Mission for community development is a non-governmental organization which has been duly registered pursuant to and in accordance with provisions of NGO Registration Act and the rules their under, and has been entered under the number S.7928 in the index of registration.
It is founded and chartered to:
Support HIV/AIDS positive living and prevention
Empower under-privileged individuals access formal education
Moral rehabilitation of orphaned children
Strengthen our community capacities to accomplish their objectives through effective mobilization and use of resources, research and networking relevant individuals, governments and other agencies.
Mcode’s mission is every under-privileged individual and Hiv positive access general health care, education and economic empowerment. It is done through facilitating Hiv positive and prevention as well as orphanage and poverty alleviation initiatives.
Mcode’s offices are located at Nsubuga Estates-Bakuli Kampala along Hoima road opposite Yovani Hotel and it is reached on through/by post, telephone, fax and email as indicated in the Cover Letter.
Our staff comprises of full and volunteer staff which is working actively to ensure excellent service delivery basing to the past experiences in receiving and managing resources.
Our guiding principles are based on realities and perspectives of people living with HIV/AIDS, care givers/guardians, women and young people. It acknowledges that older people make up a significant proportion of the poorest,and HIV/AIDS exacerbates the extreme poverty faced by older-headed households.This compromises the ability of older carers to care adequately for children(as they face difficulties obtaining sufficient food,clothes and shelter),and limits their access to health care and education services.The financial burden of caring for children means older carers are often forced to sell their assets or borrowing money.
The scarcity of HIV/AIDS information for older people limits their ability to protect themselves and their families yet they should be playing a key role in HIV/AIDS prevention within communities and families.To date,the role of older people as counsellors and educators has not been sufficiently recorgnised in community-based and national HIV/AIDS programmes.The trauma resulting from the loss of family members and the stigma of being affected by HIV/AIDS can result in high levels of exclusion,for older people and for orphans and vulnerable children,leaving them feeling ashamed and alone.Many older people feeling they are failing in their role as carers because they are unable to protect their family from isolation.Nevertheless,mutually supportive relationships between older carers and orphans and vulnerable children are being forged as a result of the epidemic.While difficult economic conditions can undermine these relationships,the advantage of keeping children with their remaining family members,whenever possible are evident.Therefore,collaborative action is required to ensure that the intergenerational and social-economic impacts of HIV/AIDS are fully recorgnised.There are different but important,roles of all actors
•National governments have a key role in priotising funds for social spending and ensuring there are progressive legislative frameworks in relation to HIV/AIDS.
•International development institutions should ensure access to sustainable funds
•International NGOs need to develop innovative and community-driven programmes,as well as being key partners for supporting and advocating for improved governmental programmes.
•CBOs have a vital role in articulating and designing programmes as well as implementing them.
In order to meet the commitments on HIV/AIDS and poverty reduction,we need to:
a) Provide direct income support to address the financial needs of older carers of orphans and vulnerable children.
b) Ensure policies and programmes designed to meet the health needs of families affected by HIV/AIDS include older people and orphans and vulnerable children
c) Ensure access to universal and flexible education services for orphans and vulnerable children that recorgnise their changing time commitments and financial constraints
