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Message PROGRAM REPORTGULUTHRIVEwww.thrivegulu.orgT H R I V E GULUS U R V I V O R T H R I V E Rfrom to2420

THRIVEGulu offers hope and resources to uplift the lives of the most vulnerable—refugees, persons with disabilities, and survivors of war, trauma and/or gender-based violence. THRIVE is a women-led, community-driven, and unique organization that focuses on mental health in Africa. It offers a holistic approach of empowerment and poverty reduction with the understanding that these are contributing factors to mental health. Our vision for northern Uganda is one in which all people are treated withdignity, live in safety, and have a chance to contribute to the good of thecommunity.VISIONOURTHRIVEGulu assists communities in post-conflict northern Uganda to healfrom the traumatic effects of war, sexual exploitation, extreme poverty,and the resulting loss of opportunities.We believe that meaningful existence is more than mere survival. We believe the invisible wounds of psychological trauma deservehealing. And, we believe that functionality and productivity can only flourishwhen an individual and her community are more-than-surviving.PEOPLEOURBELIEFSOURMISSIONOUROur THRIVEGulu staff on the banks of the Nile River during a Staff RetreatAs an organization primarily serving women and youth, THRIVE is proud tohave a majority of women in leadership positions in both our Uganda and USoperations. We proudly uphold the principle of "Nothing About Us Without Us,"ensuring that the voices and experiences of the communities we serve are atthe forefront of our mission.Our team of 29 staff comes a variety of backgrounds, each membercontributing unique skills and perspectives that enable us to empower anduplift those around us. From program managers to administrative staff, everyindividual plays a vital role in driving our programs forward. Their unwaveringcommitment to creating positive change is reflected in the collaborative spiritand innovative strategies they employ every day.

Alal Single Dora Mah-Séré KeitaDear Donors, What started out as a shaky year for THRIVE, with many of our grants ending in April 2024, ended ona high note with eleven new grant agreements signed! THRIVE was able to maintain its programmingand retain or rehire most of the local staff—with 29 staff members in Uganda and two in the US. And 2025 marks 15 years of helping thousands of survivors in Northern Uganda become THRIVERS! Your donations are crucial for sustaining the foundations of our programs, providing continuitythrough the ups and downs of international grant cycles. In addition, your generous support has builta Women’s Library and Resource Center that sits in our Trauma Healing & Reflection Center in GuluCity. A wonderful addition to our facility, it creates a safe space for our beneficiaries and the residentsof Gulu to read, learn, congregate, and use computers. Not to be overlooked, your donations alsobuilt a modern washroom with 9 stances, handicap-accessible stalls for both men and women, and ashower. This is a vital part of maintaining the physical health of our staff, allowing us to retire the old,unsanitary pit latrines. Also, thanks to your donations, THRIVE can boast a number of achievements for 2024 across ourthree pillars of Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Individual & CommunityEmpowerment, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response & Prevention. You can read more aboutthese successes in the following pages, but I’d like to highlight a few here:Kizito went from being a suicidal young man to a Dance+Therapy youth survivor and advocate. Amal Ketty received much needed mental health medication and now has a job. Acan Joyce, who lost her sight and had mental health issues, used THRIVE’s coping mechanismsto overcome her challenges and is now a landowner. Lilly Piloya, herself a Thriver, directed her neighbor experiencing gender-based violence toTHRIVE to receive counseling that saved her life. There are thousands of other such examples, and we can still do more! Every dollar you give in theglobal North goes a very long way in northern Uganda. Grants can come and go easily with thechange in government priorities, and thousands of Ugandans still need our help! Mental health is apublic health issue in northern Uganda with an estimated 1 in 5 people suffering from depression anda treatment gap as high as 90%. THRIVE with your help is bridging this treatment gap. December 2024, marked the end of my second year as THRIVE’s Executive Director. I am stillexcited about the tremendous work we are able to achieve, and the number of beneficiaries that wecontinue to support. And I am still in wonder at your generosity—helping people in faraway places,simply because you care. The coming year will be bringing some major changes, as our long timeCountry Director, Ms. Alal Single Dora, moves on to her next adventures in March. We sincerelyappreciate her years of leadership and dedication to THRIVE’s vision and mission and her manycontributions toward our development into world-class trauma-recovery organization. We look to you for your continued support as we embark on the next 15 years of of successes!THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORFROMWith warm regards,SéréExecutive Director,GULUTHRIVE3

