Uganda s Young Stars

A New Year, A New Me

Godfrey Mukisa
Ugandas Young Stars has impacted me personally whereby I know that everyone has his or her thinking capacity towards any issue brought on the ground. There positive or negative. Through Ugandas Young Stars I have managed to change peoples thinking capacity. They now think wisely and maturely. To me, it helped me to be proud and believe in whatever I do. For example, discussing pregnancy with young girls and teaching

A newsletter for Ugandas youth, by Ugandas youth

How has Ugandas Young Stars impacted you, personally?

the negative effects of peer pressure and now they have managed to stay away from peer pressure and drugs and now they are in school. In Uganda today people do not share. Whatever they get they keep to themselves saying, For God and My Stomach, not For God and My Country. This phrase is common in church, at work and home. But I will work hard to stop it and teach people to share with others.

them how to avoid pregnancy and the effects of pregnancy. It has helped me to teach youth

Do you have any New Years resolutions for 2013? Kansiime Monica :: S1, St. Theresa Girls Secondary school Nsenyi :: Kasese District
I have joined senior one and I have agreed to complete my studies. I want to get a distinction 1 in every subject. To do this, I will make sure I read my books and pay attention in class when the teacher is teaching.

Nakamanya Ulilah :: Age 20 :: Busuubizi Core Primary Teachers College :: Mityana District
The first year of training to become a teacher is not very easy since you may face so many challenges, but the best way of overcoming them is by working hard. I have already made my own decision of passing well to become a teacher to share knowledge and ideas to the youth, and this can make me a better as well as disciplined and responsible teacher. I plan on keeping these resolutions by: Maintaining the role model given by God, sharing ideas, skills, attitudes and values with others so that I keep my decisions. Being self respective and to the rest of people with in and outside Uganda. To help the needy of the world.

Through the above-recommended views I can be bright and whole of the country consequently the world.

Ugandas Young Stars :: Volume 6 :: June 2013

Ugandas
Shooting Stars
Godfrey Mukisa
Shooting Star: A small piece of rock in space that travels very fast and burns with a bright light as it enters the earths atmosphere.

Ugandas Shooting Stars dont just talk the talk, they walk the walk. These youth are actively working to promote change in their villages, schools, and country

Do you think that youre a Shooting Star?

Yes, I am a shooting star. I am a speaker at my college (YMCA) and I am trying to promote peace and peoples freedom all around. Some people (students) have complaints

about the way they are being taught and even complaints about time and funds. As for me, as a counselor, I am able to speak out about everything and all complaints from the students and be their voice. I am fighting for peace, unity, and freedom in the college because it is not fair to live in a society where

there is no freedom. Students come to college to have good times and learn more. No one should be a slave and everyone has the right to be free in my college. My fight for peace, unity, and freedom does not stop in my college, but is also there in my community and Uganda, as a whole.

Namuyomba Sharipha Shaphick :: Age 17 :: Bwebajja Entebbe Village :: Busuubizi Core Teachers Training College :: Mityana District
Sometimes when I look at myself, I think I am a shooting star because I was once in a dilemma where I was broken heartedly crying inside my bedroom. I was thinking of how he could do that to me. I started singing slowly as a joke about what had happened to me. At the end of the situation I had already got three songs which include When you think, If you find, and Come together. Right now I have got a fifth song which is Am sorry and Should I. Not only that, but I have another thing that makes me feel I am a star. Since my childhood, I loved acting and I was inspired by a Nigerian actress, Omotola Jelade Ikeinde. And later I got inspired more by the Hollywood star Angelina Jolie. I have since yearned to be like her. I love acting, I feel it, I move with it, and I know it runs through my blood streams. thrilling, interesting, six movies I wrote myself. I have inspired them to act with all their hearts and at least I know most of them would also love to join the movie industry. In other words, I would love to see my dreams come true, but because I dont have support from home, financial support and courage, it becomes hard to make it come true. I once acted in a Music Dance and Drama festival and was given a certificate as the best actress. I was happy because I had started moving forward towards achieving my goal. I was happy because at least half of the population at school got inspired by me. I have since advised fellow youths like the students in our club to write, giving them an example of my What I want to advise parents is to give their children support even if it needs sacrificing most of the things because a talent is given by God and not forced by anyone. Parents think that by joining the Music Industry or the Movie Industry, one is going to change completely. They think if you act loving someone, its true. But continued on pg. 5
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Do you think that youre a Shooting Star? Kirabo Doreen :: Age 18 :: Busuubizi Core PTC :: Busuubizi Village :: Mityana District
There is no imagination ever since I got interest in this field that made me to sway hither and thither. Being a star on my side makes me feel comfort in an environment because I normally observe the weird activities done by most youth. Nevertheless, I make other options incomplete and stabilize on my goal there isnt any chance that I lose control but all being ready to face any challenge that approaches my future. All the youth can be stars but few choose to be. And also strength separates them. Briefly, my action is different from the rest since I have halted to those ideas of being humiliated and disrespected. Through that previous longing, I desire to be the most known international writer in Uganda. I am originally a is the plan I realized in future. The most interesting joke needed in life is your goal. This is the high time I understood that I have pride to assure Uganda as its representative in terms of literature; basically, being an author. This makes me to serve as an example and be the best role model in my country. Paradoxically, it is sharp and sweet because dreams are real perfections. I can hurriedly inspire the coming generation through building a library and a building publisher for all authors in Uganda to develop their talents to improve the life economically.

