By Kabuye Ronald
The African United Nations Youth Delegate Program (AUNYD) has underscored the significance of equipping Uganda’s youth with the necessary skills to influence policies, address community challenges, and acquire practical life skills in schools.
Speaking at the conclusion and awarding ceremony for the 2024 AUNYD cohort in Kampala, program coordinator Linda Asaba highlighted the program’s achievements and emphasized the vital role of youth in shaping Uganda’s future.
Asaba commended the participants for their dedication and contributions, noting that the program has provided them with critical tools to advocate for the Global South and engage meaningfully in decision-making processes. However, she stressed the gap in skills that young people face despite being given spaces at decision-making tables, advocating for programs like AUNYD to bridge this gap.
“Ugandans are good at many things, but we miss out on branding and presenting our ideas effectively,” Asaba said. She criticized Uganda’s education system for its focus on traditional professions like medicine and law while neglecting soft skills, which are essential in today’s globalized world. She urged curriculum reforms to include skills like public speaking, lobbying, and branding.
Parents, she added, play a crucial role in nurturing these skills, encouraging them to support their children’s participation in extracurricular activities such as public speaking clubs and spelling bees. Furthermore, Asaba advocated for more fellowship programs to provide hands-on leadership experiences, which are pivotal for young people to prepare for leadership roles.
“These skills are vital for young people to actively engage decision-makers and advocate for meaningful policy reforms, especially in a country like Uganda, where over 78% of the population comprises young people,” she emphasized.
The program’s participants shared transformative testimonies. Aber Sharon, a program fellow, described how it boosted her confidence and leadership abilities.
“This program taught me how to organize myself and represent young voices on critical issues like climate change,” Aber said, adding that the training provided practical skills such as public speaking, strategic planning, and policy advocacy.
Isaac Nasasira, another youth representative, encouraged his peers to embrace rejection as a stepping stone to success. “Throughout this program, we reached out to several UN agencies and civil society organizations. While we faced many rejections, we also received approvals, teaching us to persevere,” he said. Nasasira praised the program’s practical exercises and role-playing sessions for preparing participants to navigate complex systems and engage stakeholders confidently.
Both Aber and Nasasira called on young people to leverage their skills to drive positive change in their communities, even in the face of challenges. Their experiences reflect the overarching mission of the AUNYD program: to empower young leaders to influence global and local initiatives while fostering a culture of perseverance and innovation.
