About GARD
A platform for building resilience and sustainable wellbeing in the communities of Karamoja.
Karamoja is Home to 1.2M People
Consisting of nine districts in northeastern Uganda, the region is classified as one of the world's poorest areas. Hunger, stunting and lack of access to food are prevalent.
Living in Absolute Poverty
Of its 1.2 million people are living in absolute poverty. The region is the least socially and economically developed in the country.
Female Demographics
Of the total population are females of reproductive age (15-49 years), bearing the highest fertility rate giving birth to ~8 children per woman.
Average Age
The population of Karamoja is exceptionally young with the average age being 15 years. The region has the least number of school enrolment.
Acute Food Insecurity
Of the total population is experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity; additionally, about 9,500 pregnant or lactating women are acutely malnourished.
Who We Are
GARD is Committed to Creating Opportunities, Changing Lives in the conflict-affected areas of Northern and North-Eastern Uganda.
GARD is an independent not-for profit organization established in 2019 and registered with the Uganda NGO Bureau (Reg No. INDRS.S 914/144242174NB). GARD seeks to contribute to changing lives by creating opportunities to reduce poverty and inequalities through local capacity development and building community resilience for sustainability.
GARD works in a non-discriminatory and non-partisan way with the most vulnerable and marginalized rural communities, particularly women and youth because our experience shows that their gains translate into the benefits for the entire family and community inequalities through local capacity development and building community resilience for sustainability.
Our Vision
"Empowered and resilient communities."
Our Mission
"A platform for building resilience and sustainable wellbeing."
Values & Operating Principles
We adhere throughout our work guided by the following core values and principles of:
A commitment to work impartially, with integrity and fairness; be transparent and accountable; respect, promote and protect fundamental human rights for all without any discrimination.
Develop innovative, flexible, and inclusive game changer programs and projects that empowers the most vulnerable and marginalized rural communities.
Build strategic partnership with local, national, and international organizations and networks with similar objectives and whose work complements and supports our mission.
Employ talented and committed employees, Board members and interns who represent the organization before clients, colleagues, donors, and the community.
Our Approach
GARD employs a wide range of participatory development approaches to achieve its mission with a focus on knowledge and evidence-based programming, development couching/mentorship, institutional development, and capacity building. Our main pillars of our approach include:
Holistic & Rights Based Approach
Our overall approach is working within the framework of a rights-based approach. We are concerned with the socio-cultural, political, civil, and economic development of the human person because all rights are equal; none can't be fully enjoyed without the others.
Empowerment & Local Capacity
Employing participatory practices and capacity building approach to promote empowerment to ensure relevance and ownership for all stakeholders at the local level.
Conflict and Gender Sensitivity
GARD minimizes negative impacts ("Do-No-Harm") and maximizes positive ones through conflict & gender sensitivity, recognizing the unique roles and needs of all demographics to achieve sustainable development.
Research and Advocacy
High quality evidence research is necessary for both programming and advocacy. All our programs are informed by vigorous, cutting-edge evidence-based research and innovative advocacy to effect policy change.