teenager who is only focused on the future goals. There is no belief that I cannot become the consultant because when the tough gets going, the going gets tough. Little did the dwellers know, for it

Hassan Mocheche :: 23 years :: Rakai Community School of Nursing ::Rakai District

A lion is an animal that enjoys the lions share of the animals kingdom. Policemen are good people trained to look for and arrest criminals. A shooting star can be someone brave enough who has mastered up and put into action his or her God given abilities and has succeeded in attaining a positive goal in life, making him or her success itself. Born 23 years ago in a small town of Nyanza Province, Kisii, Kenya, today I live to stand a head taller than most people, stable in physique and in mind. My name is Hassan Mocheche and I am a nursing student at Rakai Community School of Nursing. What I can say is that being a nurse, or rather a medical persondeputize for change, here is my story. I still remember the day; it was a morning on the 26th of July, 2012. This morning was eventful. I was on duty that day at Rakai District Hospital, where I had been placed for my clinical experience. On the ward where I was, we had a male patient who by then had been hospitalized for four days with a diagnosis of acute diarrhea due to severe typhoid fever and malaria. It is not his sickness that puzzled me, but the pitiful reality that he had no one at all, no family member

nel, means that one has been chosen by God to serve humanity in the form of nursing care and treatment to patients. It is for this reason that I was compelled to

Ugandas Young Stars :: Volume 6 :: Page 3

or friend, to attend to him. To say he was in a miserable state, having nothing to eat, stinking as he had diarrhea, and no clothes to change. This was not the only case, but just one of the many. I had a brainstorm. At the hospitals, one of the challenges that has always presented and never been attended by the government is an issue to do with unattended patients, those without attendants. Given that hospitals only provide curative services, these patients always depend on goodwill of other patients or attendants for support, food, and other basic necessities, which in most instances is not sufficient. So back in college I sat with a group of nine students and presented them with this issue. After a lengthy discussion we decided to come up with a club to address such issues, which gave rise to

PROFESSIONAL ENHANCEMENT AND CREATIVITY EMPOWERMENT, abbreviated as P.E.A.C.E. Club. Our main objective being to address social problems in the community, as well as empower the youth to take up roles in society and help youth develop and discover their talents. So we began raising funds within the college and to my disbelief, the students responded positively and gave us financial aid which we set up a bank account for, for credibility. With the money, we bought food stuffs and basic commodities which we donate to patients whenever we visit the hospital. Other activities we perform range from cleaning the hospital and its environment, offering bed baths to very ill patients, and cleaning Rakai Town. The club has also ventured into promoting talent through hosting talent shows in the college

and article writing. Despite the infinite challenges we are facing, like financial constraint, I can say we are performing, with close to 100 acting members of the club. Dedicated the club is; we are on track and we are delivering something exceedingly significant to the community. My advice to my fellow young stars out there is that we, as youth, are the voice to the community, we are an example of a group that can empower and be influential in making ourselves and the generation to come a brighter future which is promising. Just look around you keenly; there is something that you can do to bring change. You dont necessarily have to do things others can do or will do. If there are things others cannot do or will not do, waste no time, do not hesitate, go for them!

