Youth-led community building in Lira, Uganda
The velocity of trust
 
Trust is a pretty hard thing to come by after 23 years of war, abduction, escape, and living in displaced person camps.
 
The CCYA staff was there all along:
Our staff has earned the right to speak for kids who don't trust many people. 
 
 
 
Trust is hard to come by after 23 years of war. Because our staff was there helping during the worst of times, they are a trusted voice in the community.
Program: Radio broadcasts
 
Broadcast radio, with more than one million listeners, is the most reliable way to reach the Lango sub-region. Even in the deep village, people tune in.
 
During the day, the CCYA spends precious money on expensive gasoline (nearly US$8/gallon). Riding into the deep village on motorcycles purchased with money from their tree planting program, our team visits children in their homes and schools.
 
There, our team reads through school notebooks to see if work is being done. Our team ask the principals if the children are showing up to school and if not, they learn why. They hug children sick with HIV/AIDS. They stand up to bullies who are running girls and children with disability out of school. They encourage.
 
Then at night when funding allows, the CCYA staff purchases radio time to inform the community about what they saw and urging the community to act in ways that make more of themselves, to have hope, and to realize that life can be better.
 
Results:
  • Since 2001, the CCYA has hosted talk shows in English and in village vernacular on Radio Unity and Voice of Lango. The number of programs is only limited by their funds to purchase station time.
  • The team creates catchy public service announcements to encourage the community. In 2010, the youth and kids ran a six month series of public service announcements to advocate for better care of the disabled and to discuss pervasive drug and substance abuse.
  • Guests include government officials, journalists, and friends of CCYA.
  • The community, including government officials, have honored what we are doing and have asked us to do more.
 

Advocacy

Photos from Radio Unity 97.7 FM in Lira town. The talkshow had representatives from CCYA, the Lango Cultural Foundation, Lira NGO Forum and Uganda Police Community Liaison Department.