The vision
Restoration of family values and morals in our society.

Mission
Restoration of family values and morals in our society by empowering parents to play the vital role of effectively parenting their children, working towards creating and maintaining an environment suitable for raising children and nurturing strong and stable families in communities nationwide.

Background
Uganda as a nation is going through several challenges ranging from things like the political transition, the rebellion in the North to effects of globalization and poverty, just to name a few. However a silent but very deadly “virus” has invaded the country and most people are aware of it. This “virus” is out to destroy families, the youth and the moral base of our society. Family Life Network (FLN), a Uganda based NGO established in 2002, rose up to the challenge to do something about this deadly “virus” that has invaded our motherland by running programs and activities aimed at restoring family values and morals in the society.

FLN has run a program of value based sex education in over 660 secondary schools and 79 primary schools and has counseled thousands of students in the process. The findings among the students have been shocking and can be listed as follows:-

• Broken or dysfunctional family relationships.
• Struggles between boy/girl relationship issues.
• The majority of the youth have poor understanding of their sexuality.
• A lot of the information and attitude the youth have on sexuality and life in general is skimpily wrong or misleading.
• Many youth have problems but have no one suitable to talk or to give them guidance, since most parents are too busy to talk to their children.
• Some youth have suffered from sexually transmitted  diseases like HIV and some can not even tell their parents or teachers about it and may in same cases do not go for medical treatment.
• Deviant sexual behavior like homosexuality and lesbianism are spreading in schools at an alarming rate. Some girl students even use fancy artificial gadgets like vibrators (artificial penis) to masturbate in dometries.
• Youth have easy access to pornography from pornographic news papers, the internet, blue movies magazines etc.
• Alcohol and drug abuse in schools is reaching epidemic proportions, with many of the youth getting addicted.
• Some teachers are sexually abusing students.
• Some parents, guardians and relatives sexually exploit the children in their custody. In some cases this sexual exploitation is done in exchange for school fees.
• Some sugar daddies and mummies and boda-boda cyclists also sexually exploit some of the youth.
• Some cases of pregnancies and abortions have also been encountered.

Most of these problems that the youth are facing today can be attributed to broken family relationships and poor parenting practices or skills. While some parents may point figures in many directions and blame other people and situations, the primary responsibility of parenting children lies with the parents themselves. Numerous research carried out in many parts of the world all reveal that parents have greatest influence on their children.

This state of affair among our youth, who are the leaders of tomorrow, is worrying and demands the attention of every serious parent. The time for indifference or standing on the fence is now over. It is now time for every parent or guardian make a commitment to be part of the solution to this crisis individually as well as collectively.

It is therefore in response to the above situation that the UGANDA NATIONAL PARENTS NETWORK (UNPN) was formed on August 15th 2004 as a program of Family Life Network. UNPN was formed to serve all parents and guardians (married, single parents, widows, widowers) regardless of gender, racial, ethics, social or religious background. UNPN has since conducted parents’ seminars, sensitization meetings and has a growing membership.

Strategies
Many strategies are required to make this vision a reality, however they can be summarized as follows:-

1. Provide parents with parenting skills, so that they can raise their children more effectively.
2. Provide parents with a platform where they can dialogue and support each other on parenting issues and matters of mutual or common interest.
3. Empower parents so that they can effectively engage in advocacy on matters affecting families, children, parenting, education, social services etc.

What can i do as a guardian?

1. Make a personal commitment to consider the value of your children and or those that have been put under your care and to offer them the best parental love, care, support and guidance possible.
2. Participate in UNPN programs near your locality.
3. Organize for UNPN to come and address parents in your locality or organization.
4. Become a member of the UNPN.
5. Support UNPN work financially, in kind or by providing voluntary labor.

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