6,338Community members were reached directlywith mental health services at individual,family, and community levels. 144Community Health Workers were trainedon mental health, surveillance, andinclusion, building their toolkits forsupporting their communities. We are thankful to Save the Children and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation(NORAD) for inviting us to embark on another 5-year program of bringing mental-health services tochildren in their schools. In 2024, THRIVE trained 21 staff, including 18 Team Up Facilitators, whoenrolled 978 children (446 boys, 532 girls) in Team Up sessions, including 35 children with disabilities.These sessions fostered creativity, leadership, and self-expression, while creating a safe environmentfor children to address concerns such as abuse. To ensure long-term impact, THRIVEGulu trained 15 Trainers of Trainers (TOTs) across four districts,who in turn trained 126 teachers using the UNESCO manual to enhance MHPSS support in schools.Additionally, we provided direct support to 21 children, including assistive devices for 16 children withdisabilities and school fee assistance for 5 students to ensure their continued education.4HEALTH &MENTALSave the ChildrenSPOTLIGHT:PROJECT

MHPSS Beneficiaries by ProjectTotal 6,338Dance+TherapySPOTLIGHT:PROJECT5PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT The projects shown here provided the bulk of ourMHPSS program, directly reaching more than 6,000people in their homes, schools, and communities—and on the phone. More than 2,000 of that number,young and old, participated in group counseling; 199received individual counseling; and almost all of the6,338 were part of psychoeducation sessions,increasing their understanding of mental health andhow to care for it in all areas of their lives. You’ve probably read a bit about our Dance+Therapy project over the past few years; we launched it in2020 believing that it would work wonders to improve the mental health of community members.Underlying the innovation is an understanding of the important cultural value of dance to the Acholipeople and the knowledge that professionally designed trauma-recovery programs are vital to workingwith war-affected people. Your contributions to THRIVE have made this innovation fully come to life! You’ve supported thedevelopment of Empowerment Groups and the hiring of Professional Counselors, which has given us theknowledge base needed to create the program. In 2020, Comic Relief awarded us two years of fundingand connected us to hire Dance4Life as a partner and resource for using dance as a tool for groupcommunication and therapy. In 2022, Comic Relief extended our program through 2024—and in 2024,we launched a proof-of-concept project with Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challengeto continue to provide this great program to refugees and host community members in Palabek... and toestablish concrete statistics in hopes of scaling the innovation to other post-conflict communities! Thank you for your investment in THRIVE! We’ve already helped more than 6,000 persons with livedexperience and those at risk of mental health challenges with our D+T program, and hope to reachthousands more in the next few years.

1,092Refugees learned critical financial skills throughEmpowerment Groups—more than 600 women andmen created and sustained successful businesses.9,675Individuals came together in 343 VSLAs, where theywere supported to thrive, through financial literacytrainings, effective linkages, and support supervision.Women’s Voice & LeadershipSPOTLIGHT:PROJECT6 Women’s Voice and Leadership, a partnership with CARE International in Uganda, has the goal ofmeaningfully supporting women and girls to have more voice, to have greater influence over decisionsthat affect their lives. The project also aligns with THRIVE’s dedication to “nothing about us without us”in that it is locally led, not International-NGO driven. Basically, there are two parts to our partnership. One: We work with the community directly to learn more about the equality challenges they are facing,plan together ways to improve their challenges, and carry out those plans. We also have additionalfunds to support more survivors of Gender-Based Violence in the community. Two: CARE supports THRIVE as a women-led and women’s-rights organization, building our capacityto deliver gender-transformative programming and to improve our own policies and practices.ANDINDIVIDUAL

