Action For Development

11/09/2026

“We are now happily married and living peacefully together.”
For Mr. Nkezabahize Ezekiel and his wife Mukadanga, the Model Couple Approach has helped turn constant conflict into better communication, understanding and peace at home.

During a follow-up with model couples in Kaborogota A and B, the couple shared how ACFODE’s training helped them reflect on their individual actions, communicate openly and work together to strengthen their relationship.

Their story is one of many showing that when couples are equipped with the right tools, change can begin at home and extend into the wider community.

Today, trained model couples are supporting other families to resolve conflicts, share responsibilities and prevent intimate partner violence.

Healthy relationships begin with listening, respect and a willingness to change.

11/09/2026

Neither fraud, nor her age, not even fear, could stop Phionah Natukunda from running for the Busiriba Sub County Youth Councilor position.

In fact, she had long suspected that leadership itself might be worth her time. Read Natukunda’s full story on slide 2.

Every woman who steps forward to lead challenges the idea of who gets to have a voice.

Stories like these inspire us to keep creating space for women to lead, because equality begins when every woman has the opportunity to be heard and to lead.

09/09/2026

More than a decade ago, ACFODE was at Luzira Female Prison as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, standing with other civil society organisations to raise a collective voice against violence towards women.

The issues they were talking about then may sound familiar today.
Women experiencing violence.
The consequences that follow.
And the question of what society can do differently.

Fast forward to today, and the conversation is still relevant.
We dug into the ACFODE archives and found the full video.

🎥 Go back with us to 2012 and watch the full story on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/oNJtTdxY3EY?si=V51V7_cn1RsIAAGl

Then tell us: what has changed since 2012, and what haven't we changed enough?

As part of the activities to raise collective voices and awareness ...

09/09/2026

HIV treatment has come a long way. But have we become too comfortable with HIV?

Recent reports of rising HIV-positive test results in Kampala are a reminder that prevention still matters.

Behind every statistic is a person. And behind vulnerability to HIV can be much more than a lack of information.

It can be shaped by relationships, economic circumstances, gender inequality, violence, stigma and the ability to make informed choices.

We need to keep talking. We need to keep testing. And we need to keep addressing the inequalities that can put people at greater risk.

HIV may be more treatable today. But prevention still matters.

07/09/2026

What happens when a survivor does not know where to report, or when the right services are difficult to access?
These are some of the gaps partners are working to address.

On 3 September, ACFODE joined the second monthly Referral Pathway Strengthening and Multisectoral Coordination Meeting, bringing together OPM, UNHCR, KDLG and other implementing partners to strengthen coordination and improve GBV referral services.

Partners discussed challenges affecting survivors, including limited reporting by men and boys, duplication of cases, high expectations for support and barriers to accessing essential services.

The meeting also identified practical actions, including engaging boda boda riders and men in GBV prevention, strengthening community policing, supporting police with stationery for survivor documentation, and extending skilling support to schools.

Better coordination means better support for survivors.

04/09/2026

Did You Know ?

A woman does not need permission to lead.
She needs an equal opportunity, a supportive environment and a seat at the decision-making table.
Because leadership should be about ability, not gender.

01/09/2026

In Kyegegwa District, ACFODE brought spouses of newly elected women councillors into the conversation on women’s leadership.

Through safe space and male engagement sessions, spouses reflected on the attitudes, expectations and responsibilities that can either support or make it harder for women to lead.

For some, the conversation changed their perspective.

“This training has opened my eyes. I will now assist and support my wife so that she can effectively perform her roles as a woman councillor.” — Mr. Byemerwa

For others, support meant sharing responsibilities at home and creating the time and space their wives need to serve their communities.

Mr. Begondeza also committed to supporting his wife despite their different political affiliations:

“I have agreed to support her to perform well in the council and serve our community.”

The conversation did not stop in Amolatar and Kaberamaido. It is also about what happens at home, in families and within communities.

ACFODE is working with women leaders, their spouses and communities to challenge harmful stereotypes, promote shared responsibilities and create an environment where women can participate and lead effectively.

Because a seat at the table matters, but having the support to use that seat matters too.

31/08/2026

A seat at the council table is only the beginning.
What matters is what happens once you get there.

Last week, newly elected women and youth leaders in Kaberamaido and Amolatar Districts strengthened their understanding of local government planning, budgeting, council procedures, accountability and service delivery.

They didn't just sit through presentations. They practised how to participate in council sessions, raise community priorities and push for issues to be considered in planning and budgets.

In Amolatar, women and youth councilors also formed three caucuses and developed three-month action plans around priority issues in their communities.

Because representation should lead to participation. And participation should lead to action.

With support from the Swedish Foundation for Human Rights and the Swedish Institute, ACFODE is supporting newly elected leaders to step into their roles with greater knowledge, confidence and a stronger understanding of the communities they represent.

The term has begun. Now the work begins.

28/08/2026

Leadership is not just about having a seat at the table. It is about using that seat to influence decisions that improve people’s lives.

ACFODE is conducting a two-day district-level induction for newly elected women and youth leaders in Kaberamaido and Amolatar districts, equipping them with the knowledge and practical skills to participate meaningfully in local governance.

The training is strengthening their understanding of local government structures, their roles as councillors, council procedures, oversight and how to effectively raise the priorities of the communities they represent.

A key message from the sessions has been the need to move from mere participation to meaningful influence, particularly on issues affecting women, youth and other community members whose voices can easily be overlooked.

The leaders have committed to staying accountable to their constituents, strengthening community engagement, monitoring government programmes and ensuring community priorities inform council planning, budgeting and decisions.

When women and young people are equipped to lead, communities gain stronger voices in the decisions that shape their future.

28/08/2026

Imagine being told that beating your wife is justified. Now imagine knowing that even when survivors find the courage to report, justice may still be out of reach.

In Uganda, up to 44% of women and 41% of men believed there were situations where a man was justified in beating his wife. And among r**e cases reported to police in 2017, only 30% were taken to court, with just 1.5% resulting in a conviction.

At no point should violence be justified. Silence must never be mistaken for acceptance and reporting violence should lead to justice, not another dead end.

When violence becomes “acceptable”, everyone pays the price!