As a creative facilitator I get the opportunity to work with different organizations. Peace Corp, Pontentium Youth Centre, Memprow, Writing Our World, In Movement, United Youth Entertainment to name but a few.
For the last 2 weeks I’ve been working with Peace Corp Volunteers, training them and assisting in the delivery of their camps. Camp Lion (Leaders in our Nation} in Mbale focused on leadership. For me it was one of the best camps I have attended because the young people were given the opportunity to go out into the community and share the skills they were developing at Camp. We planted trees, visited an orphanage and hospital and cleaned the towns streets.
Camps are very close to my heart as I attended several whilst in my teens as both a participant and councellor and I believe they are a powerful tool in informal education. It can have a profound effect on the development of a young person in terms of their self esteem, motivation and self awareness. My dream is to have my own camp site where I can invite young people to visit on an annual basis.
I now have land donated by a influential Pan Africanist here in Uganda. The next step is to fund raise in order to begin construction. As I tighten my belt whilst living in Kampala, I know my vision will manifest in time.
I’m learning a lot about the transference of knowledge and skills using the tools of Creativity and Movement. The model of camp is one that can be easily delivered here in UG as many children already attend boarding school and are away from family for at least 9 months during the year. I would love to receive young people for at least a month every year as a part of their ongoing life and skills development.
I am an advocate of informal education and youth work. I would join my sister who worked at the Avenues, a vibrant youth club on the Harrow Road in London. These were my first experiences of youth work where young people would congregate safely, discover new information, explore healthy relationships with their peers and engage in creative activities.
As the internet allows us to become a global village, I hope people visit my site and learn about the work I am doing in partnership with so many wonderful people and organizations, and join the movement in creating sustainable youth provision here in Uganda either by donating funds or coming to Africa to volunteer in order to share their knowledge and skills. I understand the journey is not for the swift but for those who can endure, however we need your support in creating services and youth provision which will equip young people to become the Leaders in their Nation. Will you support us?