Busoga Kingdom and UNICEF partner to tackle adolescent pregnancy, child marriage and school dropout
Partnership to strengthen kingdom structures to steer development in the sub region
A warm sense of joy filled the Royal Palace in Igenge, Jinja District, as adolescent parents receiving skills training and schoolchildren joined the Kyabazinga of Busoga, dignitaries, traditional leaders and guests for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Busoga Kingdom, through Kyabazinga Initiatives Limited, and UNICEF.
The Busoga Kingdom and UNICEF partnership builds on the Abasaadha N'Empango (men are the pillars) Campaign, a regional initiative led by the Kyabazinga of Busoga, His Majesty William Gabula Nadiope IV, which seeks to reduce teenage pregnancy and child marriage by encouraging men and boys to take active leadership roles in protecting and supporting children and families.
The memorandum of understanding was signed on 7 August 2026 by Busoga Kingdom 2nd Deputy Prime Minister Osman Ahmed Noor and UNICEF Representative in Uganda Dr Robin Nandy, in the presence of the Kyabazinga at the Royal Palace in Igenge. It aims to support the kingdom’s structures to address adolescent pregnancy, child marriage and school dropout in the sub region.
The ceremony brought together members of the royal family, leaders, chiefs, traditional leaders, sub county kingdom field officers, Kyabazinga Initiatives staff, schoolchildren and staff from UNICEF, UNFPA and UNAIDS.
Speaking after witnessing the signing ceremony, the Kyabazinga welcomed the partnership and commended UNICEF for its longstanding contribution to the development and well-being of the people of Busoga.
He reminded the gathering that the memorandum signed with UNICEF is part of the larger support the UN in Uganda has extended to Busoga sub region, including his role as UN National Goodwill Ambassador for male engagement in ending adolescent pregnancies in Uganda.
“Busoga needs more partners who are ready to walk with us to build a healthier, more educated and prosperous generation. We are committed to transforming the lives of our children and are happy to have partners like UNICEF and many others that we work with.”
He repeated his call to men and communities to work with the Kyabazinga Initiatives and take greater responsibility for protecting children and supporting their education.
The Kyabazinga referred to a letter he wrote to the children of Busoga from Yale University in 2025 where he encouraged them to enrol and stay in school until completion as well as asking them to write back and give him the reasons for the high rates of school dropout and teenage pregnancy in Busoga and beyond.
“One of our priorities is to ensure that children return to school and remain in school at all levels of education until they are 18 years old, so they are mentored and better prepared to face the challenges of the world,” the Kyabazinga said.
Prior to the signing ceremony, the Kyabazinga hosted Dr Nandy and the Deputy Prime Minister Noor at his palace to review some of the children’s responses to his letter.
At the event, representatives of clubs from six secondary and primary schools in Busoga where the Kyabazinga Empango clubs were established presented their club reports to the Kyabazinga and village leaders tasked to safeguard the communities. They highlighted progress in several areas, including domestic and gender-based violence, back-to-school campaigns, re-integration of adolescent mothers into school, child protection awareness and the prevention of child labour on sugarcane farms. The Kyabazinga applauded the children for sharing the progress being made to keep learners in school.
Kanswa Vanessa Eva, a student at Bulunguli Seed Secondary School in Bugweri District, read a report from her school’s Kyabazinga Empango Club. “Allow me to thank you for thinking about school-going children and those who have dropped out, especially the boy child. The establishment of this club in our school has become a shining example of how culture, education and community- action can transform the lives of young people,” she said.
Kanswa said her school club has been at the forefront of promoting girls’ education to prevent adolescent pregnancy. She said 600 students at her school were sensitized on the dangers of adolescent pregnancy and the importance of staying in school. She added that 12 school dropouts; eight girls and four boys, had been reinstated in school, giving them a second chance in life.
Yudaya Babirye, Minister of Kyabazinga Affairs and Executive Director of Kyabazinga Initiatives Limited, said that Empango clubs have been established in all schools in Busoga to mentor children and deter them from dropping out of school.
Adolescent mothers who are training with Busoga Skilling also attended the event and submitted a report to the Kyabazinga.
Dr Nandy said the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between UNICEF and the Kingdom of Busoga through the Kyabazinga Initiatives Limited represents the agency’s commitment to 2,272,035 children who call the Busoga region home.
“We are united by a simple but powerful truth: every child deserves to survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential. These are not privileges, but rights. Today, we re-affirm our commitment to making those rights real for every child in Busoga and across Uganda.”
Dr Nandy further explained that the partnership formalized on 7 August 2026 is founded on four commitments to the children of Busoga: safeguarding every child's right to health and growth; securing access to quality education for every child; ensuring comprehensive protection from violence and exploitation; and catalysing a kingdom-wide movement for child rights.
He further said the memorandum sets out how the two sides will work together, including a Joint Coordination Committee to monitor progress. UNICEF brings technical expertise and global knowledge, he said, while the kingdom brings deep community roots, cultural authority and wide reach.
Dr Nandy closed with a Lusoga saying, Omwana takuzibwa mulala, a child does not grow up in one house alone. “Today, we are re-building that village together,” he said.
The 2nd Deputy Prime Minister Noor told the gathering that the signing of the memorandum of understanding with UNICEF demonstrated a joint commitment to safeguarding the future of children in the sub region. “This is more than a document. It is our commitment to every child in Busoga that their voices will be heard and we will continue working with different partners to deliver on our promise,” said Noor, who is also head of partnerships at Busoga Kingdom.
Babirye appreciated UNICEF’s longstanding support to Busoga Kingdom. She said one of the key tasks assigned to Kyabazinga Initiatives by the Kyabazinga is to ensure that grassroots structures are functional and able to implement kingdom initiatives, including the Abasaadha N'Empango Campaign (men are the pillars). She noted that 60 per cent of grassroots structures are now functional.
Babirye expressed appreciation to the kingdom structures, chiefdom leaders, the Busoga Cabinet led by Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muvawala, his deputies and ministers for their guidance. She also thanked Kyabazinga Initiatives staff for their perseverance and commitment, often working without pay.
As part of the partnership, UNICEF provided a vehicle, 11 motorcycles (five of which were handed over), a set of laptops, amplifiers and other equipment to Kyabazinga Initiatives Limited to support community mobilization and outreach, training, monitoring and evaluation. The Kyabazinga and guests witnessed the handover of the items by Dr Nandy to Deputy Prime Minister Noor.
