By Kabuye Ronald
As a sign of humility, care and practically amplifying of the voices of the youths and vulnerable persons, the 20 selected youth delegates that underwent a week long training of the African United Nations Youth Delegate Program (AUNYD) coordinated by the United Nations Association of Uganda UNAU at Nob hotel Kampala, fundraised amongst themselves and purchased a modern wheel chair which they donated to Nakanjako Zainab who has a disability of not walking but rather moves by only bottom scooting to her vending stall and in all her other movements.
The AUNYD fellow met Miss Nakanjako, a mother of two children during their outreach activity when they went to visit and interact with Kalerwe community in Kawempe division, Kampala Capital City Authority which they do as part of the program to identify the community problems and find ways of causing change
Out of the many stories and problems, the fellows were so much touched by Nakanjako’s story especially the way she was moving by bottom scooting since she had no wheel chair and the effects that comes along like the wounds that gets since she drags or pushes herself to move by the buttocks on the ground hence the little money she gets she spends it on medical bill treating herself as opposed to taking care of her children.
The overjoyed Nakanjako Zainab thanked the AUNYD 2024 fellow for the good heart and humility since she has been facing a lot of difficulties in movement to and from her small stall in Kalerwe market since she moves by bottom scooting thus getting wounds and also finds a lot of difficult in going to toilet.
She also highlighted her other problem being, the less or limited capital thus little profits which is not enough to meet her daily basic needs including feeding her and her children, paying her children’s schools among others.
Asaba Linda, the program’s manager UNAU and National coordinator of AUNYD said that because of the under representation of the youths from the global south, the AUNYD project was established to have more young people representation on various platforms like United Nations General Assembly and other different UN spaces, at the National, Regional and global level so that young people are able to have their voices heard.
“We put out a call and 1500 youths applied but only 20 were selected who have become fellow, again after the concluded National Education Assistance, UNAU will select two out of 20 who will become representatives and after their accreditation by government they will become Youth Delegates who will travel for regional training that take place in three other countries which include South Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania. After they will then come up with mandates with demands that reflect young people’s needs and then they present them at the General Assembly, the Third committee and also side events that attract different diplomats.” Said Linda
Linda said that they train soft skills that are not given in education institution which include lobbying, fundraising, presentation, networking among others because they believe that the main cause of the issues pressing the youth is the lack of knowledge on the life skills.
The AUNYD 2024 fellow that attended the training we talked to that included among others Oweyesigye Clinton Liberty and Mariam Namakula applauded UNAU for the program asserting that the program has helped them to understand the systems of UN and impacted them as young people since they have learnt so much about critical thinking and hence they will perform well in representing youth at all levels.
“We shall ensure that all the youth voices and pressing issues are worked upon at all levels because what has been missing is the youth participation. “Said Liberty
Mariam Namakula highlighted some of their pressing issues as unemployment, climate change, education, substance abuse, domestic violence, teenage pregnancies among others.
She highlighted the importance of outreach program to community as opposed to only having indoor meetings where there is not really feel of the pressing issues before emphasizing the importance of humility among people.
