Our History
Joint Mechanism for Access to Social Protection (JOMAS) was founded in 2018 by a group of educated, dynamic, and committed young people from diverse backgrounds, religions, and communities who shared a common vision of creating positive social change in Uganda. United by a passion for empowering vulnerable populations, the founders came together to address the urgent social, economic, and development challenges affecting young people, women, and underserved communities.
JOMAS was established as a youth-led and community-driven organization dedicated to promoting inclusion, empowerment, and sustainable development. What began as a platform for youth advocacy and social protection has since evolved into a growing organization implementing impactful programs in climate-smart agriculture, youth skilling and entrepreneurship, livelihoods and economic resilience, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), education, gender equality, child protection, and community resilience.
Over the years, JOMAS has continued to work closely with communities, local leaders, development partners, and stakeholders to strengthen self-reliance, improve access to opportunities, and promote sustainable solutions for refugee and host communities across Uganda. Today, the organization remains committed to nurturing young people as leaders, innovators, and agents of transformation in their communities.
Our Mission
Our mission is to empower communities through transformative education, safeguarding interventions, and youth livelihood programs that foster resilience and promote long-term development. We aim to create enabling environments where vulnerable children and youth can access opportunities that enhance their well-being and capacity to lead dignified, self-reliant lives.
Our Vision
we envision a just and inclusive world where all children and youth grow up in safe environments, equipped with the knowledge, tools, and opportunities necessary to succeed in life. We strive to empower communities through impactful and transformative programs that address the root causes of vulnerability, and we work hand in hand with stakeholders across multiple sectors to create a future where youth are agents of change and development.
Jovita Katusiime, Board Chair.
Adolescence exposes millions of young people worldwide to serious human rights abuses, especially around sexuality, marriage, and childbearing. Girls face coercion into unwanted sex and marriage, leading to unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, STIs, and dangerous childbirth. Both boys and girls are disproportionately affected by HIV. Many young people are blocked from accessing accurate reproductive health information and essential services. JOMAS partners with governments, UN agencies, NGOs, and youth organizations to protect adolescents' sexual and reproductive health and human rights. The organization advocates for comprehensive sex education, affordable contraceptives, quality maternal care, STI prevention, and youth-friendly health services. JOMAS presents its Strategic Plan 2022–2026 to enhance access to SRHR services and information for young people aged 12–30.
Where We Work?
Currently, JOMAS implements programs across Fort Portal, Kabarole District, Bunyangabu District, Kyenjojo District, and Kasese District, where the organization works closely with young people, women, refugee and host communities to strengthen livelihoods, improve access to education and sexual reproductive health services, promote climate-smart agriculture, and enhance economic resilience. As part of its long-term growth and impact strategy, JOMAS aims to expand its interventions to additional regions including Jinja, Gulu, Kabale, Mbale, Kayunga District, Iganga District, Mukono, Northern Uganda, including the Ugandan dry corridor, and Mbarara. The organization seeks to reach underserved young people in urban, peri-urban, and rural communities who continue to face poverty, unemployment, limited access to information, social exclusion, and inadequate access to essential services and opportunities. Through community-driven and inclusive programming, JOMAS is committed to empowering vulnerable young people with practical skills, entrepreneurship opportunities, climate-resilient livelihood solutions, education support, and access to health and protection services, enabling them to become self-reliant and active contributors to sustainable community development.
Our Target Groups
JOMAS works with young people aged 10–24, with a strong focus on vulnerable, marginalized, and underserved populations. The organization supports adolescents and young people living with HIV (PLHIV), persons with disabilities (PWDs), adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), young parents, survivors of violence, people who use drugs (PWUDs), young people engaged in high-risk livelihoods, and individuals at risk of abuse, exploitation, and social exclusion. Through inclusive and rights-based programming, JOMAS promotes access to education, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), psychosocial support, livelihoods, climate-smart and sustainable economic opportunities, leadership development, and protection services that empower young people to live healthy, safe, and productive lives. In addition, JOMAS collaborates closely with professionals, institutions, and key stakeholders within the health, education, media, agriculture, and environment and climate sectors to strengthen community systems, promote awareness and behavior change, and advance sustainable development initiatives that respond to the evolving needs of young people and communities across Uganda.
Empowering Smallholder Farmers Through Sustainable Agriculture
JOMAS works with smallholder farmers, young people, women, and vulnerable communities across Uganda to promote climate-smart agriculture, improve household incomes, and strengthen sustainable livelihoods. Through agricultural training, enterprise support, and the formation of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), the organization enhances financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, food security, and economic resilience. To date, JOMAS has supported over 1,000 smallholder farmer groups across Uganda.
Youth Skilling for Employment and Economic Empowerment
JOMAS equips vulnerable young people with vocational, technical, and entrepreneurship skills that promote employment, self-reliance, and economic empowerment. To date, the organization has skilled over 6,000 young people across Uganda, with more than 3,750 transitioning into employment and self-employment opportunities. Over 70% of beneficiaries are adolescent girls and young women, with training areas including tailoring, reusable sanitary pad making, carpentry, and other market-driven livelihood skills targeting vulnerable and unemployed youth.
Promoting Climate Action and Environmental Conservation
JOMAS promotes climate-smart agriculture and environmental conservation to strengthen community resilience, improve food security, and support sustainable livelihoods. Through awareness campaigns, farmer training, and practical demonstrations, the organization has reached over 12,000 community members and directly supported more than 1,000 smallholder farmers across Uganda. These interventions have contributed to productivity increases ranging from 20% to 45%, while also strengthening farmers’ access to markets, improving post-harvest handling practices, and increasing the value and profitability of agricultural produce.
Gender Inclusion and Safeguarding
JOMAS is committed to promoting gender equality, social inclusion, and safeguarding across all its programs and operations. The organization prioritizes the participation of women, girls, persons with disabilities, refugee populations, and other vulnerable groups to ensure equal access to opportunities, services, and community leadership. With over 70% female participation integrated into many of its interventions, JOMAS creates safe and inclusive spaces that empower young people through education, livelihoods, SRHR, and economic empowerment programs. The organization maintains zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, discrimination, and all forms of violence, while promoting dignity, protection, and wellbeing for all beneficiaries and stakeholders.
Joshua Twinomujuni, Executive Director
Uganda's poor Sexual and Reproductive Health services have resulted in high HIV, STI, teenage pregnancy, and child marriage rates, harming young people's education and wellbeing. JOMAS supports Comprehensive Sexuality Education as part of the East and Southern Africa commitments. Uganda has a school-based sexuality education framework but lacks a realistic plan for vulnerable groups and out-of-school youth. JOMAS targets the most at-risk young people, including those with disabilities and those in marginalized communities, using three key strategies. It builds networks of like-minded organizations to expand SRHR services while partnering with health, education, and government bodies. JOMAS trains young people to research, document experiences, and advocate for policy and community change. It also develops youth leadership and peer-to-peer education, empowering young people to deliver SRHR information to fellow youth, including those with disabilities.
Joint Mechanism for Access to Social Protection is registered non-profit organization based Plot 2 Kagote A, Fort Portal City