7 The foundation of our empowerment program is facilitating Community-Based Empowerment Groups.After training in group dynamics, each group decides how they want to lead, and THRIVEGulufacilitates. The groups provide structure for saving and lending (VSLAs), developing business plans forincome generation & micro-businesses, literacy education, group counseling, and more!EMPOWERMENTCOMMUNITYProjectNumberof VSLA groupsYouthGroupsAdultGroupsMixedGroupsTotalBeneficiaries PeoplewithDisabilitiesUgandanNationalsRefugeesMaleFemaleGEAR +WAYREP110753502,693252,69304052,288UNTF10001039101172740391ZOA-SGF250025688088600179509ProjectRedwood101000258111001580258SAY188188005,64505,58560225,623Grand Total34327335359,675368,5831,0926069,069SAYSPOTLIGHT:PROJECT The Strengthening Adolescents and Youth Empowerment and Rights Project is designed to increasethe knowledge of young people in the area of sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR). For youngwomen to have real access to quality SRHR and GBV services: the services must actually exist in theirarea, the youth and their communities must accept and encourage the use of those services, and thegirls/young women must be able to afford the services. Our project is part of a much bigger program tomake all three of those things happen across northern Uganda, led by CARE. For the first two items, THRIVE is: Facilitating Youth Safe Spaces and Health Clubs in schools; Engaging& educating communities, their leadership, their religious leadership; Training & mentoring Young RoleModel Boys (more on Role Model Men in the GBV section to come); Training & mentoring Village HealthTeams and other service providers on providing quality SRHR/GBV services, and more. And, while free or inexpensive services are a short-term necessity, economic stability and resiliencecontribute to a long-term solution: 64 Young Agents/Volunteers received a comprehensive, 5-daytraining on VSLA methodology, SRHR, and GBV; they received VSLA toolkits and successfully formed188 YSLA groups with 5,645 members. THRIVE provides ongoing support to the Agents and theirgroups. These YSLA groups not only offer opportunities for economic growth through weekly savingsand loan activities but also serve as safe spaces where girls gather to discuss important issues relatedto sexual and reproductive health, rights, and gender-based violence, while accessing relevant services.

Now Open!!!Now Open!!! The THRIVEGulu Library and Resource Center is now open!!! We expectit will be a wonderful resource for residents of Gulu City. It is designed tofoster a supportive environment where individuals can access a diversecollection of books and resources aimed at personal growth andempowerment. The library houses a wide array of books, encompassing various subjectssuch as literature, history, business, and finance. This collection is meantnot only to encourage literacy but also to provide valuable information,such as parenting, self-care, and mental health resources for professionaland personal development. In addition to its literary offerings, the center provides free access to internet and computers. Those seeking to conduct research, look for jobopportunities, or simply engage with digital resources for inspiration andlearning will be welcomed. The LRC will also host workshops, seminars,and events designed to inspire and educate—and invite other localorganizations to collaborate. As part of the Trauma Healing and Reflection Center, our psychosocialsupport services are available to help patrons heal and connect. Open Monday to Saturday, the library welcomes a diverse group ofvisitors, including young children, students, residents of nearby villages,and professionals, all eager to learn and grow. This is more than just alibrary. It's a refuge for the mind and soul. It’s a beacon of hope andlearning. At the THRIVEGulu Library & Resource Center, every book is astep towards healing, every page a journey towards empowerment. Your path to THRIVING starts here!

T H R I V E GULUW O M E N ’ S L I B R A R Y &C O M M U N I T Y R E S O U R C E C E N T E R Do you want to be a part of our THRIVING community? In line with theprinciple “Nothing about Us without Us,” we are looking for feedback onthe official name of the Library & Resource Center. Our dedication touplifting women suggests “WOMEN’S LIBRARY & RESOURCE CENTER.”Our commitment to the community of Layibi and Gulu City suggests“COMMUNITY LIBRARY & RESOURCE CENTER.” Maybe we keep it simplewith THRIVEGulu LIBRARY & RESOURCE CENTER.” What do YOU think?Take our poll and let us know!

