Today’s youth in Uganda face numerous obstacles, ranging from persistent poverty to entrenched inequities. Yet, if concerned leaders act now, a major remedy is just around the corner.
Demographics are changing in many of Uganda’s poor, emerging regions, with a large number of young people entering the workforce and a decreasing number of dependents. These are possible indicators of economic growth that can occur when a larger proportion of the population is employed, allowing households to save and invest more money. These reforms, when implemented on a large scale, have the potential to lift entire communities out of poverty.
However, there will be no dividend if Ugandans do not invest in young people’s health, education, jobs, and human rights at the outset.
At a high-level meeting with visitors from the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE) at RHU in Kampala, Jackson Chekweko, Executive Director of Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), said, “By tapping into the massive transformative capabilities of youth, entire nations stand to improve their prospects.”
“We need to invest more resources in teaching young people to be innovators, entrepreneurs, and change agents,” says Chekweko. At the event, youth leaders echoed Jackson Chekweko’s call to action.
“Let young people contribute with our skills, our education, our opinions, and our active engagement,” said Daisy Kandole, the RHU’s Youth Assistant.
Efforts to empower, educate, and employ young people have the potential to have a widespread impact throughout society.
Mohammed Katabalwa, the RHU Youth Action Movement (YAM) Chairperson and a 25-year-old from Kampala, Uganda, is a striking example of this. Struggles characterize his neighborhood, which is plagued by poverty, high rates of sexually transmitted illnesses, and a lack of school-aged children.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Katabalwa had his share of hardships.
“I was just like any other young kid who wasn’t attending school, but the lockdown made it impossible for them to earn money,” he told FGAE officials.
He subsequently promoted the idea of creating liquid soap to RHU’s youth section, and he is now a role model for other young people.
This is because he participated in RHU’s youth social enterprise model training two years ago, a program that teaches young people about health and how to start small businesses.
RHU’s youth are also given the opportunity to communicate about social enterprises and sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) using digital channels .
RHU is commended by Getachew Habtie, FGAE Executive Director, for its strong work relationships among personnel and for developing youth.
Getachew remarked that “RHU embraces the diversity of young people and empowers them for a better and brighter future.”
FGAE YAM Chairperson Hawi Shemeles, on the other hand, was equally pleased that young people could obtain services and training at the RHU office.
“It’s incredibly convenient to have all of the offices in one location. The RHU personnel, clinic, and youth center are all in one location for youth. This attracts young people, “Hawi explained.
The FGAE team of five is in Uganda for a three-day visit to RHU clinics in Katego and Luweero in order to benchmark and discuss best practices between RHU and FGAE. The two organisations offer SRHR services at a national level and are affiliated to the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Africa region.
Aldon Walukamba G, the author, is the RHU Media Advocacy and Documentation Coordinator.
