 per installation) and a Water Project (Purifaaya clay pot water filters distributed with training). All activities are delivered through direct field operations, school supply deliveries to 32 primary/secondary and 13 vocational schools, and partnerships with international donors.

The revenue model is donation-dependent and operates across four streams: monthly/annual child sponsorships at $40/£32 per month ($480/£376 per year), general fund donations, project-specific donations (Solar, Water, Emergency Healthcare), and YES Hostel accommodation revenue (UGX 15,000 for camping, UGX 30,000 for dorm beds, UGX 50,000 for private rooms). Beneficiary identification is community-led, working with local administration, health centers, schools, and trained social workers. Core institutional partners include HEAL International (Canada), Chancen für Kinder und Jugendliche in Afrika (Germany), and Joint Medical Store (Uganda).

Name

YES Uganda

Legal name

Youth Encouragement Services, Inc.

Website

https://yesuganda.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YES Uganda is a Fort Portal-based nonprofit NGO providing education sponsorship, residential HIV-care for 30 children, and community programs to orphaned and vulnerable youth in Western Uganda, funded by individual sponsorships, donations, and hostel revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Child Welfare and Humanitarian Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

Keywords

• Child education sponsorship
• Residential child care
• Humanitarian aid services
• Orphan welfare programs
• Community development projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Portal

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Child Sponsorship Program: Monthly or annual donations from sponsors worldwide to support orphaned and vulnerable children's education, healthcare, and basic needs. Sponsors receive personal letters, school reports, and annual photo updates from the child they support.
2. General Fund Donations: One-time or recurring donations to support overall operations including salaries, bills, travel, and equipment for Manna Rescue Home and YES Uganda programs.
3. YES Hostel Accommodations: Revenue from backpackers, tourists, and groups staying at YES Hostel in Fort Portal. All proceeds directly support Manna Rescue Home.
4. Project-Specific Donations: Donations for specific initiatives like Solar Power Project, Water Filter Project, and Emergency Healthcare Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

YES Uganda is a nonprofit organization that provides education sponsorship, residential care, healthcare, and basic social support to orphaned and vulnerable children in Western Uganda. Its operations include a child sponsorship scholarship program, a residential home for HIV-positive children, a budget tourist hostel that subsidizes charitable work, and community projects distributing solar electricity units and clean water filters to sponsored families.

Product overview

YES Uganda operates as a unified charitable platform offering multiple interconnected programs serving orphaned and vulnerable children in Western Uganda. The core offerings consist of the YES Scholarship Program (education sponsorship), Manna Rescue Home (residential care for 30 HIV-positive children), and YES Hostel (social enterprise accommodations). Supporting initiatives include the Solar Project (providing solar electricity to families) and Water Project (distributing water filters). The donation portal enables sponsors to contribute to specific programs. All revenue-generating activities (hostel operations, donations) flow to support Manna Rescue Home and the scholarship program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• YES Scholarship Program
• Manna Rescue Home
• YES Hostel
• Solar Project
• Water Project
• Donation Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ children graduated through scholarship program since 1996
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HEAL International (Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008HEAL International has been transforming lives in western Uganda since 2008 through education, health, and leadership development. Their 'Opportunity Through Education' vision has helped hundreds of vulnerable children access quality schooling, vocational training, and university scholarships. They run community health and youth programs equipping young people with knowledge about HIV, mental health, and positive life choices.
• Chancen für Kinder und Jugendliche in AfrikacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008German charity (Opportunities for Children and Youth in Africa) that helps provide education and brighter futures for children in Uganda. Through their generous support, many children are sponsored to attend school and receive care they need to thrive. YES Uganda works closely with them to reach more vulnerable children.
• Joint Medical Store (JMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive-year partnership providing essential medical equipment and supplies for Manna Rescue Home's sick bay. Contributions include vital medicines, vitamins, gloves, hospital masks, first aid kit, hospital beds, and clinical equipment such as drip stands.
• MOMO SAFARI Bakery and CaféminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal business in Fort Portal that provides free bread three times a week for the children and staff at Manna Rescue Home. A significant blessing helping nourish those in need.
• Rotaract ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth-led service organization that partners with YES Uganda to bring joy and support to children at Manna Rescue Home. They visit annually, celebrating with children, bringing essential items, and joining in games, music, and dance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Compassion International: One of the world's largest child sponsorship NGOs, operating a similar model of pairing individual donors with sponsored children covering education, healthcare, and basic needs — directly comparable in service model and donor mechanic.
• SOS Children's Villages: International NGO running residential family-based care villages for orphaned and abandoned children combined with education and healthcare — closely comparable to YES Uganda's Manna Rescue Home model combined with sponsorship.
• ChildFund International: Child sponsorship and community development NGO operating in multiple African and Asian countries, providing education, healthcare, and livelihood support to vulnerable children — directly comparable in sponsorship model and beneficiary focus.
• Watoto Childcare Ministries: Uganda-based Christian NGO operating residential care villages for orphaned and abandoned children, including HIV-affected children, plus education and community programs — a strong regional peer given overlap in geography, faith-based mission, and child welfare focus.
• HEAL International: Canada-based NGO operating in Western Uganda since 2008 focused on education, health, and leadership development for vulnerable children — explicitly named as a core partner of YES Uganda with directly overlapping mission, geography, and beneficiary population.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children: Global INGO focused on children's rights, education, and healthcare in over 100 countries including Uganda — addresses overlapping beneficiary needs (orphaned/vulnerable children) but with a much broader scope and institutional scale.
• Plan International: INGO advancing children's rights and equality for girls through education, health, and child protection programs across Africa and Asia — comparable mission and beneficiary focus but operating at much greater institutional scale.
• World Vision International: One of the largest humanitarian INGOs operating child sponsorship, education, healthcare, and community development across sub-Saharan Africa — overlaps with YES Uganda's full program stack but at vastly greater scale and geographic breadth.

Others

• Joint Medical Store: Uganda-based pharmaceutical and medical supplies wholesaler that has provided medical equipment and medicines to YES Uganda's Manna Rescue Home — comparable as an enabler/supplier to YES Uganda's HIV-care operations rather than a direct competitor.
• Chancen für Kinder und Jugendliche in Afrika: German charity providing education and care for vulnerable children in Uganda — explicitly named as a strategic partner of YES Uganda; comparable in mission and beneficiary focus though operating as an enabler/funder to YES Uganda's programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@steppingoutwithfaithuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/y-e-s-uganda

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 YES Uganda