USAID Uganda Civil Society Strengthening Activity (CSSA)
2020 – 2025
USAID/Uganda CSSA was a five-year project that supported the capacity strengthening of Ugandan CSOs to influence and contribute to improved development outcomes in four thematic areas: (1) health, with particular attention paid to achieving Uganda’s HIV/AIDS’ reduction goals; (2) education, youth, and child development; (3) agriculture and food security; and (4) democracy, rights, and governance. CSSA was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented in partnership with International Center for Nonprofit Law (ICNL), Uganda’s Development Network of Indigenous Voluntary Associations (DENIVA), Common Ground Consulting (CGC), and a number of other Ugandan civil society organizations and small businesses.
Publications
- USAID/Uganda CSSA Handbook for Paralegals on Promoting an Enabling Environment for Civil Society
- Policy Brief: Cryptocurrency and Regulation in Uganda
- Legal Environment Assessment on HIV and AIDS in Uganda
- A Simplified Guide on the NGO Regulatory Framework in Uganda
- Public Participation Mechanisms in Uganda
- The Youth Vote Revolution
Impact Stories
The "Extractives for Community Development" project, implemented by MIRAC with funding from EWMI’s USAID-funded Civil Society Strengthening Activity (CSSA), has had a transformative impact on local businesses in Uganda's oil-rich Albertine region. Through the story of Bijampora Business Venture Limited, the video below showcases how local businesses are benefiting from ...
Shy smile, calm demeanor — Alexander Opiyo’s warm personality carefully masks the hurdles he has had to overcome to provide for himself and support his aging parents, especially for a young man barely in his twenties. “I used to go around providing casual labor for very little pay. Weeding gardens, ...
In Uganda, most households depend on agriculture for food security, nutrition, and income. In many communities, these smallholder farmers are traditionally women. With changes in climate patterns, smallholder farmers are facing many new challenges and are often unsure where to get the assistance they need. Through the USAID/Uganda Civil Society ...
The National Forum of People Living with HIV/AIDS Network in Uganda implements the Treatment Literacy Program to ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS know their status and regularly take their medications, allowing them to live healthier and happy lives. With funding from PEPFAR, East-West Management Institute’s USAID/Uganda Civil Society Strengthening ...
"I know stigma like I know the back of my hand.” “From a young age, I watched everyone walk away from me when I tested positive for HIV. From my friends at school to my very own father, who sent me away to the village to my maternal grandmother. Apparently, ...
“It’s still magic even if you know how it’s done”, Says Author Terry Pratchett. The teenage girls in Lira, Northern Uganda, will probably tell you technology is even more magical once you know how it’s done - as they have not only attained digital literacy but have gone on to ...
“It’s not just a video of stories. It’s actually creating impact, and drawing the attention of donors”, says Peniel Rwendeire, the Executive Director of Network for Active Citizens (NAC), about the effect of the USAID/Uganda Civil Society Strengthening Activity (CSSA) communications training on his organization. NAC is one of 12 ...
Bill Gates once said the Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow. Looking at the numbers, we can see that "tomorrow" has arrived. The internet is the town square for the global village today. A year-on-year comparison by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) shows that 3 ...
Infectious smile, powerful ambitious voice - Gloria Mercy Laker could pass for any regular university student. But behind that innocent, delightful look resides a deep story that no young woman chasing her dreams should ever have to go through. “I now have the courage to smile, but trust me, I ...