International Womens Day 2013

For International Womens Day 2013, Peace Corps Volunteers Chelsea Milko and Betty Lambert coordinated an essay writing competition with two Arua-area schools. The aim of the project was to help P6-S2 Ugandan youth develop their personal philosophies related to the challenges facing women and girls in Uganda today while at the same time building their writing and oratory skills. With the help of Guma Simon and Atiku Alexander of Radio Pacis in Arua, West Nile, Chelsea and Betty visited Mvara Secondary and Jiako Primary schools to kick off the project, spark a healthy discussion, and provide essay writing tips. Each participating writer received a blue book and pencil and were encouraged to keep writing well beyond the end of the competition. Out of 112 submissions, 5 were selected as winners and invited to read their essays live on-air during Radio Pacis Pacis Youth program on March 9th. In the beleaguered region of West Nile, it was refreshing to see school-age youth express themselves in writing, challenge long-standing gender norms, and enlighten 4 million Radio Pacis listeners in the process.

Winning essays on pg. 5

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Namuyomba Sharipha Shaphick, continued from pg. 2

please parents, we need your support, make our dreams come true. I wrote my movies according to the situations that either happened to me or happened in the world. I love reading novels and writing movies. My movies include: UNFORGIVABLE QUEEN VAMPIRE YOU AND ME, DETECTIVE LIZ BOTH OF US AND WILL TOO I will conclude by encouraging youths to promote their talent and if possible, I will go round the world telling youths to promote their talents because a talent can make you move round the world. I therefore think I am a shooting star. ***BASED ON A TRUE STORY***

International Womens Day 2013 WINNING Essays

Letaru Fortunate Patricia :: P7, Jiako Primary School :: Arua
I believe that violence in the home is wrong because... I remember when I was five years old. We lived with our parents on Entebbe Road in Kampala. My parents had a good relationship. They mostly shared good ideas and fun. They used to go church every Sunday. My parents would listen to each other. So, life was great. Two years later, my mother told I believe that violence in the home is wrong because.... It may cause death at home, lack of love among the parents and lack of respect. Due to violence, children will be unable to read at home daily. Violence can even my father to take us to a good boarding school. Then later my father decided to take us to Kampala Parents Academy in day section. So life was interesting. So seven years later my father changed his mood. He joined a wrong group. Every night they would go and break into peoples shops. He would come back when he was drunk. So my parents couldnt keep his dignity. He would come late in the evening and start beating my mother for no good reason. What my mother did was to pack her belongings and leave. With above experiences, I believe that violence in the home is wrong. Thank you.

Oleru Gloria :: P6, Jiako Primary School :: Arua

bring about disease at home e.g. AIDS and syphilis. If there is no respect between woman and man, you will be unable to educate your children which can result in not getting employment. The home will be noisy and disorderly. Due to violence in the home, parents may be unable to give some things like books, pens, uniforms, sets and school bags to their children. With the above reasons, I believe violence in the home is wrong. Thank you.

Onziku Patrick :: S2, Mvara Secondary :: Arua

I believe both women and men should have equal access to education because... Once upon a time, there was a girl who was in a home where there was no chance to go to school. Hence, she remained illiterate. As she was growing, she was growing carelessly because of a lack of education. And there were no people to advise her. She didnt know what was happening to her. So, reaching the age of eighteen to nineteen there, she deceived by somebody that she was mature to marry. So, because of ignorance, she became aware of marriage. Fortunately, as she was trying to look for a boyfriend, she got an educated man who thought she was also educated. Later, she was married to that educated man. continued on next page

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Ugandas Shooting Stars

But later, this man came to realize that the girl was ignorant. But he refused to air it out up to where the couple had two children. Later on this man was a drunkard and began to abuse this girl using vulgar language and other words that brought heart pain to this girl. When the girl came to realize that the man was mistreating her, she left the man and went back to her father. Whereby, she asked her father if she could join Primary One. Her father accepted and took her to an institution where she became a teacher. She married a new husband who was a doctor. As she got a job and became self-employed, she became a key person in the home where there used to be no chance for education. Because of her hard work, the girls home became quite unique from others because they believed in education for all. My belief is there is a need for women to be educated and it is right for them to learn. I believe that can be supported with great hope because we all experienced the development done by women. For example, women are involved in politics. We should encourage their emancipation. To reduce the rate of high population because an educated woman knows how to space children and limit family size. And they can look after their children better. For good community development, women help by building cooperation and helping to fight corruption, like woman member of Parliament for Arua District, Christine Abia. Womens involvement in the politics gives rise to better support of girl child education and helping the orphans. Women are good in planning for developing and for the future. There is no freedom for uneducated people. To participate in the world of today, females must be educated. Thank you.

The following are the reasons that explain my appreciation with great hope for women and men to have equal access to education. To reduce the high rate of illiteracy through promoting womens education and encouraging education for orphans.

