About

Royal Rays Initiative Uganda is governed by the Board of Directors and leadership headed by the Executive Director and competent Human Resource. Our head offices are in Kampala however our projects are majorly implemented in the suburb and rural areas across the country such as Mityana, Mubende, Wakiso and Mukono districts in Uganda.

Royal Rays Initiative Uganda is committed to offering a safe space that is accessible; inclusive programs and services that serve the existing and emerging needs of marginalized Bisexuals, Gender Non-conforming, refugees and sex workers communities and leadership that works to break down barriers and create opportunities through our programs, services, community engagement activities, capacity-building initiatives and Advocacy.

Who We Are

Royal Rays Initiative Uganda was formed at such challenging times, as Human Rights, personal security and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs for the Inadequately served persons especially the LGBTIQA2S+ increase to be violated and denied and the demand for inclusive and quality health services continues to rise.

MISSION:

The primary mission of Royal Rays Initiative Uganda is to address challenges faced by inadequately served populations (ISPs) and other gender non-conforming people who are at increased risk of unfair treatment, social stigma, criminalization or persecution based on identity, family rejection, barriers to accessing health care services and inappropriate medical treatment, which results into social isolation, Royals Rays Initiative Uganda works to support the marginalized persons to regain self- confidence, building resilience and reclaim the lost self- sufficiency. In order to achieve this we as an organization must be well organized and adequately guide our staff to be able to function with efficiency and effectiveness.

VISION:

Healthy and productive marginalized communities in Uganda.

GOAL:

To contribute to the development of marginalized communities in delivering sustainable quality services and programs in Uganda.

OBJECTIVES:

• To create an enabling and safe space environment for vulnerable and marginalized populations in Uganda.
• To advance health rights for vulnerable and marginalized communities through integrated programs and advocacy in action.
• To improve and advance economic lives and sustainability for vulnerable and marginalized groups in Uganda through economic empowerment programs and activities.
• To lessen human rights violations for the marginalized populations through advocacy and documentation.
• To develop partnerships with key stake holders to ensure that vulnerable and marginalized populations are included in all arenas right from planning to decision making.

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Short ribs ham ball tip kielbasa chuck meatloaf bacon frankfurter. Brisket pork loin kielbasa t-bone bresaola landjaeger shank buffalo tenderloin kevin leberkas ground round strip steak corned beef rump. Drumstick venison jerky kielbasa, biltong pastrami pig. Alcatra picanha boudin frankfurter strip steak short ribs biltong short loin tri-tip pig venison jerky kielbasa, biltong pastrami pig.

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT:

Royal Rays Initiative Uganda is planning to make a number of interventions that aim at socially and economically empowering ISP communities to support themselves.

This will be through the formation of Savings & Loans schemes (SLAs). SLA will be a membership association owned and managed by members united to meet their needs and those of their community especially those living in our Transition Shelter Program. Members save and borrow to; pay transport to Health Facilities when they are sick or for drug refills, pay School fees and other school requirements, buy food and some members to start farming to sell of produce from our farm, piggery, second hand clothes, and retail shops and also to start their own small scale businesses.

RRIU strategic direction is guided by its vision, mission, goal and guiding principles. In defining the strategic direction, the Theory of Change with its attendant assumptions is the basis for programming, performance, monitoring and evaluation. In addition, RRIU interventions are targeted towards specific beneficiary populations for purposes of equity in order to realize the desired outcomes

Policy & Advocacy

Through this strategic intervention, RRIU seeks to make a contribution to national policy formulation by putting forward alternative/ pro people policy propositions, as well as supporting the implementation of government policies. RRIU does this through forming partnerships and coalitions with other like-minded actors, equipping communities with advocacy tools, as well as pursue specific policy interventions and with a view of increasing access to quality and equitable services to all.

Royal Rays Initiative Uganda has worked to build the capacity of inadequately served people through the establishment of national partnership platforms that are used as structures for building coalition for policy and practice changes at national level to build demand for quality and equitable health and HIV/AIDS services.

At community level, RRIU is supporting ISPs to build demand for quality health care through community dialogues; health budget analysis, developing community score cards, generating evidence dossiers, monitoring relationships between service providers and communities and running accountability campaigns.

SRHR Integration

Royal Rays Initiative Uganda aims to contribute to improved SRHR and HIV outcomes by increasing access and use of quality, inclusive and integrated SRHR and HIV services and by promoting positive healthy sexual relationships that can contribute to reducing new HIV infections and improving SRHR indicators by reducing prevalence of sexually transmitted infections OF STIs among vulnerable and marginalized populations. The SRHR/HIV integration programme gives high priority to promoting the full sexual and reproductive rights of individuals and to addressing stigma and discrimination in all its complexity, as this is imperative for removing barriers to accessing health services.

The RRIU SRHR program responds to critical gaps and weaknesses in the Ugandan SRHR response. A strong community-based response has the potential to make a significant contribution to addressing Uganda’s unmet SRHR needs, including the continuing challenge of the HIV epidemic among ISPs.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and related complications rank among the leading causes of out-patient consultations in public health facilities, accounting for approximately 20% of the total. One study in rural Uganda found up to 50% of adults aged 15-49 having at least one STI (MOH, 2014).

HIV affects all the dimensions of sexual and reproductive health because they both have similar characteristics, target populations and desired outcomes among reproductive age populations.

Royal Rays Initiative Uganda focuses on the drivers of HIV and sexual and reproductive ill-health for young people, at individual, community, health system and structural levels in order to contribute to the achievement of SDG goals. As such, RRIU takes advantage of the current national response to the SRHR, HIV and AIDS epidemics to implement an integrated approach to SRHR and HIV; promoting the sexual and reproductive rights of young people; adopting the hot-spot strategies and “follow the infections” approach, ensuring access to commodities in close connection with related services; and addressing obstacles on the demand side and environmental factors.

In a restrictive policy environment such as currently exists in Uganda, civil society organizations have an ability to reach vulnerable populations such as MSMs, Bisexuals, Gender non-conforming persons, sex workers and people living with HIV (PLHIV) to create greater knowledge and awareness of their SRHR needs; to generate demand for integrated and quality SRHR and HIV services and to advocate for such services to be available.

Partnership & Networking

Royal Rays Initiative Uganda has been working with partners in Uganda to ensure that SRHR is integrated into existing HIV services for vulnerable and marginalized communities. The programme works with youth as an entry point to reach those most in need in central districts in Uganda.

Over a period, our projects will provide comprehensive education on SRHR; build the skills and knowledge of civil society and governments to deliver improved services and improve access; promote and protect the rights of young people who are vulnerable and marginalized and at the same time affected by HIV in their own national contexts; and gather evidence around what works when integrating sexual and reproductive health and HIV services.