10 Understanding that Gender-Based Violence is caused by a complex mix of factors, the GEAR projectaims to reduce/prevent violence from occurring by empowering individuals (mostly young women) togain economic resilience through a variety of financial, entrepreneurial, and vocational supports, byengaging community leaders, and by educating men and their communities about gender inequality. During the 16 Days of Activism against GBV that takes place each November–December, advocatesencouraged religious leaders to use their sermons to speak out against GBV, demanded communityleaders champion the fight against GBV, insisted law-enforcement agencies consistently investigatecases and prosecute offenders, and challenged citizens to promote a culture of zero tolerance. In addition to engaging communities in conversation, the Role-Model Men visit households to conducthousehold dialogues. Key topics include: understanding gender, gender equity, effects of alcoholism,power and GBV, roles of men in preventing GBV, effects of early pregnancy, sex and gender, gendersocialization, sharing household decisions, sharing household roles, promoting balanced power, familyplanning, sharing household chores, joint budgeting, supporting women to engage in IncomeGenerating Activities, and respecting and valuing one another in the households. Whew, that’s a lot tocover! As a result of these small discussions, many men realize they need to adjust their own attitudes,perceptions, and practices that are harmful to women and girls, and to support changing the socialnorms in their communities. Many have committed to work on improving their household relationshipsthrough communicating with their spouses, sharing household chores, and making decisions together.It is a great start!VIOLENCEGENDER-BASEDGender Equality & ResilienceSPOTLIGHT:PROJECT154Role-Model Men and Boys completed in-depthtraining on leading community & householddialogues aimed at improving gender equality &reducing GBV334Men and women attended dialogue sessions aimedat celebrating the positive contributions of menwhile addressing men’s health & gender equality.

ProjectGBVsurvivorssupported(all female)People withDisabilitiesPeoplereached withGBVmessagesUgandanNationalsRefugeesRole-ModelMen & BoysHouseholds AttachedHouseholdmembersreachedWVL160422–––SAY(referred)03,17812493419UNTF420303,0521,2411,811–––WAYREP4207326900–115517GEAR(referred)096960303161,413Total478303,8802,0271,8111544311,413GIRL SHINESPOTLIGHT:PROJECT11& RESPONSEPREVENTION Prevention of GBV is obviously the ultimate goal, but as long as it exists, survivors will need support. OurGBV Response includes encouraging survivors to seek help, to support them through the process ofaccessing medical care and reporting to police, to provide professional counseling to them (and acaregiver), and to refer them to whatever higher-level medical or mental-health services they might need. GIRL SHINE is a program that we use across projects with several different funders. At its root, Girl Shine isall about empowering and equipping girls & young women to reduce and respond to GBV amongst theirgroups and communities. Through the groups, which are led by THRIVE-trained Peer Mentors, girls developand strengthen key skills focused on negotiation and decision-making, while also accessing essentialinformation on adolescent SRHR. The groups provide opportunity for girls to voice what is important tothem, explore their strengths and opportunities, and develop their leadership skills. These girls build verystrong circles of support and friendship, they have started savings groups among their circles and haveaccess to capital, and they stand out in their communities as leaders. Many of our Girl Shine graduates havegone on to our Girl Shine 2.0: Financial Literacy, improving their financial acumen. Since many of the girls inthese groups are heads of their household, their future depends on their financial independence.

