More than a training centre: The fullness of the Adolescent Psychosocial Support and Resource Centre’s work.

When I visited the Adolescent Psychosocial Support and Resource Centre (APSARC) in Nakasongola, Uganda, in July, I knew I would see a vocational training centre and meet some of the students, aged 15 to 25, who had attended the classes. As with all visits to SIA Grant Partner Organizations, it’s never as straightforward as the short description suggests.

It’s more than the classroom

The room is a simple cement-block building, with three sewing machines along one wall and sample dresses hanging from the window frames. It’s a place where the 25 young women in this third cohort rush to arrive right at 7am so they can use the sewing machines first. And where they learn hairdressing and business skills. It’s also a place where the girls get to act like teenagers.

In this part of the country, most families live together in compounds, and it’s customary for wives to go and live with their husbands’ families. When we visited one young woman’s family, we saw how strained the relationship between the wife and mother-in-law can be, with the young woman having to defer to the older woman in all things.

The APSARC classroom, then, is a place where the young woman can be herself. During our visit, the students played music from the teacher’s phone, and they danced together, laughing and smiling with such freedom, in stark contrast to how they have to act at home. 

Tanya is wearing a wrap skirt that the APSARC students sewed for her.

APSARC also invites the women who graduate from the program to return and mentor the next cohorts. This approach empowers them to become leaders and gives them the opportunity to see themselves as knowledgeable and strong.  

About half of the students are also young mothers, and there is a mat for the children to sleep on, allowing them to attend classes without needing to arrange for childcare.

It’s more than skills training

As the name suggests, APSARC also provides counselling to the young women who come to them, all of whom have experienced intimate partner violence, forced marriage, or other trauma. APSARC employs a social worker, Sarah, who speaks to the students about self-love, standing up for themselves, and understanding they are not to blame for the violence they experience. We heard testimonies of how some of the young women have started reporting intimate partner violence to the police after gaining the confidence and skills to do so at APSARC.

Stanley Mbazira is the one man on the APSARC board. He is what they call a safeguarder, and he uses his position in the community to help the women report incidents or get the medical care they need. For acute cases, the APSARC director has lent her home to be a temporary shelter for young women and their children escaping violent situations.

And finally, it’s not a regular grant.

APSARC is one of six of SIA’s Multi-Year Funding Partners, meaning we’ve assured them three years of funding and extra mentoring to support their progression to the next stage of organizational growth. The SIA funding helps cover administrative costs, enabling them to hire dedicated staff and trainers who teach, care for, and advocate on behalf of these young women. It also provides relief from the constant need to apply for external funding, while helping them build a sustainable organization.

APSARC also coordinates a savings and loans circle for its students. This member was able to buy a pig as an investment in her and her son's future.