By the summer of 2018, THRIVEGulu’s adult literacy program was flourishing after the first three years of implementation. THRIVEGulu staff and partner Lynn Curtis of Interweave Solutions decided to explore whether youth in the community were facing issues that could similarly be addressed through literacy. The initial call for youth participants far exceeded expectations – some 125 youth attended a meeting expected to attract 20! From these, the youth selected 25 of their peers to speak for the needs of young people in the community.
Of these representatives, half were already parents, while most of the remaining assumed the role of lead caretaker of their child relatives. Almost all were out of school and not a single one was employed. Notably, given their ages, all of them were born during the civil war between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Ugandan Government. These 25 youth unequivocally expressed the need for programs and services similar to what our adult Empowerment Groups were receiving, including mental health support, skills training and literacy education.
With generous funding from Engage Now Africa and the International Foundation, THRIVEGulu and Interweave Solutions were able to initiate the groundwork for a youth literacy program in January. THRIVEGulu established he first cohort of 6 Youth Empowerment Groups to meet the complex and pressing needs of young people in Gulu. Interweave Solutions returned to Gulu to work alongside both THRIVE staff and young people to commence the Youth Literacy Project.
Our committee of 25 youth have come together to create a literacy manual composed by the youth, for the youth, with stories relating directly to their life experiences. The end result will be a manual which will prepare individuals to continue the education that was untimely interrupted due to circumstances beyond their control. They have joyfully named the manual “Renewing the Lives of Youth” and are excited for the official launch in June!