TO OUR U.S. DONORS!YOUTHANKAdvocates, $100+Arlenin DushkuCheryl DiVitoClaudia WilliamsDixie & Robert HuefnerDoris Corbo & Andy HudakErik Butler & Jane Laning*Graham & Christina Stetson*Helen Claire & Leroy SieversJames WolffKathy Kaufmann*Ken Heise*+Ken TempletonMichael KarchmerMick HirschPatrica & James Gibbons*Robert KnoxRoberta WilliamsonTam KistlerThomas Jennings*William & Anne Hoelting*Supporters, $20+Barbara MuirheadDonald RhotenEdward PeltierElissa BoisvertJoseph FischgrundJoseph WallaceJudith VreelandKaren Ketcham*Karen Lieberman-DalyKen HughesLaura & Adam McBride**Laurel SimmonsLinda Cohen*Lisa LauchnerMahmud Rahman**Mary Wilkins JordanNichole HunterPatrick NgantchaThomas LamyLiteracy Specialists, $500+James JohnstonLaurel UlrichMarcella & John Welch**Marsha & Don HeinzHealers, $250+Caren Frost+Charles & Michelle Hirsch*Dorothy Giarla & John Govoni**+Jacque PooreJerome Besnoist*+Keziah DutchakTracey Robinson+GBV Specialists, $1,000+Anja Shafer & Jeffrey DavidsonBob & Kally Badavas*Gayle & Peter Lassen+Gregory Neumann*Kathleen & Joe Sorenson*Mike & Tasha Bello**Sandy Gadsby & Nancy Brown**Empowerment Specialists,$3,000+Brad SmithNeeta BhandariRhett & Mike CampbellLaurie KahnSaundra & Joseph Buys*Donor-Advised Gifts wereprovided by:Fidelity CharitableAmerica Online GivingFoundation (Benevity)PayPal Giving FundMatching Gifts wereprovided by:The Gates FoundationActivisionTrauma-Recovery Specialists:Joseph & Kathleen SorensonLegacy FoundationMeg & Peter-Pike SloanProject RedwoodOur Sustaining Donors:*Has given 5 consecutive years**Has given 10 consecutive years+Provides monthly contributionsWE THRIVETOGETHER12

Cash grants from USto Uganda $195,000(in red)International grantsdirect to Uganda$829,000 (in green)Total FundingReceived in Uganda$1,024,000INGO Grants to Uganda$829,000Mother Program (US Donors)Education Cannot WaitProject RedwoodSave the ChildrenGrand Challenges CanadaUN Trust FundCARE InternationalLibrary & Resource Center(US Donors)Comic ReliefZOA InternationalUS Expenditures$423,000FINANCIALS2024Our FundingPartnersAdministrationFundraisingProgram Supportto UgandaCash grantsto UgandaUS Revenues 2024: $306,000 (retained income wasdistributed to build the Library & Resource Center)13US Operations$228,000US Funding to Uganda$195,000

