MOYO DISTRICT: A Four year project dubbed Youth Lead empowerment initiative(YEI) has come to an end after positvely changed lives of atleast 10,200 adolescent refugees in BidiBidi settlement and hosting communities in west nile.
Youth lead empowerment innitietive, Operation Days Work
The innitietive was funded by Operation Days Work throgh Strømme Foundation and implemented by its partners which includes; ADRA, RICE West Nile, CEFORD Palmcorps among other.
For the last four years between 2022- 2014, the project has focused on empowering the adolescents so that they start their own income generating activities like poultry, salons, phone repair among others. The project has also provided initial capital to the beneficiaries inform of materials.
Ms. Jolly Akao, the program advisor in Strømme Foundation, the key funders of the project for this period, the project has trained and equipped adolescents with practical skills to help them change their lives, and livelihood.
She made the remarks during a 2- day youth conference in Moyo district, Northern Uganda that was organised to celebrate the impacts of this closing project.
Ms. Akao said that this conference also aimed at evaluating the impacts of the participants/beneficiaries of thr project.
On her part, Ms.Ajiko Rukia, the Community development officer – Odravu west Subcounty, Yumbe District noted that throgh this innitive, they have trained participants “BONGA” which is a program to empower youth to do different works from BidiBidi refuge settlement.
“Participants have been also introduced to lifeskills like carpentry work,” she said.
Mr. Asio William, the assistant settlement commandant of zone 5 – Yumbe District, Bidibidi camp commended the innitietive adding that the entrepreneur skills, knowledge and peace building, that the program has extended to refugees in BidiBidi settlement is a greater milestone in the area.
He is opmistic that the skills aquired will go along way to continue improving standards of living for refugees in the settlement.
He added that, the government, has ensured security and peace to create an environment for the youth to start income generating activities.
One of the Beneficiaries; Scovia Senya, from zone 5, village 13- Ombechi cluster, Yumbe District in BidiBidi said that throgh the project she ventured in a Salon.
Another benefiary, Sharif also from Yumbe District ,Ariwa Subcounty,Ombechi village said that for him he knew nothing until this project was implemented.
Background
In many conflict-affected and refugee settings, youth often face significant challenges, including limited access to education, employment, and opportunities for personal development. Yet, they are also a vital resource and powerful agents of change if given the tools, confidence, and leadership skills necessary to contribute to their communities’ development.
An important aspiration of the YLEI project was to create platforms for advocacy, initiated and run by the youth themselves to create changes in education, health and other fields important for youth wellbeing.
The project empowered young people with knowledge to take the lead in creating good relationships between host communities and refugees and supported them to create networks for advocacy to influence decision making around education and leisure activities relevant to their wellbeing.