Ajio Agnes :: S3, Mvara Secondary :: Arua

I believe that both men and women should have equal access to education because it promotes gender balance whereby both men and women are able to share their responsibilities, promote development on both sides and reduce primitivism through exercising human rights. However, there is a very high rate of illiteracy. So, in our families and communities there is unbalanced access to education as a result. This emanates into neglect of family responsibilities by some people. Never to hide the fact, I feel daze to mention that girls in our family are not given equal opportunities to access education as the boys. I am very privileged to say that out of 9 children in my family, I am the only one who has been educated up to secondary level. This is due to the support from my guardians who picked me when I was young. Many times some parents ignorantly think that they cant lead continued on next page

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anyone further in school than they have gone themselves. They use their ignorance to defend themselves without noticing that success in life depends on how you handle your failures. When one woman is educated, the whole world is educated. This is true and I believe my being the only educated girl will educate my entire family, no matter the challenges that come my way. They are a part of life and God will be my helper. I will overcome them. I believe that the roots of education are so bitter but the fruits are so sweet. No matter how far I am from my house, I will keep going until I get home. Going slowly doesnt stop one from arriving, as

long as he or she doesnt stop. With courage, I believe I will achieve success. Despise not a snail for its slow and struggling movement for it has a destination and with time, it shall arrive. My past will never dictate my future. Everybody has a right to education and gender balance. But suddenly the number of boys in school exceeds the number of girls. This is because girls are being harassed and exploited and forced into early marriage by their parents. This is so they can get rich from the dowry but the riches do not last forever. I feel concerned and sad when I see school age girls being sexu-

ally harassed. Personally, I wish to challenge those things and show people that girls and boys should be treated equally. The way a cat walks is not the way it catches a rat. One only realizes the importance of a well when it is dried up. With all these things, I believe in the future I will be a responsible person and able to bring a positive change in my family as far as access to education is concerned. A hunter with one arrow doesnt shoot with a careless aim. That is my dream. Therefore, equal access to education leads to gender balance. Thank you.

Danielford Asega :: S3, Mvara Secondary :: Arua

I believe that both men and women should have equal access to education because.... Most women have been denied their due respect they would otherwise command by virtue of their position in the family. They tend to be suppressed and unable to influence any decision in the home, even when it may concern their own children. Sometimes women are unjustifiably divorced from their intolerable husbands. She then loses the companionship of her children and suffers public humiliation since there is no money. The modern society which is dominated by men has often considered women as mere beings designed to satisfy mens sexual desires anywhere and anytime. This blindfolds men to the truth that there are countless women who can accomplish things other than sex. Women only need to be properly educated. Many women silently battle the unfairness of being regularly beaten by their husbands or even their male relatives since they have no power to live on their own. Society has tended to leave it as a mans right to beat or rape his wife anytime he feels it is necessary as a way of disciplining her. While authorities have watched this go on, many women have died because of domestic violence. I believe that without education, the illiteracy and ignorance that women eventually suffer makes them voiceless and unable to better their lives. Women have often been discriminated against and have limited employment opportunities because of their low or poor qualifications. As such, they are denied the chance to aspire for better paying jobs. They are taken as physically week and unhealthy during pregnancy. I also believe that women who never went to school are normally forced by their husbands to vote for the husbands choice of political candidate and not their own choice. This lack of education for woman has a catastrophic effect on Ugandan society.

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E s s ay S u b m i s s i o n G u i d e l i n e s
Essay questions are optional. Please try to keep submissions for each question under 400 words. Entries submitted as personal testimony must be factual. Write your name, age, school (if applicable), village and district on the paper.

Next issues Theme: Small Steps, Big Changes

1. Did you celebrate World Malaria Day on April 25th? Describe what youdid to promote Malaria prevention in your community. 2. How do you feel about gender equality? In what ways do you promote gender equality in your school or community? 3. Domestic violence is considered a huge problem across Uganda. How has it affected you personally? What do you think youth can do to help stop domestic violence? 4. Do you think that youre a Shooting Star? Tell us about who you areand how youre actively working to promote change in your village, school, community, or Uganda as a whole.

About

Ugandas Young Stars

Ugandas Young Stars was first published by American Peace Corps Volunteers in February 2012. The newsletter is written for youth, by youth and is designed to be an open forum where Ugandan kids can express their ideas, opinions, and experiences regarding gender and youth-related issues. Youth write and submit essays which are compiled by Peace Corps Volunteers, used as articles in the publication, and then distributed in

Ugandas Young Stars :: June 2013 Volume 6 Page 8 Published by United States Peace Corps Volunteers