RECENT PARTNERSOUR14Partner2024PeriodFocusLocationsMain Donor(s)Joseph & Kathleen SorensonLegacy FoundationSorenson Legacy FoundaitonMother2010 topresentHolistic Programme and the Trauma Healing CenterLayibi Division in Gulu CityOdek Subcounty inOmoro DistrictPrivate Foundation(US)THRIVEGulu, USMother2010 topresentHolistic Programme, the TraumaHealing Center, and the Library &Resource CenterLayibi Division in Gulu CityIndividual DonorsProject Redwood, StanfordBusiness SchoolRedwoodApr 2023-Mar 2024;Jul 2024-Jun2025Helping Girls Shine through FinancialLiteracy and Business SuccessPalabek SettlementLamwo DistrictTIDES Foundation (23-24)Project Redwood (24-25)CARE International in UgandaGEARApr 2024-Mar 2029Gender Equality and Resilience(GEAR)Gulu CityAustrian DevelopmentAgencySave the ChildrenInternationalSCIJul 2024-Dec 2028Transforming the Future—for andwith the children: Mental Health &Psychosocial Support in SchoolsPabbo-Amuru & Odek inOmoro DistrictAwach in Gulu DistrictPurungo & Lungulu inNwoya DistrictNORAD (Norway)CARE International in UgandaSAYApr 2024-Dec 2027Strengthening Adolescents & Youth(SAY) Sexual & Reproductive Rightsand Needs Kitgum DistrictLamwo DistrictThe Embassy ofDenmark;UNFPAStichting ZOA (Netherlands)LIFTJul 2024-Mar 2027Lamwo Initiative for Thriving ResilientCommunity (LIFT)Palabek SettlementLamwo DistrictStichting ZOAStichting ZOA (Netherlands)YSPAug 2024-Mar 2027Business Skills and Start-up Supportfor YouthPalabek SettlementLamwo DistrictFOCO/FlorysCARE International in Uganda,CARE CanadaWVLMay 2024-Dec 2026Women’s Voice and Leadership(WVL): Increasing the enjoyment ofhuman rights by women and girlsand advancing gender equalityPalabek SettlementLamwo DistrictFondation Marcelle etJean Coutu (CAN)Grand Challenges CanadaCHICApr 2024-Mar 2026Creating Hope amongst SouthSudanese Refugees throughDance+Therapy: A Mental HealthInnovationPalabek SettlementLamwo DistrictCreating Hope inConflict*CARE International in UgandaDREAMSNov 2024-Aug 2025Deliver Women’s EconomicResilience through Enterprise MarketSystems (DREAMS)Kitgum, Gulu, Gulu City,Omoro, NwoyaBill & Melinda GatesFoundationComic ReliefCOMICNov 2020-Nov 2024Sports for Mental Health:Dance+Therapy to reduceDepression, Anxiety, Stress, andSuicidal Thoughts among Youth andAdults.Odek SubcountyLayibi-Bardege Division inGulu CityPalabek SettlementComic Relief (UK)Street Child UgandaECWJul 2023-Jun2024Sustained Education throughImproved Psychological Health anddisability inclusion (First EmergencyResponse)Palabek SettlementEducation Cannot Wait;Save the ChildrenUgandaUN Trust Fund to EndViolence against WomenUNTFMay 2021-May 2024Access to MHPSS and Empowermentsupport services for survivor ofVAW/G Odek SubcountyPalabek SettlementLamwo DistrictUnited Nations, through UN WomenZOA Small Grants FundSGFDec 2023-Apr 2024Supporting refugees through directgrants and financial training.Palabek SettlementStichting ZOA(Netherlands)CARE International in UgandaWAYREPAug 2022-Mar 2024Women and Youth and Resilienceproject-WAYREPGulu CityAustria DevelopmentAgencySave the ChildrenInternationalJan 2019-Dec 2023Psychological & Emotional Support toSchool Children and TeenageMothers & Fathers in 52 PrimaryschoolsPabbo-Amuru & Odek inOmoro DistrictAwach in Gulu DistrictPurungo & Lungulu inNwoya DistrictNorad(Norway)AstraZeneca - Step Up! YoungHealth ProgramJan 2023-Dec 2023Forging Partnerships BetweenFormal and Informal Health Workersto Address MHPSS Risk Factors inYouthOdek SubcountyAstraZeneca (UK)International Research andExchanges Board, Inc. (IREX)-Youth ExcelJan 2022-Sep 2022Strengthen MHPSS for Marginalizedand Vulnerable Youth in Eastern andSouthern AfricaOdek SubcountyLayibi-Bardege Division inGulu CityUSAID(US)TrocaireNov 2018-Dec 2021MHPSS to South Sudanese Refugeesand Host CommunitiesPalabek SettlementOgili & Gem subcountiesin Lamwo DistrictIrish Aid (Ireland)*Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge is a partnership of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth& Development Office (FCDO), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and Global Affairs Canada, with support from Grand Challenges Canada.

3 Uganda Revenues 2024: $1,021,000LAMWOTHRIVEGulu officesTHRIVEGulu Trauma Healingand Recovery CenterAcholi Region DistrictsAMURUNWOYAGULUOMOROUGANDAKITGUMPADERAGAGOKampala15LOCATIONSOUR

www.thrivegulu.orgT H R I V E GULUS U R V I V O R T H R I V E Rfrom to