ICELAND CONTRIBUTES ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO UNICEF TO STRENGTHEN PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN UGANDA

New investments advance adolescent mothers’ empowerment and consolidate sustainable WASH services in schools and health facilities

By Umar Weswala

UNICEF Uganda Photo

The Government of Iceland has contributed an additional US$5.5 million to UNICEF to scale up the Ugandan Government-led programs aimed at improving delivery of critical services to the most vulnerable children, adolescents and families across the country. Through two complementary investments, Iceland, a UNICEF strategic partner is advancing the implementation of national priorities in social protection, education, early childhood development and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems through government systems at national and sub-national levels.

On 15th December 2025, Iceland and UNICEF signed a new multi-year grant of US$4 million to support Phase II of the program “Empowering Adolescent Mothers and Their Children – A Dual Generation Approach”, from 1^st January 2026 to 31 December 2029.  The additional contribution aims to further strengthen the support to adolescent mothers (aged 12–19) and their children (aged 0–5 years) among the refugee and host communities in Kikuube and Kyegegwa districts, sustainably addressing the intersecting challenges of early pregnancy, school dropout and child vulnerability.

Phase II of the “Empowering Adolescent Mothers and Their Children – A Dual Generation Approach will benefit 3,000 adolescent mothers and their children through an integrated package of social protection, education pathways, early childhood development (ECD), mentorship, gender and disability-inclusive services and strengthened referral systems. The program enables adolescent mothers to return to school or acquire employable skills, while ensuring their children access quality early learning, care and protection.

UNICEF Uganda Photo

The initiative plays a catalytic role in Uganda’s national response to teenage pregnancy by demonstrating a scalable, dual-generation model that strengthens human capital development and social protection systems. Evidence generated through the program will inform policy dialogue, financing decisions and system reforms in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) priorities on reducing vulnerability, expanding equitable access to services and strengthening community-based delivery platforms.

The Iceland Head of Mission Hildigunnur Engilbertsdottir and UNICEF Representative to Uganda Dr. Robin Nandy also signed another agreement worth US$1.5 million for the WASH in institutions exit program, from January 2026 to June 2027, supporting a planned transition towards sustainable, nationally led WASH service delivery. The program will consolidate gains in schools and health facilities across five refugee-hosting districts in West Nile including Adjumani, Arua, Madi-Okollo, Terego and Yumbe, benefiting nearly 140,000 children, women and community members.

In her remarks during the agreement signing ceremony in Kampala, the Head of Mission at the Embassy of Iceland in Uganda Hildigunnur Engilbertsdottir said;

UNICEF Uganda Photo

“UNICEF remains one of Iceland’s priority partners in international development cooperation, and UNICEF Uganda has been among our most trusted partners for many years. As our successful WASH program in West Nile approaches its conclusion, I am pleased by how ambitious the planned exit phase is, particularly for the benefit of women and children in the region. I am also very pleased that we can build on the success of our social protection program in Kikuube and Kyegegwa districts, which we launched just one year ago. With Iceland’s continued support, I am hopeful that thousands of adolescent mothers and their children will be supported to build better lives for themselves.”

Dr. Robin Nandy, UNICEF Representative in Uganda described Iceland as UNICEF’s valued strategic partner in advancing Government-led programs for children and adolescents in Uganda. “This new support will empower adolescent mothers to access quality education and skills pathways, while the WASH transition program consolidates gains in schools and health facilities through sustainable, nationally owned systems. Together, these investments strengthen social protection, early learning and essential services, ensuring lasting impact and contribution to the improvement of lives of children and their families” Robin Nandy.

Phase II of the “Empowering Adolescent Mothers and Their Children – A Dual Generation Approach” program builds on strong results from Phase I, which reached 871 adolescent mothers with mentorship, skills training and cash transfers, supported school re-enrolment, expanded access to early services and strengthened safeguarding and referral mechanisms.

The WASH exit program support will focus on rehabilitating and expanding critical infrastructure, strengthening operation and maintenance systems, building institutional and community capacity, and promoting market-based sanitation solutions. By embedding governance, financing and service provision within district and community structures, the program will ensure a responsible transition from direct implementation to durable, government-owned systems, in line with NDP IV, SDG 6, and Uganda’s WASH sector reform agenda.

UNICEF reiterated its commitment to continue to work closely with the Government of Uganda, sector ministries, district local governments and community-based partners to promote sustainability, local ownership and alignment with national priorities including advocating for scaling up of existing investments.