VPEP 2 (Post Training Youth Empowerment Project) Summary

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PHASE (MAY 2026 – MAY 2027)

VPEP 2 builds on ETC programmes at GDPU going back to 2018. Although this time we are more strategic and aim to depend on Peer Mentors embedded within District Unions for people with disabilities. In the past we relied on programme managers and GDPU staff dashing across the entire region.

VPEP 2 is a programme that focuses on community, rather than individual, empowerment, group strengthening, and economic sustainability.

Aim and Purpose

To improve the quality of life and socio-economic inclusion of persons with disabilities and vulnerable youth in five districts of Northern Uganda.

How?

In the past, the GDPU team would, largely, interact only with the people with disabilities they had identified or who had been trained by them. They would go to an area, train and advocate in a local meeting and leave. Now, the GDPU team and particularly the Peer Mentors will be working through community structures:

Peer Mentors embedded in each district.
Working with District and Local Governments and their structures from District up to the village levels.
Working with Community Development Officers, Parish Chiefs and Local Councillors etc.
Working with Disability unions and organizations for persons with disabilities.

Specific Objectives

Inception meeting for the VPEP 2 with Omoro District Union for Persons with Disabilities

Strengthen community awareness on disability inclusion
Promote social accountability through dialogue
Establish and strengthen functional groups for persons with disabilities.
Enhance economic empowerment through Income Generating Activities.
Improve access to financial services, through financial literacy training, improved documentations of activities etc.
Strengthen Disability Unions these are structures at the district levels for persons with disabilities to improve coordination of activities and accountabilities.
Enhance 12 x peer mentor’s effectiveness, by building their capacity, strengthening implementation skills, reporting and, linking them to development networks within their communities.

Community Dialogue and Stakeholder Engagement

Community dialogue will be core. In the past projects we have seen a number of youth and community members come in to solve the pressing needs in the community. Now they will be involved from the start.

Formation and Strengthening of Groups

we plan to create and form 25 groups for persons with disabilities across the five districts the project plan to work in.

Economic Empowerment through Income Generating Activities

The main objectives of the Vpep project was to enhance the capacity of youth, with disabilities to have better livelihoods in the community, most people with disabilities are stigmatized and discriminated from the society just because of their disability

Revolving Loan Fund Strengthened

The revolving loan has been core in strengthening businesses for youth with disabilities under the Vpep project with now 4500,000/= shillings available and over 2,800,000/= with our beneficiaries.

Strengthen Disability Unions

District Unions are part of the structures to ensure that services reaches persons with disabilities at the District level. Strengthening these structures through capacity building trainings, facilitating the general assembly of these structures will help on improving the leadership and development of the organizations at the district levels.

Peer Mentor Capacity Enhanced

The Peer mentors’ concept has been one of the most innovative approaches towards the development and expansion of GDPU’s work across northern Uganda. Peer mentors greatly support the implementation of project activities, and will be central to VPEP 2. Peer Mentors are youth with disabilities trained at GDPU and fully supported by the team.

Conclusion

The VPEP 2 project represents a critical step in transitioning vulnerable youth and persons with disabilities from dependency to self-reliance and active citizenship. By combining economic empowerment, community engagement, and institutional strengthening, the project will create sustainable and inclusive development outcomes in Northern Uganda.