Youth Assemblies: A shift from conference room trainings and workshops

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Action aid has initiated a 5 day long sensitization and mobilization drive in Namutumba District, specifically in Nsinze, Ivukula and Kibaale Sub Counties.
Just like the national assembly, youth assemblies at these parishes converges together different gender and personalities with a common denominator – youths seeking a better life.
The assemblies are one part of a five-fold programme for the youths of Namutumba to not only acquire information, but also to use the acquired information to better their lives at household and village levels as well as to part take and influence good governance at Local Government level.
The assemblies are open to youths in education systems as well as those outside as they are not meant to inform or educate, rather to create a meeting platform for youths, sit, discuss and cite tangible solutions for the same problems that they face or see other youths facing. Here, age old issues as governments and governance to a phenomenon as new as Human Rights among others are open for critical analysis.
During the Assembly in Buwongo Parish, Nsinze Sub County, governance and human right is a thorn in the flesh with direct co-relation to education outcomes and access to services.
With authority and conviction, a direct contrast to her petit body, Nangobi Salama an 18year old girl cited that “to guarantee that human rights reach the lowest levels in the society, the government should ensure that there is zero absenteeism by government workers. This in return will guarantee access to medical services and realization of quality education outcomes - both as human rights.”

Through such calculated and informed utterances from deep down in the villages and from a barely exposed girl, it makes me realize that the youths; Can converge together for a common good. They know their problems. They can create solutions to the problems. They just don’t have the “nuts and bolts” of turning the proposed solutions to “life”. As such, solutions to the problems in Namutumba District will only hail from the youths of Namutumba. The big question is; can the youths get an audience for the solutions they provide?

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