The Fund for War-Affected Children and Youth in Northern Uganda

The main objective of the Fund for War-Affected Children and Youth is to help the youth in Uganda recover from war and rebuild their country. It is structured to provide financial resources to organizations that otherwise would have a difficult time accessing funding. The Fund was established in 2006 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and several international donors and funding is currently at $2.7 million. The goal is to raise $25 million from governments, foundations, corporations, and individual donors and operate for at least 10 years. Currently, the charitable entity is based out of New York and is governed by a Board comprised of donors, local representatives, and experts in development and human rights in Africa. In addition, an advisory committee is soon to be established, consisting of people who will make recommendations to the Board. Local staff will oversee project implementation and work as project coordinators. At this point, the Fund is committed to supporting initiatives in the regions of Gulu, Kitgum, and Pader, and encourages evidence based programs which promote:

·access to education and income-generating activities for children and youth;
·access to traditional and formal forms of justice and truth-seeking;
·capacity building that would enable organizations to launch and sustain long-term projects; facilitate inter-institutional coordination and cooperation; and facilitate community participation, especially in regards to the reintegration of LRA returnees;
·access to services by under-served populations, especially those in remote camps for internally displaced persons; and
·the work of talented individuals and enterprising organizations, especially those that encourage entrepreneurship, in northern Uganda.