UPHLS

UPHLS — the Umbrella of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities in the fight against HIV&AIDS and for Health Promotion — is a non-governmental entity operating in Rwanda. It was created in 2006 as an umbrella organization of disability organizations and grassroots self-help groups of persons with disabilities (PWDs). Its institutional purpose is to coordinate and represent its member organizations and to strengthen their capacities so that persons with disabilities can access inclusive services in HIV/AIDS, health and employability. UPHLS works across several thematic areas. Its stated interventions include health inclusion, HIV/AIDS, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Through these programs it seeks to improve the health and employability of persons with disabilities and to create and advocate for inclusive services. The organization describes its vision as an inclusive society where persons with disabilities are empowered, dignified, and enjoy wellbeing. Its mission is to strengthen the capacities of member organizations, support, guide and coordinate programs to promote the rights of PWDs for inclusive services in HIV&AIDS, health and employability. As an umbrella body, UPHLS is not a commercial manufacturer or retailer; it is a civil-society platform brand that aggregates disability organizations and grassroots self-help groups. Its public identity is built around advocacy, capacity building and program coordination rather than products. It operates in Rwanda and engages with the country's health and disability sectors. Leadership listed by the organization includes Dr. Suubi Patrick as Chairman and Legal Representative, TWIRINGIYIMANA Gilbert as Treasurer, and Karangwa Francois Xavier as Executive Director. Dr. Suubi Patrick has held several leadership positions in the inclusion of persons with disabilities and is also legal advisor of the Rwandan Union of the Blind (RUB) and Deputy Dean of the school of inclusive and special needs. TWIRINGIYIMANA Gilbert is a logistics professional at SBL, a certified tax advisor, and legal representative of THT. Karangwa Francois Xavier holds a Master's degree in Public Health from the University of Rwanda and has more than ten years of experience in HIV, public health, disability and administration in Rwanda, with a focus on program management. The organization maintains a public website at uphls.org and can be contacted through infos@uphls.org and +250788344553. Its work is positioned within Rwanda's response to HIV/AIDS and its broader disability inclusion agenda.

UPHLS was created in 2006 as an umbrella organization of disability organizations and grassroots self-help groups of persons with disabilities in Rwanda. Its full name — the Umbrella of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities in the fight against HIV&AIDS and for Health Promotion — reflects its dual founding focus: the national response to HIV/AIDS and the broader promotion of health for persons with disabilities. From its establishment, UPHLS has operated as a coordinating and capacity-building body rather than a direct service provider alone. It brings together member organizations and grassroots self-help groups of persons with disabilities, and its mission is to strengthen the capacities of those member organizations, support, guide and coordinate programs to promote the rights of persons with disabilities for inclusive services in HIV&AIDS, health and employability. Over time the organization has articulated a set of thematic intervention areas. These include health inclusion, HIV/AIDS, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Its programs aim to improve the health and employability of persons with disabilities and to create and advocate for inclusive services. The organization's vision is an inclusive society where persons with disabilities are empowered, dignified, and enjoy wellbeing. UPHLS is registered and operates as a non-governmental entity in Rwanda. Its leadership has included figures drawn from Rwanda's disability and public health communities. Dr. Suubi Patrick serves as Chairman and Legal Representative; he has held several leadership positions in the inclusion of persons with disabilities and is also legal advisor of the Rwandan Union of the Blind (RUB) and Deputy Dean of the school of inclusive and special needs. TWIRINGIYIMANA Gilbert serves as Treasurer; he is a logistics professional at SBL, a certified tax advisor, and legal representative of THT. Karangwa Francois Xavier serves as Executive Director; he holds a Master's degree in Public Health from the University of Rwanda and has more than ten years of working experience in HIV, public health, disability and administration in Rwanda, with a focus on programs management. The organization maintains a public web presence at uphls.org, where it publishes its vision, mission, leadership and intervention areas, and provides contact details including infos@uphls.org and +250788344553.

• 2006

  UPHLS is created as an umbrella organization of disability organizations and grassroots self-help groups of persons with disabilities in Rwanda.

A Rwandan umbrella non-governmental platform coordinating disability organizations and grassroots self-help groups for HIV/AIDS response, health inclusion and employability of persons with disabilities.

1. 1UPHLS official websiteuphls.org
2. 2UPHLSuphls.org
3. 3Wikidata Q129487286wikidata.org