The UYDEL team, host organisation for ISSUP Uganda, partnered with the Church of Uganda, with support from UNODC and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to conduct awareness sessions for young people at Kaliro High School in Iganga, St. Stephen’s Secondary School, and Nabukalu Secondary School in Bugiri.

More than 1,000 O-Level and A-Level students were reached at Kaliro High School, while 3,339 young people participated in the sessions at St. Stephen’s Secondary School and Nabukalu Secondary School.

The sessions covered drug prevention, safeguarding, child protection, child...

A new chapter in training has begun at ISSUP. A new Training Team has been formed with the goal of improving the accessibility and relevance of ISSUP’s training, while ensuring it reflects the learning needs of members worldwide.

In the early months of its work, the team carried out a training needs assessment to better understand members’ online learning needs. At the same time, the team engaged with several Learning Management System (LMS) providers to explore options for a new platform that supports accessible, high-quality learning. The proposals received are now being reviewed.

This...

The alumni event organised by UYDEL (ISSUP Uganda), with support from the UNODC Kampala Office and the Netherlands Embassy in Uganda, became a powerful showcase of resilience, restoration, and renewed purpose.

“I overcame substance use, left crime behind, and transformed my life.” – Female Alumna

One alumna shared how UYDEL’s consistent guidance helped her break free from substance use and criminal involvement. Today, she stands as a Peace Ambassador, mentoring other young women and offering skills training in her own hairdressing salon. Through her work, she is not only rebuilding her life...

UYDEL (ISSUP Uganda) participated in the Technical Experts Meeting on the development of the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2026–2030), held in Maputo, Mozambique.

UYDEL was represented by Dr. Rogers Kasirye and Ms. Barbara Nakijoba, who contributed key technical inputs to inform the formulation of the upcoming continental framework. Their presentations highlighted findings from the evaluation of the outgoing AU Plan of Action and outlined priority areas aligned with Agenda 2063.

Dr. Rogers Kasirye, ISSUP Uganda Director, stressed the urgent need to...

We’re excited to share that ISSUP has successfully launched the pilot of the Investing in Evidence-Based Prevention (IEP) Workshop, attended by 18 participants from 17 countries. The workshop was delivered in two online sessions, held on 14 and 21 August, bringing together policy-makers, decision-makers and funders. 

The IEP workshop was developed by Jeff Lee, and Rachele Donini, together with the Scientific Support Team (SST). The pilot was delivered by Rachele Donini as trainer. 

The first session, Introduction to Prevention Science, focused on the fundamentals of prevention...

This week, we say goodbye to our dear friend and mentor, Jeff Lee, the founding Executive Director of ISSUP. Jeff was a steadfast advocate for the professionalization of prevention, insisting that those working in this field should be appropriately specialized. He often reminded us that while generalists and treatment specialists are well-meaning and deeply embedded within their communities, they are not always best placed to develop and implement evidence-based prevention systems. Jeff emphasized that prevention must be treated as a distinct science—one that is grounded in rigorous research...