How you can help.

Membership

We invite individuals and corporate and commercial enterprises to enroll into our Annual membership program – these members also contribute to the recruitment of other individuals and corporate members into the scheme and todate we have a membership of nearly 100 members and counting. Membership fees range from as low as 50,000shs for individuals upto 3 Million shs for corporate membership. Members get monthly updates on the progress of our work, are invites to our annual general meetings and get copies of our annual reports depending on the category selected.

For individual and corporate membership there are 4 categories; Ordinary, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Please also join us online via this website by filling your details in the online details profile provided and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Volunteering with USDC

We offer customized programs for volunteers in different areas of our work, in Organizational Development, Lobbying and Advocacy, M&E, Fundraising, Community Development, Business Development, Special Needs Education and several other programs with flexible start dates. Volunteers choose when you want to volunteer and for how long with minimums between 6months to 1 year. We personalize each program to suit your skills and preferences. Regardless if you are traveling solo, on a spring break, gap year or medical mission, we can arrange a rewarding volunteer experience. We encourage experienced professionals in all areas related to disabled children (education, health and rehabilitation especially) to join us and volunteer their expertise to support our work and help make a difference in the lives of these children.

Left: USDC’s 2008 VSO Nicola Swann (Fundraising Adviser) at a workshop with past USDC Lobbying and Advocacy officer Paul Senteza. Centre: USDC VSO Volunteer Saskia Dagget visits some of the children with mental health problems in Gweri, Soroti district, capturing case studies for advocacy and fundraising. Right: Out going volunteer Saskia Dagget (Advocacy Specialist) and in-coming volunteer Absalom Awino (Organizational Development Adviser)

Steve Broach (Left)
During the second part of the year, we also acquired technical support from Steve Broach, a human rights expert from UK, who accompanied our advocacy team in engaging MPs, MOES and other disability actors towards specific provisions for CWDs particularly in education. Based on this leadership a plan for a specific educational campaign is gradually unfolding.

Ms. Nicola Swann (Right) – VSO Volunteer (USDC Fundraising Adviser)

Ms. Swann was with us for a one year placement from VSO UK and was in charge building the capacity of USDC staff in Fundraising. She holds a bachelors’ degree in Arts, majoring in English, Literature and French and has been working in the disability sector in the UK for 10yrs. 

 

Miss. Saskia Dagget (Left) – VSO VOLUNTEER (ADVOCACY SPECIALIST)

Ms. Dagget joins us from VSO UK and will be in charge of our Lobbying and Advocacy initiatives as an Advocacy specialist and adviser. She holds a bachelors’ degree in Sociology from the University of Sussex, UK and has been working in the development sector in the UK for over 8yrs.  

Mr. Absalom Awino (Right) – VSO Volunteer (USDC Organizational Development Adviser)  

Mr. Awino joins us from VSO Kenya is in-charge of all organizational strategic development issues as an adviser. He holds a Degree is Social Work and Social Administration and has been volunteering with VSO for nearly 10yrs. He recently returned from a placement in Kaduna State in Nigeria working as a Gender Advisor Policy Specialist and before that worked in Bangladesh.                                                                                    

Swami

Sponsorship of USDC initiatives and events

• Fundraising events – concerts, dinners, balls, sports galas and other events.
• Corporate/business fundraising program – sponsorship of USDC events and initiatives.
• Payroll giving program – engage corporates, commercial business and organizational staff to give from their salaries.

 Partnerships with USDC

We work withand partners with several otherlocal organizations i.e rotary clubs, schools, churches and the local government to fundraise or apply for funding as part of a consortium or as a group.

We have on several occasions partnered with local media and PR firms to maximize publicity and awareness of USDC and its activities especially the need for funding support for our work but specifically to raise awareness and sensitize the community on Childhood Disability.

We partner not only with local corporate companies but also engage commercial entties and businesses in commercial fundraising initiatives for gift aid or product and service donations.

We also carry out income generating activities for our beneficiary groups, the parent support groups and the child rights groups and part of our program.

Others

Direct mail program – We run Direct mail campaigns asking targeted individuals, schools and churches to make a contribution to our work every year.

Gift with purchase program – We target product manufactures for items or produce to make gift with purchase (by percentage) donations to our work every year.

Internet program – We sale advertising space on our website, annual reports, magazines, directories and other publications to generate some unrestricted money for core costs.