Africa Community Engagement(ACE)

I'm Kizito Ousuman Gayira, founder of Black-fam foundation Uganda. I'm a student who has always had a dream of changing lives of young souls that live on streets and slums in my locality. I become a community activist when I decided to find out why children left their homes to choose to stay on the streets. A friend who was a classmate who used to stay on streets took me to where he used to stay with his fellows. This created a bond with them and I learnt how they survived. Black-fam foundation changes the lives of street children by sharing the little we have with them, counselling them about not using drugs, about going back home, teaching them their rights. I have supportive friends who volunteer with Black-fam. We have a slogan ‘‘helping each other at all times’’. Street children face many issues like hunger and infections but left home because they faced violence. Most of them have talents such as singing, football, dancing, and athletics. They would love t...

I am Rogers Muthegheki, team leader of Youth Empowerment and Support Initiative -Africa (YESI Africa), a youthled non profit organization that works towards empowering young people in the Rwenzori region of Uganda. Our major emphasis is increasing information flow on sexual reproductive health and rights among schools and rural communities, practicing agriculture and advocating for environmental health. Due to an increase in high school dropouts due to teenage pregnancies I had no choice but to get involved in my community, making boys and girls aware of the impact of their engagements. During COVID-19, we are using a community radio to emphasize the key regulations to avoid the virus as well as door to door engagements to challenge fake news and present actual facts to enable a more comprehensive understanding. We are also   using social media to pass the message on to young people.

My name is Aaron G. Kolleh from Liberia, capital City Monrovia. I am the Executive Deputy Director of the Liberia Children and Youth Development Organization. I chose to become a community activist because of the needs of my community, inspired by the Liberia Children and Youth Development Organization Executive Director Mr. Jesse P. B. Sumo.  Radio discussion on the topic of women's rights My social awareness activities include child abuse, sexual and gender based violence and sanitation. Success stories include teaching vocational skills and ICT knowledge, many youths are now empowered through ICT knowledge, using self initiatives in sanitation activities in the community and aware of the effects of gambling. I believe the most important SDG is 17 - partnership will lead to growth and development. Computer training COVID-19 continues to spread, the future has never felt so unpredictable. We’re doing everything possible to sustain daily operations and provid...

  Wassaja Denis, Uganda I am Wassaja Denis, founder of Next Generation Africa and Stop Violence against Women Foundation. I was inspired to become involved by my grandfather's contribution to develop his community. Growing up seeing mothers and young girls limited to their rights and environmental destruction has inspired my efforts. Success stories include empowering 350 abused girls and women by supporting their education and planting many trees.   Everything is driven by passion, if you see a problem and you think you can solve it then jump on it. Every journey starts with one step, big things will surely follow. During COVID-19 we have homed street kids and are currently co-creating a documentary called 'Corona Connection' Amb Leo E Tiah, Liberia I am Amb Leo E Tiah of Youth Network for Positive Change,   a Youth led organization in Liberia. As part our response to COVID-19 we have set up task for...

I am Jackem Otete, the CEO of Bridge of Hope and Grassroots Coordinator for Global Youth Biodiversity Network-Kenya chapter. I was inspired to become a community activist after serving in the national voluntary service with challenges like FGM,  low school enrolment, inequality of access to clean water and sanitation and high prevalence rates of communicable diseases. Flooding is a seasonal crisis which results in inaccessibility to clean water and sanitation and is a major cause for school dropouts and poor performance in the southern region of Budalangi. We are trying to 'Bridge' the gap with the Northern area advocating for equality in terms of clean water to everyone regardless of their villages or geographical boundaries to community leaders. Our members help inform partners in flood mitigation, like the construction on permanent dykes along the River Nzioa. Programs must be sustainable and ...

  My name is Kuta Wesley from Kajiado, Kenya,   founder and team leader of Youth for Vision, promoting quality of life, health and well being with a specific emphasis on sexual reproductive health and rights, empowerment of women and girls, entrepreneurship and skills development. We donate food and clothing, offer counselling, help in the rehabilitation of drug addicts and hold sensitization campaigns. I am inspired by the idea that young people can rise up and defend their community over social issues, helping nurture a better tomorrow. In 2018 we received an award from the local government to recognise our work in cleaning up the slums and educating youths on the risks of crime.     We visit children, elderly and vulnerable people’s homes to give hope and light,   and primary schools to offer sanitary towels to girls who can't afford pads and help bridge gaps in menstrual health manag...

My name is Davis Damson. I work as Operations Manager for Community Initiative for Social Empowerment (CISE Malawi) in the Mchinji district of Malawi. I became a community activist to help raise the living standard of the underprivileged and oppressed and am inspired to see those we have empowered take a lead in developing their communities. I personally contributed to the establishment of Girls Action Groups (GAGs) which fights against the challenges girls face in vulnerable communities, including gender inequalities, marriage patterns, barriers to accessing services, child sex abuse and gender based violence. A key lesson for youths interested in being active in their community is to firstly understand what ordinary people want in the community and then to make sure there is full community involvement in the project planning and implementation. You should also make sure project partners properly understand the concept of a bottom-up approach and don't take over the planning proce...