1. Project Rationale: Responsible, Engaged and Loving Fathers (REAL Fathers) is, an evidence-based, community led mentoring intervention designed to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV), violence against children and enhance early childhood development. The intervention targets young fathers 18– 25years with children 0 – 3 years and on case by case targets and responds to the needs of fathers who are below 18 years (16-17).

This category of fathers is at a critical stage in life, transitioning to responsibility, but also easily adopt to change/new ways of life, hence easy to change them into REAL Fathers. Engaging them meaningfully not only stops intergeneration cycle of violence, it also lays a strong foundation for early childhood development and thriving families.

2. Summary of the initiative

2.1 REAL Fathers outcomes areas / Objectives:

The project’s major aim is to

1. Prevent intimate partner violence among couples
2. Improve fathers’ use of positive parenting, their confidence in using nonviolent discipline and couple communication
3. Foster acceptance of non-traditional gender roles in parenting by fathers and the wider community
4. Increase acceptability and use of voluntary modern family planning methods by REAL Fathers couples.

To achieve these objectives, the project focuses on key topics on which specific objectives are tagged hence working with the end in mind. The topics include:

• Fatherhood: To help the young father to reflect on what he wants for his children and what kind of father he wants to be
• Tips & Tricks to Being a REAL Father: To support the young father to learn and practice child communication and positive (nonviolent) discipline skills
• Family Dreams: To reflect on how alcohol abuse would be an obstacle to achieving family goals and discuss options to manage pressures that lead to alcohol abuse
• Loving My Family: To give the first-time father the skills he needs to build and maintain a mutually respectful relationship with his wife
• Communication: To help the couple learn and practice communication and dialogue
• Parenting: To help the couple discuss and agree on parenting goals, styles and commitments
• Family planning: To help the couple get information on child spacing and benefits of modern family planning methods
• Early Childhood Development: To equip young fathers with knowledge they can use to nurture building blocks for their children’s early learning, productivity, lifelong health and strong communities.

3.Project Partners

3.1 Funding Partner

The LEGO Foundation

3.2 Implementing Partners

1. Impact and Innovations Development Centre; oversees the project implementation process by offering technical guidance.
2. University of California in San Diego: provides technical guidance on research studies and baseline evaluations for the project, as well as technical guidance on Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks.
3. Bantwana World Education Initiative (implementing partner in Bunyoro and Teso regions)
4. All Nations Child Development Centre (implementing partner in Lango region)
5. Somero Uganda (implementing partner in Buganda and Busoga regions)
6. Forum for African Women Educationalists (implementing partner in Ankole region)