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URDT

Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme

Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme was established in order to address the shortcomings of the many development programs found in rural Uganda.

The aim of the URDT development model is the merging of truly functional education and training with a focus on sustainable rural development. This combination has provided an outlet to empower the marginalized people living in rural communities.

URDT put this model into practice in 1987 and has been working with rural people, particularly women and youth ever since. URDT has evolved, applied, and tested their rural development methodology based on the principles of the creative process and systems thinking. This methodology enables individuals and communities to:

Identify their needs and aspirations
Identify locally available resources before looking for outside aid
Become the architect of their future

This has fostered an environment for students to confidently create their own prosperity, peace, health, happiness, and freedom.

ARU

African Rural

University

aru.ac.ug

Ephrem, Silvana, MM at Graduation_edited_edited.jpg

African Rural University is one of Uganda’s newest universities and the first all-women rural university in Africa.

Founded by Uganda Rural Development and Training Program (URDT) in 2006, this university is focused on providing women with the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to be effective rural development specialists and change agents in their communities.

ARU has taken the URDT creative process and systems thinking methodologies to create a university curriculum aimed at fostering the knowledge to create the sustainable development the rural communities need.

ARU's Mission: The African Rural University for women provides transformational education to create effective change agents within an African development context. ARU applies theoretical learning, innovative instruction and field practice, so that ARU graduates can create conditions for people to improve their lives, transform their communities, awaken inherent leadership and increase their capacity for self-generating and sustainable change.