Support Trust for African Development (STAD)

About us

Support Trust for African Development (STAD) is a Dutch NGO active in South Sudan and Uganda with projects aimed at empowering women and improving healthcare.
STAD started in 2009, but was founded as Sudanese Orphans Support Trust (SOST) which was officially registered in 2002 as an independent non-profit organization.
The main founding goal was to support the education of Sudanese refugee orphans in Northern Uganda. But in 2004, STAD expanded its activities to include socioeconomic, health, women and youth capacity empowerment, peace building & environmental protection programs for the less privileged groups (women, orphans, refugees, youth and the elderly) for self-reliance and positive change in their lives and their communities.

Mission
The mission of Support Trust for African Development (STAD) is to support the less privileged groups: women, orphans, refugees, elderly and youth through supporting in education/ training in market-orientated (life) skills for economic activities for self-reliance in Uganda and South Sudan respectively (Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Region)

Vision
STAD envisions a future of sustainable peace and economic development for the people, especially the vulnerable groups, in Northern Uganda, South Sudan and extending into the region beyond.

Objectives
•Education of Refugees and non-refugee orphans and vulnerable children in primary, secondary, University and vocational training institutions
•Advocate and promote girl child education and children who missed going to school
•Support adult literacy class programs for women
•Training and capacity building of women, men and youth on human rights with a particular focus on women and children’s rights, Social Gender Based Violence (SGBV) peace building and conflict resolutions for peaceful co-existence & sustainable development.
•Organise seminars, workshops, radio talk shows, debates to build capacities of target individuals and community members to advocate for long lasting peace in the country
•Support and promote income generating economic activities through training & empowerment of women and youth in market-oriented life skills programs.
•Awareness raising programs on gender, health (sanitation, hygiene) HIV/AIDS & other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) prevention.
•Promote enhancement of water & sanitation through sensitization and education.

Core Programs:
•Gender Equality (society where women are not marginalized)
•Human, Women and Children ‘rights
•Women, Peace and Security
•Role of women in Peace and conflict resolutions
•Youth programs as pillars, leaders of tomorrow and custodian of Peace
•SGBV Against women
•Women leadership capacity building
•Early Learning & Basic Education, Life oriented skills of children, women &youth
•Health Program, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH)
•Eradication of harmful traditional practices

Florence A. Andrew is the Chairperson of the Support Trust for African Development (STAD) formerly Sudanese Orphans Support (SOST) and one of the founders of both Organizations (SSWAN & STAD) in the Netherlands.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.