Faces Up Uganda

About us

Faces Up Uganda is a youth-led non-profit based in Kampala, Uganda. We build bridges between young people and their dreams. Our approach brings out the best in every child, and young person from underserved communities. To deliver on this, we employ creative arts and mentorship thus provide necessary support for them to learn, those with traumatic life experiences to stabilize, heal as they grow or fulfil their potential. Our model of empowerment is holistic, cost-effective, and easily to scalable. We extensively work in collaboration with CBOs, NGOs, and individuals at grassroot spread all over Uganda to deliver on a shared goal as well as leverage combined efforts of outreach.

Vision
A world where all young people are inspired to do what inspires them.

Our mission
To create vibrant spaces for young people where they can develop the necessary skills, utilize opportunities, and receive support and guidance to thrive.

Our approach
Art(s) as a catalyst for psychosocial rehabilitation and empowerment.
• Art for psychosocial support: We exploit the therapeutical benefits of different art forms to create a safe space for young people to express life experiences that they perhaps cannot verbalize, thus bringing healing into their lives. Research by the WHO has shown that the use of artistic media in health care and communities have a variety of benefits for health outcomes.
• Art(s) for Skilling: Art education remains nationally deprioritized: we work with professional artists to spread art education in underserved communities. As a result, young people gain knowledge, and develop their skills that they use to create artworks and products, which are marketed online and physically to raise funds and support the education of children from financially challenged backgrounds.
• Design For Change: As the country partner for the largest global movement designed to empower young people with design thinking skills to express their ideas for a better world and put them into action. We are making sure that young people foster the “ICAN” mindset to change their lives, communities, and World at large.

Projects:
• Mentor Me: We hope to enable teachers to do what they have always wanted to do; guide their students and encourage and mentor them to pursue growth in different facets of life. We complement this support by empowering peer mentors who are either old students from different schools or adults who want to reach out and contribute to the lives of students who need it the most. We make follow-up calls and visits to address any matter that arises.
• Faces Up Store: We enable children to use their creativity and we share it with the world in the form of artworks, and merchandise on e-commerce platforms and via exhibitions to raise the funds needed to pay school fees for children from financially challenged backgrounds. In a nutshell, we raise school fees for children from the sale of artworks and products.
• Faces Up Talks: Twice a month, we virtually invite guest speakers from Africa with diverse experiences and knowledge. Through these raw discussions, the invited speakers give a deeper insight into their work, their lives, and backgrounds; thus, their stories become an inspiration to those who need it. Currently, they happen on Twitter as they grow.
• FAO-FACESUP Art Contest: The FAO-funded contest presents an opportunity for artists below 15 years of age, across different regions in Uganda to (1) spark curiosity around and help them understand the importance of the four Betters (Better production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment, Better Life) and LNOB (Leave No One Behind ) for themselves and their communities, and the small, practical, and meaningful ways in which to achieve them; (2) share the knowledge and/or best practices learned through the instructional videos (and the process of creating art around these themes) within the participating children’s social units (friends, family, school, community, etc.); (3) while learning, express themselves creatively which works as further learning and therapeutic outlet; and (4) share children’s perspectives of the four Betters and LNOB themes with the wider public as an additional means of outreach to citizens.
• Virtual Exhibitions

Ssekitto Kalule Emmanuel is the Founder/Team leader of Faces Up Uganda.

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.