Iceland donates US$1 million to UNICEF towards empowering adolescent mothers in Uganda

Hildigunnur Engilbertsdóttir and UNICEF's
Dr. Robin Nandy (Centre)
during the agreement signing event
By Umar Weswala:
The Embassy of Iceland in Kampala and UNICEF have today signed an agreement worth US$1 million to empower vulnerable adolescent mothers and their children to access multi-sectoral and inclusive social protection, early childhood development and parenting support services.

The 18 months partnership will allow UNICEF to link teenage mothers to protection, health, education, childcare and skilling services; provide mentorship and life-skills to teenage mothers; support low -cost early childhood education (ECD)  models in targeted communities and establish mobile early childhood development units and disability inclusive ECD kits to provide early learning opportunities for children in hard-to-reach communities.

Speaking at the signing event, the Head of Mission, Embassy of Iceland to Uganda, Hildigunnur Engilbertsdóttir noted that the programme will extend financial support to each beneficiary child monthly.  

“Iceland is committed to empowering young mothers to enable them to learn, acquire skills, and be protected from harmful practices. This conditional cash transfer is linked to the adolescent mother’s participation in learning and her child’s involvement in ECD interventions, including ECD centres/early learning for children (aged 3-5 years) and referral to childcare services for children (aged 0-2 years). We strongly believe that these cash transfers will alleviate a young mother’s burden by supporting access to childcare services so she can return to school or seek employment,” Engilbertsdóttir further noted.

Dr. Robin Nandy, the UNICEF Representative to Uganda, highlighted the importance of the partnership in accelerating progress for children:

"This agreement signifies the shared commitment of UNICEF and the Icelandic Government to prioritize the needs of children and communities in Uganda. With Iceland’s generous support, we will be able to scale up our efforts to address critical challenges, strengthen systems, and create lasting change for adolescent mothers and their children. Every child deserves a fair chance at a brighter future, and today’s partnership brings us closer to achieving that goal."

The signing ceremony
The funding provided through this grant will prioritize support for vulnerable adolescent mothers (aged 12-19 years) and their children (aged 0-5 years) in Kyegegwa and Kikuube districts, in the Western Region of Uganda, ensuring access to multi-sectoral and inclusive social protection, ECD and parenting support services.

Through this initiative, 1,000 adolescent mothers will be supported to return to school or acquire vocational skills, while 2,000 of their children will benefit from formal and non-formal early childhood care and education services. They will also benefit from mentorship, including referral to other essential social services.

In addition, 1,200 adolescent mothers will be trained in parenting 7,000 children to be screened for disabilities and developmental delays, and 1,000 children’s birth will be registered.

By linking teenage mothers to protection, health, education, childcare, and skilling services, the initiative seeks to provide holistic and sustainable solutions. Support will also focus on innovative, low-cost ECD models and equipping caregivers with skills on positive parenting and child development, further strengthening family and community resilience.

With this funding, UNICEF and Iceland aim to empower communities with the tools and resources they need to create a better future for children in Uganda by investing in innovative approaches and community-driven solutions aimed at contributing to Uganda’s achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Since 2019, the Embassy of Iceland in Kampala and UNICEF have enjoyed a fruitful partnership aimed at improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools and health facilities in refugee-hosting districts of Uganda.

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