Kampala, Uganda (By Walubo Jude Tadeo)- As we come towards the end 2011 and the beginning of 2012, we thank God for the UCE ministry, His providence and protection and for the many youths who are being reached by the UCE teams with the life saving message of chastity. We thank God for the UCE partners and leadership and for the UCE 3 year performance targets that we are embarking on.

November 2011 has been a month great success and we hope this report will bring you up to date concerning our outreaches and ministry in Uganda. It is also our prayer that this report encourages you to continue praying for the UCE teams and shows you what your gifts are enabling us to do in the name of the Lord.

This month we reached 9 schools and 4,488 students. The following is a description of one of the outreaches:

Namatala is a private secondary school in Eastern Uganda. We spoke to a population of 412 students.

Our session started at 2.30 pm in the school’s main hall and opened with a worship song “ Our Father” in form of a prayer. Walubo Jude gave a brief background about UCE and its activities.On the topic he told the youths there are many STDs and that some of them don’t have a cure like HIV/AIDS. He added that young people who engage in sex before marriage are at a high risk of contracting these STDs and that condoms are not 100% protective. Jude informed that youths of the current HIV/AIDS statistics illustrating how Africa is most affected and that youth constitute the bigger percentage of people getting infected. He called upon the youths to avoid being part of these statistics by choosing abstinence for it is the best way to prevent HIV/AIDs. To the youths that are living with HIV/AIDs, Jude said that they too need to abstain to avoid re-infection that would weaken their immune system. He called upon students not to stigmatize people who are living with HIV/AIDs.

He gave an example of himself and the rest of the UCE members who are abstaining from sex until marriage saying that is possible. He asked the youth to say No to pornography, drug abuse and peer pressure.

The month's highlights:

• Over 4,400 youths reach with the message of chastity. 2753 youths made a commitement to abstain from sex until marriage and be faithful there after.
• 5 new UCE clubs established.
• Attended pre-World Aids Day Symposium organized by Uganda Youth Forum and UNAIDS.
• We were visited by Isaac Lema from UCE Tanzania and managed to share field experiences.

We thank God for the achievements registered and lessons learnt. As we enter December, a month that we start by remembering our friends that HIV has robbed from us, as UCE we seek to re-energize our efforts in reaching everyone with the prevention message of abstinence. We also need to commit ourselves to prayer and use the platform and gifts God has given us. We will need to think carefully about reaching more youth with the message working together as a team. May God bless you all and may God bless UCE.